I love this super-simple all vegetable cream cheese spread that is perfect for parties and entertaining. It disappears pretty quickly. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

8 ounces container cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese.

1/2 cup Vegetable Flakes (no seasoning – just veggies).

1/4 cup evaporated milk

Garlic Salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Thin wheat crackers

Instructions:

Let cream cheese soften at room temperature until easy to work with.  Place into a bowl and stir in the vegetable flakes and evaporated milk.   Add a shake of garlic salt and several turns of fresh pepper.  Add a little more milk if needed so that it is the consistency of pudding.  As the vegetables flakes rehydrate and the cream cheese cools, it will thicken.  Cover and put in the fridge for several hours to mellow and thicken. Spread (somewhat generously) on thin wheat crackers and garnish with a a sliver of green or red pepper. Wonderful!

Variations:

1.  Turn up the heat with a little hot pepper sauce.

2.  Make it zippy with a little horseradish.

3.  Stir in a little fresh spinach, chopped fine.