I never seem to get tired of eating sun-dried tomatoes, and lately I’ve been craving bagels and cream cheese. So I thought I’d try making a Sun-Dried Tomato Spread. It turned out to be a very savory cream cheese spread with chives, basil, garlic, and some finely shredded Parmesan cheese sprinkled in…yum! It’s a nice, thick spread for bagels and you can also use it as a veggie dip–if you want the consistency to be thinner for the dip, just add a little more plain yogurt to the recipe.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO SPREAD OR DIP by NancyCreative

• 1 (8-ounce) block of cream cheese, regular, light, or fat-free
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise, regular or light
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (use 3/4 to 1 cup if you want to make a thinner dip)
• 3/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives (or substitute green onion stems)
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• additional finely chopped chives or green onions for garnish, optional

In a medium bowl, blend softened cream cheese with mayonnaise and plain Greek yogurt. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese, blending well. Then add in the chives, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper, blending all ingredients well.

Scoop mixture into a serving bowl and garnish with chopped chives or green onions. Spread on bagels or serve with fresh veggies and/or crackers.

Other optional add-ins or substitutions: 2 Tablespoons finely chopped green or black olives; 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley; 2 Tablespoons finely chopped red onion; 2 Tablespoons finely chopped walnuts or pecans.

This spread tastes great on Asiago cheese bagels, and it’s also really good on Everything bagels.

Are you a sun-dried tomato fan? What’s your favorite way to eat them?