Cream Cheese…My Culinary Duct Tape


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Cream Cheese…My Culinary Duct Tape

By Libbie Summers, Food Editor

What ever happened to Door Knock Dinners? That uncomfortable show where a guest cook went into someone’s home and using only the food they had on hand, cooked the family a meal? I would OWN that show! I have a God given talent for taking nothing and making it into a freakishly delectable something. Top Chef vending machine challenge?...Mine for the taking.

If I look in my pantry right now, I could put together a cocktail party for 20 with just the condiment section. (The “section” consisting of one shelf packed with obscure shaped glass jars of pickled okra, artichokes, tomato jam and black-eyed peas.) The secret ingredient to this whole crazy party’s success is the sixteen ounces of cream cheese I have stashed in the refrigerator. I love when I see those silver boxes staring at me each time I open the refrigerator door. You see, Philadelphia Cream Cheese is my savior…my culinary duct tape if you will. With a few ounces of cream cheese and some fresh herbs from my garden, I can turn any obscure jar of “food stuff” from mundane to mythical. Trust me…it’s a gift.

This week marks the start of the Real Women of Philadelphia online cooking show. An online cooking competition hosted by Paula. I’m sure you have read about it. Four very lucky women win $25,000 each, publish a cookbook, star in their own videos, come to Savannah to meet Paula and go on to host others all the while gaining celebrity AND eating cream cheese. Sound good? All you have to do to have a chance at winning one of the four spots is send in a video, or two, or two hundred of you making a dish using Philadelphia Cream Cheese. I’m sick that I can’t enter. I’m even more sick that I can’t taste all the entries. Just head over to our homepage and click on the Real Women of Philadelphia box. You can’t miss it…trust me, you could read it from 10 feet away!

Have a great week. Eat something homemade (with a little cream cheese added)
Libbie


Paula loves to hear what you are thinking. Please leave your comments at the end of any of our fabulous articles or delicious recipes. You can also drop me a note at foodeditor@pauladeen.com.

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Reader Comments:

Hi Libby,
Loved the article, I too can make something with nothing and it taste super good!!! I grew up in a family of 8 and loved being in the kitchen with mom she was a loving and patient teacher, I was a sponge, lol! We love cream cheese so when Paula came up with this show idea wow was I excited, I am editing my video now and looking forward to the next 7 weeks!!

By Lucia Carman on March 29, 2010

Libbie,

I loved the article. It made me think of what my grown children tell me every time they come over. “Mama, you just come up with the best food and never have a recipe; you just make it up as you go”. I love that my Mother and Grand-Mother’s passed down that ability to go to the pantry and find a great meal. We often take for granted that there is a meal in the pantry if you look for it and I hope that I can pass this on to my Daughter, Son and Grand-Son. You do not always have to go by a recipe to make an incredible meal. Keeping a pantry with staples is important for any family and is truely easy to do. We all know our go to items and there is not always a need or time to go to the grocery store before preparing a meal.

Happy cooking and please keep the incredible articles coming.

Sincerely,
Sandie Rigsby

By Sandie Rigsby on March 29, 2010

LOVE THE ARTICLE, I AM THE SAME WAY LOVE COMING UP WITH NEW THINGS WITH WHAT I HAVE ON HAND, ONLY PROBLEM IS WHEN THEY TASTE SO GOOD YOU CANNOT ALWAYS RECREATE THEM. I ALMOST NEVER WRITE DOWN A RECIPE UNLESS ITS BAKING, SAME GOES FOR MEASURING, COOKING IS A PASSION OF MINE. LOVE YA

By Jennifer on March 29, 2010

Hey Taylor! I think you are too young to enter the contest, but you aren’t too young to turn in a video and have some fun. We would all love to see what you can do!

By Libbie Summers on March 26, 2010

i would love to make a video and i know i can do i but i am only 11 years old so can i ?please
PLEASE
THANKS
Taylor

By Taylor Crews on March 26, 2010

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