LJWorld.com

An 8-ounce block of cream cheese is pure heaven for a cook.

It adds substance to desserts and creamy flavor to entrees, but best of all, it's the base for thousands of appetizers.

You don't even have to be a cook to create a high-five-ing hors d'oeuvre from a block of cream cheese.

Kathy Belcher, program director for the Southeast Dairy Association, said cream cheese is versatile because it can be flavored by an almost endless list of ingredients - sweet and savory - and used for everything from appetizers to desserts. Pineapple, dried cherries or blackberry jam stirred into softened cream cheese makes a tasty sweet spread for bagels or nut breads. Chives, scallions or roasted red peppers can be added for a savory spread for crackers or tortilla pinwheels.

"To trim calories, reduced-fat cream cheese can be substituted in most recipes," Belcher said. "I don't recommend fat-free cream cheese for baked or heated recipes."

Recipes usually call for softening cream cheese before using, and that creates a problem for the cook who's always in a hurry. Here's a quick tip that works: Submerge the foil-wrapped package in a bowl of warm water, and it should be ready to use in about 10 minutes.

Hot pizza dip

6 ounces light cream cheese

1/2 cup light sour cream

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 cup pizza sauce

1 cup shredded low-moisture, part-skim Mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup diced red peppers

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Whole wheat bread sticks or crackers

Combine cream cheese, sour cream and oregano in bowl; stir until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly into 9-inch pie plate or quiche pan. Top with pizza sauce, Mozzarella cheese, peppers and onions. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with whole-wheat bread sticks or crackers. Makes 10 servings.

Roasted red pepper spread

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup ricotta cheese

3 eggs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup prepared pesto

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained, pureed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat cream cheese and ricotta cheese in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into 9-inch pie plate. Bake 50 minutes. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. before serving to soften slightly.

Greek-style spread

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup chopped pitted ripe olives

1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed

Spread cream cheese onto serving plate. Mix remaining ingredients; spoon over cream cheese. Serve with assorted crackers or toasted pita bread wedges.

Sources: Kraft Foods, Southern Living