#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Food and Life

Creamy Garlic and Vegetable Bagel Spread

May 27, 2009 · Narrative

Creamy Garlic and Vegetable Bagel Spread

Breakfast for me in the morning has always been a tough challenge.  Between getting Nick up, dressed, fed and ready for carpool in the morning, and juggling Madeline as she’s just waking up, there isn’t a lot of time to stop and think about breakfast for myself before I sit down to work.  It continues to be an afterthought and usually consists of whatever I can grab and go.  Lately that’s been Weight Watchers breakfast sandwiches.  Not necessarily the tastiest thing, but not the most terrible either.  It fills me up until lunch, is ready in two minutes and 15 seconds and I don’t have guilt about eating something that’s crazy with calories or saturated fat.

But every once in awhile, the planets align … Nick wakes up early and gets ready without lying on the bedroom floor first.  Madeline sleeps until after he leaves so I’m not bouncing back and forth between the two.  There are just a few extra minutes in the morning that gives me enough time to toast a bagel and spread on a delicious schmear.

But do I reach for a store-bought spread?  Heck no!  No reason to when you can make your own delicious one within minutes that beats anything that the folks at Philadelphia Cream Cheese could dream up (no offense to them, of course).  If I’m thinking about it on the weekend, I’ll make the bagel spread then, so it’s ready to go.  Grabbing a frozen bagel from the freezer and toasting it up, within minutes I have a terrifically crunchy bagel with an oh-so-delicious spread for a fraction of what I would spend at the bagel shop.  As if I had that kind of time in the morning anyway!

This Creamy Garlic and Vegetable Bagel Spread recipe comes from Emeril Lagasse, and is from a 2004 episode of his now-canceled Emeril Live show (it was first published in his New New Orleans cookbook in ’93).  It’s really delicious, packed with flavor and perfect on an crispy everything bagel.  And once you get the basic formula down, it’s easy to swap out some of the flavorings to come up with a new spread that quickly becomes the perfect way to start your morning … even on those mornings when breakfast is an afterthought.

Creamy Garlic and Vegetable Bagel Spread
Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, softened in hot water, drained and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped black olives
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt, to taste

In a bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sour cream. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Bring to room temperature before serving. (The spread will keep for 3 days refrigerated.)

Yield: about 1 1/4 cups

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Posted In: Narrative · Tagged: Creamy Garlic and Vegetable Bagel Spread, Emeril Lagasse, Emeril Live, New New Orleans Cooking, schmear

Comments

  1. Cathy says

    May 28, 2009 at 12:13 am

    This looks remarkably like a spready I used to eat years ago from a quaint little bagel shop….I’m going to make it this weekend!

    Cathys last blog post..Creature of habit

    Reply
  2. doggybloggy says

    May 28, 2009 at 6:38 am

    some like sweet some like savory and for breakfast I am a savory kind of guy – this looks perfect to me right now!

    Reply
  3. Emily says

    May 28, 2009 at 6:46 am

    Oh man… this is exactly what I’m craving. Seriously. It looks great.

    Emilys last blog post..Chocolate Chip Streusel Topped-Cherry Sour Cream Pie

    Reply
  4. noobcook says

    May 28, 2009 at 8:28 am

    I like your home made spread. What a great way to start the day with these delicious bagels =)

    Reply
  5. Debbie says

    May 28, 2009 at 9:07 am

    That looks and sounds delicious! Great topping for a bagel!

    Debbies last blog post..Banana Crumb Muffins

    Reply
  6. Natasha - 5 Star Foodie says

    May 28, 2009 at 5:02 pm

    This spread sounds wonderful – definitely an upgrade from plain cream cheese or butter that I usually have. I will be sure to try it!

    Natasha – 5 Star Foodies last blog post..Grilled Lamb Chops with Chipotle Mustard and Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes

    Reply
  7. Patsy Kreitman says

    May 28, 2009 at 9:50 pm

    I have a terrible time fitting in breakfast for myself most mornings. I love the idea of making this up on the weekend and just toasting a bagel in the AM to toss in my lunch bag to eat at work. Yum!

    Patsy Kreitmans last blog post..Fruit Chillers

    Reply
  8. Kevin says

    May 31, 2009 at 11:31 am

    That spread is just packed with flavour!

    Kevins last blog post..Scrambled Eggs with Ramps, Asparagus and Morel Mushrooms

    Reply

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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