Blue Cheese Bacon Dip

Christmas for my family is a "meaty" holiday. No turkey for us. Mom buys a beef tenderloin as big as a Yule log, slaps some bacon on it and we roast it until medium rare. Accompanied by a fully-loaded baked potato, sauteed mushrooms and a good red wine (this year I'm taking a lip smacker of a Cabernet Franc), it's a feast fit for a king (or three).

So no wimpy appetizers need apply. This is what I'll be taking to contribute to our pot-luck pre-dinner/during-unwrapping buffet. (I might even set aside a spoonful or two to put in the aforementioned baked potato on my plate.)

Blue Cheese Bacon Dip
From Southern Living magazine.
Makes 12-15 servings.

7 bacon slices, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup half-and-half
4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted

Cook chopped bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until crisp. Drain bacon, and set aside. Add minced garlic to skillet, and sauté 1 minute.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add half-and-half, beating until combined. Stir in bacon, garlic, blue cheese, and chives. Spoon mixture evenly into 4 (1-cup) individual baking dishes.

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Sprinkle evenly with chopped walnuts, and serve with grape clusters and flatbread, assorted crackers or toasted baguette slices.