Absolutely the BEST way to eat garlic

Why am I eating garlic in the first place? Because there's an awful cold going around our house, and I want to boost my immune system. But this recipe was invented (by yours truly) several weeks prior to the entrance of this cold into our house, so I assure you that even if your family is perfectly healthy, you'll want to try this. I like garlic, but in this recipe I love garlic.

I am going to be perfectly modest and humble and not rave about how brilliant and how spur-of-the-moment and how easy this recipe is, nor say how much I like my own cooking. All I'll say is I'm copyrighting this recipe. You're free to make it, on one condition; every time you make it you must think of me. :) :) :)

...Ahem.

Oh yes; I should tell you what you'll be making. Its a dip of sorts. I made it as a filling to go in my homemade cheese ravioli, and saved half the bowl after making the pasta. I tried it for lunch on crackers and was sold. No more cheese-filled ravioli; this stuff doesn't make it into the noodles. I eat it all raw! ..If my sister Heather doesn't beat me to it. She likes this stuff too.

So, are you ready to try your own? Roll up your sleeves and get ready to pretend you are a scrumptious carefree cook who can throw this and that together and make it taste and look wonderful in mere seconds. When you add the herbs, be sure to flick your wrist just so, and always be sure to hum a merry tune while stirring the mixture together.

Proceed with the following steps:

#1 - Get out a package of cream cheese and let it soften until it's really soft. Like, stir-able soft. Or, if you're in a hurry, use the microwave. But don't heat the cheese so long it starts popping all over the place. It's a pain to clean microwaves. (Have I mentioned that I never have just "set the stuff out to soften," but have always used the microwave? I'm spur-of-the-moment like that. Sigh. Yes, I know the microwave isn't very healthy for you.)

#2 - Find yourself a bulb of garlic, hanging downstairs in the basement, still reeking with all the potency of last spring and summer. Proceed to decide how garlic-y you want your dip. I recommend about 8 cloves or more per package of cream cheese. Yeeeeeees this stuff is garlicy. And yummy!

#3 - Peel and rinse the cloves, then chop away. Mince, mince, mince, until it's all nice and soft and smelling strong. Use a really nice sharp knife, and the job will be loads of fun. I love to use good knives; it makes me feel like a professional cook. (Why do I keep talking about "cooking"? This whole recipe requires absolutely no stove top or oven!)

#4 - Collect your other flavorings; sweet basil, oregano, and onion powder. Break the sprig of oregano off the bunch of dried herbs that hangs on one side of the kitchen, and recall last fall. Dump the basil into the palm of your hand from the mason jar on the fridge, and enjoy the way your hands smell afterward. The onion powder....comes out of a plastic shaker, labeled "Great Value."

I can't give you exact measurements on these things...about three or four shakes of onion powder, one branch of dried oregano leaves, and a little pile of dried sweet basil leaves. Always more basil than oregano. The basil is the main flavor here (not counting garlic!), with the onion and oregano tying for second place.

#5 - Dump all the garlic and herbs into the softened cream cheese, and stir to combine.

That's it! Five easy steps. Spread this stuff on crackers, toast (the way I just had it), or anything that sounds good.

I tried to get a picture of this stuff...the first time I made it. Camera batteries died. I was gonna get a picture of it the next time I made it, and didn't. I could have taken a picture about 20 minutes ago....but I ate my toast up too fast.

It's that good.

Please, try it and let me know what you think. If you hate it, I'll write a post about how a person should never advertise their own recipes, because they'll sound incredibly biased. :)