Cooking on the Go
By Janet Groene, F47166
December 2005
Cream cheese has many uses for cooks on the go. Spread it on toast or bagels for breakfast. Bring it out for snacks. Bake it into cheesecakes. Melt it into casseroles and sauces. Packages are dated, making it a product you can keep on hand for weeks in a back corner of the coach refrigerator. Cream cheese comes in regular, low-fat, non-fat, flavored, and whipped varieties. Hot or cold, alone or as an ingredient, cream cheese saves the day in recipes such as these.
Pina Colada Pie
This traditional blend of tropical fruits and coconut goes into an unusual cream crust that will wow your guests. Leftovers don’t keep, so make this recipe when you have a party of eight.
8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2-cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1/2-cup shredded coconut
1-quart tub whipped topping
1 large or 2 small bananas, sliced
1/2-cup pineapple jam
12-ounce can mandarin oranges, well drained
2 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur (optional)
Let the cream cheese come to room temperature; add the sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice; and beat until the mixture is creamy. Fold in the coconut and whipped topping. Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick coating and spread the mixture around the bottom and sides to form a crust. Wrap and freeze. This can be done up to two weeks ahead of time. Just before serving time, slice the banana(s) and toss lightly in a bowl with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Fold in the jam, oranges, and Cointreau. Spread the filling into the pie shell; let the pie stand for five minutes; cut into eight portions; and serve. The crust cuts more easily with a serrated knife.
Note: If the jam has been refrigerated, microwave it for a few seconds to make it easier to fold into the fruit.
Creamy Cheese Sauce
When you want a rich sauce for vegetables, potatoes, tuna patties, an omelet, or plain pasta, here’s a quickie that is unfailingly lump-proof.
8-ounce package regular cream cheese (not non-fat)
1/2-cup milk
1/4-cup grated Parmesan cheese from a jar
Pinch paprika
Salt, pepper to taste
Cut the cream cheese into cubes and place in a microwavable container with the milk. Microwave the cheese for 30 seconds at a time, stirring each time, until it’s heated and smooth. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and seasonings and serve at once. This recipe makes approximately 1-3/4 cups of sauce.
Variations: Use 1/2-teaspoon dillweed instead of the paprika. To make blue cheese sauce “” it’s delicious over burgers or asparagus “” omit the paprika or dill and stir in crumbled blue cheese to taste.
Four-Cheese Macaroni Dinner
This is a rich, satisfying main dish. To reduce fat and calories, use low-fat cheeses.
3-ounce package cream cheese
1 package macaroni and cheese dinner
1 cup cottage cheese
Grated Parmesan cheese
Let the cream cheese come to room temperature and cut it into cubes. Prepare the macaroni and cheese dinner in a saucepan according to package directions. Immediately fold in the cream cheese and cottage cheese; cover; and let stand five minutes. Then stir and serve. Pass the Parmesan cheese. This recipe serves four people. Complete the meal with steamed broccoli florets and a salad of torn lettuce sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and sauced with raspberry vinaigrette.
Spam Grand Slam
Use regular or turkey Spam for this desperation dinner. It’s great for times when the white bread is going stale too quickly and you’re out of fresh meat.
12 slices bread, crusts cut off
12-ounce can Spam
1-1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
6-ounce package grated cheddar cheese
8-ounce package cream cheese
Water
Small can evaporated milk
3 eggs
Pinch paprika
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Spray an 8-inch-by-12-inch or a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish and arrange six slices of bread in the bottom. Drain the Spam and cut it into small cubes. Scatter the Spam, peas, and half the cheddar cheese over top of the bread slices. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature. Add enough water to the evaporated milk to make 1 cup. Whisk together the cream cheese, milk, eggs, and seasonings and pour into the dish. Cut the remaining bread diagonally and arrange atop the casserole. Microwave the butter just until it melts and drizzle it over the bread. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate to bake later, or bake immediately at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes or until it tests done, as for custard. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes, then cut it into six portions and serve with chilled whole cranberry sauce and a medley of crisp raw vegetables.
Creamy Corn Custard
This recipe serves eight but is easily doubled or tripled for a campground potluck. It’s hearty enough for a vegetarian main dish.
