Walnut-Raisin Cream Cheese

When we were in New York, we ate bagels for breakfast one morning, as does any good tourist visiting the Big Apple.

I guess I wasn't feeling like taking a culinary adventure that morning or something.  Because I got plain cream cheese on my bagel.  I've regretted my decision ever since.

But I tasted Katie's bagel smeared with walnut raisin cream cheese.  And then I was jealous of her bagel.

Does that ever happen to you?

So, ever since, I have been trying to figure out how they made this amazing schmear.  And this recipe is as close as I could come.  And the weird thing is that I don't even love walnuts.  Or raisins.  But the combination with cream cheese and brown sugar is simply divine.

You can spread it on bagels.  But since we can't get "real" bagels (according to New Yorkers) anywhere but New York, I spread it on my pumpkin bread.

Wow.  NYC don't got nothin' on us Kentuckians.

Raisin-Walnut Cream Cheese


8 oz. block cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 T butter, softened
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (toast in a dry skillet for about 5 minutes over medium heat, tossing often)
2 T packed brown sugar

Mix ingredients together.  Store in the refrigerator.