Hello, everyone!

During our live chat last fall, I hinted at a great new flavour of cream cheese, and I wasn't pulling your leg. The new Roasted Garlic Philly is my new favourite. If you like garlic, you'll love it. It is so great simply spread on a bagel or crackers, but I find it to be a big shortcut to flavours in dishes when I'm cooking.

Anywhere I would usually add garlic, I just add this flavour instead. It provides a rich, smooth garlic flavour with all the creamy goodness of Philly. I decided to use it on a winter version of a classic bruschetta recipe. I was heading to a party and needed an appetizer for a large number of people. In the summer, when tomatoes are fresh, I would have done a nice bruschetta. So it got me thinking how I could adapt it for winter. The addition of thyme instead of the usual basil makes it heartier, and adding a little maple syrup takes bland winter tomatoes into fresh summer flavour. By roasting the tomatoes in the oven at the same time as the bread, you kill two birds with one stone -- saving time and heightening the flavour of the dish!

Warm Roasted Garlic & Tomato Bruschetta
Prep time: 10 min. | Cooking time: 10 min. | Total time: 25 min. | Servings: 16 (2 pieces each)

Ingredients:

1 (350g) baguette, sliced into 32 x ½” pieces
2 cups halved grape tomatoes
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tub (250g) Philadelphia Roasted Garlic cream cheese spread

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place baguette slices on one baking sheet.
• Toss tomatoes with maple syrup, oil and thyme; place on a second baking sheet.
• Place both baking sheets, side by side on middle rack in oven. Bake 10 min. until bread is lightly browned and tomatoes are soft.
• Spread 1/2 tbsp. of cream cheese on each baguette slice and top with roasted tomatoes.

The creamy Roasted Garlic Philly just pulls it all together. It disappeared at my party, and I'm sure it will be a hit for you too.

Cayla Runka, Kraft Kitchens Expert