Throw Down Snack: Kickin Cream Cheese Spread

Well tonight as my neighbor would say, we are throwing down some cards. Our getting together on a cold day with friends for a setback challenge breaks up the monotony of the bleak winter weather.
It has been decided that we will go back to just having nibbles.
Aside from the onion dip and chips I thought I might make a cream cheese spread to go with some buttery crackers.
Having a bar of cream cheese in the refrigerator and armed with an ample supply of spices I came up with this easy (and yes almost cheesy) recipe. It is so simple and very very cheap to make. Since the cream cheese is sweet I figured that it needed some heat to counter balance the sweet.

• 1 - 8 oz. bar cream cheese
• 4 tsp. milk or half and half
• 1 tbsp. granulated garlic
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp. hot sauce
• 1/4 tsp.salt

1. Bring the cream cheese out of the refrigerator and place it in a bowl and allow it to come to room temperature. (soften)
2. To the softened cream cheese add all of the spices and the hot sauce.
3. Mix with a hand held mixer until smooth and all ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until use.