Candied Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 8  allspice 
• 12 inches cinnamon sticks 
• 8 oz philadelphia cream cheese 
• 8 strips orange zest (2x)
• 2 lb plum tomatoes halved lengthwise
• 1 cup raisins 
• 4 cups sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 2 cups water 

Equipment

• sauce pan
• cheesecloth

Directions

1. Place cinnamon, cloves, allspice and orange zest on large piece of cheesecloth; tie into bundle.
2. Bring water to boil in large saucepan on high heat.
3. Add cheesecloth bundle, sugar and raisins. Reduce heat to medium.
4. Add tomatoes; simmer 10 min.
5. Remove cheesecloth bundle; discard. Stir vanilla into tomato mixture.
6. Remove from heat; cool 5 min. Spoon into large serving dish or eight individual serving dishes; cover.
7. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Just before serving, cut cream cheese crosswise into 12 slices; cut each slice into 3 strips. Top each serving with 3 of the cream cheese strips.