Right off the bat, I’m going to say that I’m not totally sure this is a French Canadian recipe. What I do know is that this recipe was given to my mother decades ago by a French Canadian, so we are going with it being French Canadian.
But, no matter where this recipe came from, I can promise you, you are going to love it. And your friends and family are going to love it as well.
This recipe uses a lot of cheese and is perfect to spread on crackers or even as a dip. The cheese used is commonly found in your grocery store and isn’t fancy at all–unless you consider parmesan fancy, which I don’t. I consider it yummy, but not fancy. You’ll just need a bowl and a hand mixer and you’ll be all set to whip up this party pleaser.
Be sure to get the plain Philly cheese block, the kind you might use in a cheesecake. The recipe calls for less than two blocks, but I have used just one instead of the one and half, and then just add in a bit more mayo so that I get a more spreadable and dippable result. The recipe also calls for cheddar cheese, but to be honest, I have always omitted it and people still rave about this cheese spread. However, the original recipe includes it, so I have included it here. Try it both ways and let me know which you like better!
What really makes this recipe super delicious, is in my opinion, the seasoning. The oregano and garlic powder give this is a really savoury punch and honestly, I could eat the whole batch. I like to use high quality herbs and spices in my cooking, from brands like Simply Organic or McCormick and I do recommend you do the same as it really does make a difference in seasoning your food.
Suggested for You: Delicious Gingerbread Cookies
Recipe
1 1/2 package of soft Philadelphia cream cheese
1/3 cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup of grated cheddar cheese (optional)
1/2 mayo
1/2 tsp of oregano
1/2 tsp of garlic powder
pecans (optional)
Mix first five ingredients at medium speed until light and fluffy. Chill for three hours. If desired, shape into a cone and cover with pecans then serve.
Substitutions
If you want to make this healthier, you can use cottage cheese or sour cream instead of the Philly cream cheese. I would use a good organic or grass fed brand so that it contains as little additives as possible and is more wholesome. I have not personally tried this yet, but I have researched and discovered that both are good substitutions for cream cheese.
Final Thoughts
This is always a party favourite and I highly recommend it. If you are having a party where you are including charcuterie, this would be the perfect thing to include as it goes so well with crackers. It’s also great as an appetizer before a dinner party. I’ve brought it to potlucks and it’s been quite the hit, so this is a quick and easy and impressive dip to include at any event. Hopefully you have as much luck with it as I have whenever I share this with friends and family!
Made this? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Be sure to follow me Instagram for more homemaking ideas and updates.