Copycat Boursin Cheese Spread

(based on a recipe from food.com)

1 very small clove garlic, finely minced 

            (put it through a garlic press if you have one)

6 oz cream cheese, softened (2 3-oz packages, or ¾ of an 8-oz package)

1/3 c butter (about 5 T), softened

1/4 t dried oregano

1/2 t Italian seasoning

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Be sure the garlic is very finely chopped or you’ll end up with chunks of garlic in the cheese. (Yuck!) A food processor works well for this, if you have one. Otherwise, use a mixer or just keep smooshing it against the side of bowl until it’s completely smooth and the herbs are evenly distributed. The cream cheese and butter need to be soft, but not melted or runny. This makes about one cup. Use it in BAKED FISH WITH BOURSIN HERB CHEESE or use it to stuff celery sticks or to fill hollowed out cherry tomatoes, or spread it on crackers. It can be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen up to three months.

Garlic Bread Snacks

You can take a loaf of French bread that is split in two, spread each side with garlic butter, and bake until hot. Or take that same loaf of French bread, cut it vertically into slices (but not all the way through) and spread garlic butter in between the slices, and bake until hot. Or go ahead and cut the slices all the way through, put them flat on a baking sheet and spread the top side with garlic butter, then bake until hot and somewhat crispy. Or take regular old bread (or sliced sour dough would be good, too), spread one side with garlic butter, put them in a single layer on a baking dish, and bake until toasted and crisp. Or make your garlic bread however you like to. Or even buy a loaf of garlic bread! However you make your Garlic Bread, it makes a good base for spreading either the SPINACH ARTICHOKE DIP or the COPY CAT FRITO LAY BEAN DIP on top of. Or other dips, too, for that matter. You may need to spread the dip instead of dipping the bread, depending on the dip.