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
4 eggs
3 12-ounce cans whole-kernel corn, well drained
Small green bell pepper, finely diced
Small red bell pepper, finely diced
8-ounce can diced carrots, well drained
Small sweet onion, finely diced
Salt, pepper
Hot pepper sauce
In a bowl, allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature. Whisk the eggs and mix into the cream cheese. Coat a 9-inch-by-13-inch pan with nonstick spray and add the vegetables, mixing well. Sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and a few dashes of hot pepper sauce. Pour the egg mixture over the casserole and bake it at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until it is set, as for custard.
Cheesy Rice Casserole
This is a good make-ahead recipe. Assemble it in the morning; refrigerate; then bake; or microwave it in time for dinner. You can use either brown or white rice. Serve it as a hearty side dish or add a 10-ounce can of solid-pack tuna and turn it into a main dish.
1 tablespoon butter
8-ounce package cream cheese
1 egg
1/4-cup milk
3 cups cooked rice
Small onion, finely diced
8-ounce can whole-kernel corn, well drained
1-1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
Squeeze margarine
Microwave the butter in a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking dish until it melts. Tilt and rotate the dish to coat the bottom and sides. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature and mix it with the egg and milk until smooth. Spread the rice, onion, corn, and peas in the baking dish and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the cheese mixture over the top; drizzle with margarine from a squeeze bottle; and bake at 350 degrees until it’s golden around the edges. (If you make the dish with hot rice and bake it at once, it will be done in approximately 15 minutes; if the dish has been refrigerated, it will take twice as long.) This recipe makes six to eight servings.
Potato Puff
This festive potato dish will bring rave reviews. Make it in the morning or even the previous day, and then bake it at dinnertime for a hot and puffy side dish.
8 servings instant mashed potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
8-ounce package cream cheese, cut into cubes
3 tablespoons real bacon bits (not imitation)
2 eggs, beaten
Medium onion, finely diced
Make up the mashed potatoes according to package directions and allow them to cool. Fold in the salt and pepper, cream cheese cubes, bacon bits, beaten eggs, and onion. Spread into a greased casserole dish. Cool, cover, and refrigerate for baking later; or, bake immediately at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes or until it’s puffy and golden. The dish also can be cooked in the microwave on medium high, turning every minute, until it’s hot, firm, and puffy. However, it will not brown when cooked in the microwave.
Cream Cheese Cranberry Pie
Pull this festive red dessert out of the refrigerator to dazzle holiday guests.
1 baked or graham cracker pie shell
8-ounce package cream cheese
2 heaping tablespoons sugar
4-serving packet of any red gelatin dessert
3/4-cup boiling water
1 can whole cranberry sauce
8-ounce can mandarin oranges, well drained
1/2-cup broken pecans (optional)
In a microwavable bowl, heat the cream cheese on medium just until it softens and beat in the sugar. Spoon the mixture into the bottom of the pie shell and spread evenly. Refrigerate. Dissolve the gelatin in boiling water and add the cranberry sauce, oranges, and nuts. Cool; pour over the cream cheese; and refrigerate for four to six hours. This recipe makes six to eight servings.
Creamy Crab Croissants
Real crabmeat is costly. Here’s a recipe to make a little bit go a long way.
7-ounce can crabmeat, drained and picked over
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 scallion with some green, thinly sliced
Mayonnaise to moisten
4 large croissants
Butter
Cream cheese
Combine the crab, celery, onion, and mayonnaise. Split the croissants; butter lightly; and spread generously with softened cream cheese. Divide the crab filling among the croissants. This recipe makes enough for four sandwiches.
Helen’s Chili Soup
This recipe is from Helen F. Willis, F306486. She says her chili freezes well, so she suggests making a big pot of it that can be frozen in smaller batches to take on motorhome trips.
2 pounds ground meat (a mixture of beef, pork, and turkey)
Large onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 teaspoons garlic, chopped
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can white beans, drained
3 cans (empty bean can) water
1 cup ketchup
2 to 3 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons cumin, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1/2-teaspoon pepper
1/2-teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Combine the ground meat, onion, celery, and garlic and cook until the meat has browned. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat; and simmer for an hour or so. Serve with crackers and a salad, suggests Helen.
Books for cooks
The Mixer Bible ($19.95, Robert Rose) tells everything you need to know about using a stand mixer. It includes 300 delicious recipes and thousands of tips. Many of the recipes call for mixer attachments such as a sausage stuffer or pasta maker, so the book isn’t for cooking on the go. However, it has endless appeal for culinary hobbyists who cook creatively at home for future motorhome trips. Mixers with attachments often can be found at yard sales for next to nothing. The book is available at bookstores, through online booksellers, or from the publisher by calling (800) 387-5085.