Touchdown Chile Cheese Bacon Dip

DipTastic!

It's football season and my family are sports fanatics, which means I need to have a big supply of dip available at any given moment!

I've been hosting sports parties since I was a teenager, and that's why I consider myself an expert dip maker...yes, people, I created myself a title for my dip making skills!

Rule number 1 of dip making. Start off we excellent ingredients. No one wants to bite into a bowl of grease dip, to prevent this from happening, purchase great ingredients. 

Rule number 2, Bacon...lots and lots of bacon...crispy, perfectly cooked bacon!

Rule number 3-Bacon Grease! Don't throw away that bacon grease people, what else are we going to saute the onions and peppers in!

Rule number 4-Hatch chiles are where it's at for great dip! I love Hatch chiles and when they're not in season, I head straight for the ones in the can, or if I am lucky enough, I have a batch frozen in my freezer.

Rule number 5-Cheese, now, everyone who follows my blog is aware that I don't play when it comes to cheese. I only want the best cheese available, and for this dip, I went straight to sharp cheddar cheese!

After you've mastered these rules of dip making, it's time to mix everything together, bake it, and get to eating!

Warning: Double the recipe, and if you don't double the recipe, don't blame me when you have a dip revolt in your house!

Touchdown Chile Cheese Bacon Dip

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

8 ounces Hatch Chilies, chopped
8 slices bacon, diced
8 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup Hellmann's/Best Foods Mayonnaise
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon creole seasoning
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
green onion to garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to skillet over medium heat, add bacon and cook until crisp about 8 minutes.

Remove bacon from pan, drain, reserve about 2 tablespoons of bacon grease, add onion and bell pepper to bacon grease, cook 5 minutes, season with spices, add hatch chiles and garlic, cook about 1 minute more.

Place veggie mixture in a blender and pulse a few times. Return to pan. 

Fold in cream cheese, and 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, mix well. Fold in mayonnaise and half the bacon, mix well. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes in a greased casserole dish.

Remove from oven, top with remaining bacon and green onions. Serve with chips and crackers and enjoy!