Chopped Pickles Take Plain Cream Cheese To A Tangy Level Of Awesome

As far as toppings for bagels or fillings for sandwiches go, a cream cheese schmear is certainly up there on the popularity scale. However, like many of us, you may be forgiven for wanting to elevate the plain flavor of cream cheese from time to time. While one way of getting restaurant-quality cream cheese is by adding a little seltzer, today we have another nifty trick to share. All you need is chopped pickles to take your plain cream cheese to a tangy level of awesome, thanks to the sour taste of the pickles.

We know that pickles have many benefits -- they taste great and offer the nutrients of vegetables in a particularly palatable form. Cleopatra is said to have associated her beauty with her daily habit of consuming pickles. Though the truth of that fact is hard to prove, there is no denying that pickles have been popular for centuries in all parts of the world. And this simple pickle trick is sure to leave you with a tasty and tangy cream cheese treat.

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How To Use Pickles To Elevate Your Cream Cheese

An easy breakfast dish is undoubtedly a bagel and cream cheese. However, easy doesn't have to translate to boring. By adding ingredients that won't take up too much of your time -- a chopped pickle, for example -- you can make your breakfast bagel so much tastier. Start by chopping a pickle up into tiny bits and sprinkling it on top of the bagel that has already been schmeared with cream cheese. For extra tanginess, add the juice of the pickles on top of the mixture, too.

You could also make a dill pickle and cream cheese mix to use as a convenient spread on your bagels or as a delicious sandwich filling. The best way to do this is to mix chopped pickles with cream cheese that has been softened so it is easy to maneuver, and then leave the mixture in a refrigerator for at least an hour. This will allow the ingredients to adhere to each other. Here is how you can adequately soften cream cheese for this to work.

What To Know When Mixing Pickles And Cream Cheese

Apart from the fact that your cream cheese should be softened, there are certain other things to keep in mind for the tastiest chopped pickle and cream cheese pairing. The first is to experiment with the kind of pickle you use. Hot and spicy pickles and kosher pickles are great substitutes for dill. Other additions like green onions, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, and garlic powder can further elevate the taste of your spread. Once your mixture is ready, you can add some extra chopped pickles on top as seasoning.

If you decide to make a pickle cream cheese dip, you can store the mixture in a container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days and pull it out at your convenience. The dip can be used for a variety of things such as celery, carrots or zucchini, crackers, wraps, and also tastes great in cucumber sandwiches.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.