BACON CHEESE SPREAD


BACON CHEESE SPREAD

One of my favorite appetizers because it tastes wonderful, is popular and so very easy to make.  You can make this up to 5 days ahead and keep covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. Your friends might beg you for this recipe!  This one is ALWAYS a hit!  Place in the oven until the cheeses are all molten and soft...just ready to spread on pork rinds or low-carb crackers or Monterey Jack Dipping chips or slices of English Cucumber, celery sticks, carrot sticks, etc.



8 oz light cream cheese, softened (250 g)
1/cup mayonnaise (125 mL)
11/cups Cheddar cheese (375 mL)
2 tbsp chopped chives, OR  (25 mL)
  green onions
1 tsp dried parsley (5 mL)
1/tsp garlic powder (1 mL)
8 crisply cooked bacon slices

In food processor with sharp blade or in blender, process cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth.  In medium bowl, combine cream cheese mixture, Cheddar cheese, chives or green onions, parsley and garlic powder until well combined.  Spread evenly in 9-inch (23 cm) glass pie dish. 

Place bacon on bacon rack and cover with two paper towels.  Microwave on high power 7 to 8 minutes.  Cut into small pieces with pair of kitchen scissors.  Garnish top of cheese spread with bacon pieces.  Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven 15 minutes (or microwave 2 minutes) and serve with low-carb crackers. See my easy Crisp Nutty Crackers (pictured below), or serve with Taco Chips.  You can use low-carb wraps and cut 'em and bake in an oven or you can serve this with sliced English cucumbers.

Yield:  12 servings
1 serving
176.4 calories
7.5 g protein
15.7 g fat
1.1 g carbs

Find these wonderful crunchy crackers for dipping or spreading with butter and topping with grated cheese over here:  CRISP NUTTY CRACKERS  These are strong crackers - perfect for dipping!