It’s officially football season, y’all! As much as I’d like to pretend the first two weeks of the Lion’s schedule never happened, football season is here and I will still enjoy it! Anyway, let’s talk about food. I love me some snacks when it’s football time. Actually, I love snacks anytime, but let’s not get distracted. In honor of this year’s season, I made this warm Bacon and Cheese Dip. It’s best served right out of the oven with melted cheese on top and with a scoop-shaped chip like the fajita flavored chips, I ate with this recipe!
The reason I used Laughing Cow cheese for this recipe is that I am just not a fan of savory cream cheese recipes. I love cheesecake and sweet cream cheese desserts, but I can’t do savory (not even on bagels!) so you better bet I was fine with peeling open all those little cheese triangles to make this. If you’re not okay with that, go ahead and substitute cream cheese, I don’t judge!
Warm Bacon and Cheese Dip Recipe
8 oz Laughing Cow Original Swiss (I don’t like cream cheese, but you could easily substitute that here!)
1/4 cup shredded cheddar
3-4 slices bacon
1 jalapeño – seeded and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons milk
Green onions for topping
First, start by cooking up your bacon until it’s nice and crispy. My chosen method is in the oven at 400-degrees for about 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, chop into small pieces.
While your oven is hot, you can roast your jalapeños. I cranked up the broiler for mine to follow this tutorial from Tori Avey.
Cut them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. I kept about half the seeds in mine because I like a spicy dip, but you can remove them all for a mild flavor. Place the jalapeño halves seed side down on a baking sheet and place them on the middle rack under your broiler. Keep an eye on them and once the skins have turned black, they’re ready! It takes about 3-7 minutes depending on your oven.
Take the blackened peppers and put them in a bowl with a lid for 15 minutes, you could also use a bowl with tin foil over the top. Once they’ve finished steaming, you can peel the skins off. I recommend wearing gloves for this. Please wear gloves. An hour later you may forget you were handling the jalapeños and touch your eyes and I don’t want that happening to you! Once they’re roasted, chop them up into little pieces. Note that I roasted 2 peppers, but only used one in this recipe. I saved the rest for my husband; he puts jalapeños on everything.
Now on to the dip preparation! Add room-temperature Laughing Cow cheese to a food processor along with the bacon, jalapeños, shredded cheddar, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Pulse to start to combine. Slowly drizzle in your milk. You may only use 1 teaspoon, I ended up using 2. You want a consistency that is like spreadable cream cheese.
Top with more cheese and then pop it in a 350-degree oven for 10-15 minutes until it’s hot. When you remove it from the oven, top it with another pinch of bacon pieces and sliced green onions.
Good luck to your favorite football teams this year, but please if you play the Detroit Lions, just let us have this one, okay?
Warm Bacon and Cheese Dip
Ingredients
- 8 oz Laughing Cow Original Swiss or cream cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded cheddar
- 3-4 slices bacon
- 1 jalapeño - seeded and finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons milk
- Green onions for topping
Directions
- Step 1 Cook bacon until crispy. In a skillet or in a 400-degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Chop finely and set aside.
- Step 2 Cut jalapeno lengthwise and place seed side down on foil-lined baking sheet.
- Step 3 Bake under broiler until skin blackens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Step 4 Remove seeds and skin. Dice finely and set aside.
- Step 5 Add room-temperature cheese to food processor along with 3/4 of the bacon, shredded cheese, garlic powder, salt, and onion powder.
- Step 6 Pulse until combined and it is a creamy, spreadable texture.
- Step 7 Scoop the dip into oven-safe baking dish and top with more shredded cheese.
- Step 8 Bake at 400-degrees for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and dip is fully warmed through.
- Step 9 Top with additional bacon and green onions for garnish.
