Beat cream cheese until creamy and smooth; stir in remaining ingredients until well blended, adding additional half-and-half to reach desired consistency.

Stir-Ins:

• 10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• ¼ cup shredded cheese (such as Cheddar, Blue or Parmesan)
• ¼ cup finely chopped cooked shrimp, crab or bacon
• ¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red peppers
• ¼ cup caramelized onions
• ¼ cup chopped, pitted olives or pimentos
• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika or taco seasoning
• 2 tbsp. sliced green onion
• 2-4 dashes Worcestershire or hot sauce
• ½-1 tsp. dried herbs
• 1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• kosher salt and/or coarse ground black pepper, to taste