True Confession: I’m not a big fan of those picture recipes that come through my Facebook feed. This is partially due to the fact that they aren’t often credited to the correct blogger and partially due to the fact that they make me incredibly hungry. But last week I glimpsed one that was for a BLT dip and I thought, YUM. But then I looked at the recipe and I didn’t think it quite fit our family’s taste. I rarely follow a recipe to a T {I think it has something to do with a grandmother who taught me 
how to cook with measurements like half an eggshell of milk and butter the size of a walnut shell}. So I went with the theme of this recipe and merged it with my Pizza Dip Recipe {which is awesome} because bacon and cheese in a dip? Do I really need to say much more?
So without further ado, here’s my Facebook inspired BLT Dip. I’m going to share a step by step and then include a ZipList printable recipe {just so you don’t think I’m half crazy for putting in the post twice.
Ingredients:
1 8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese {I used Neufchatel to spare some calories and fat}
1/2 c. Plain Fat Free Greek Yogurt {You could use Sour Cream}
1/4 c. of Mayonnaise
3/4 c. Shredded Colby Jack Cheese
10 Slices of Thick Bacon {separated into 3 & 7 pieces} Crumbled
~1 c. of Romaine Lettuce, Chopped Small
1 Ripe Tomato Seeded and Chopped into Bite Sized Pieces
A few notes about ingredients – I started using Fat Free Greek Yogurt in lieu of sour cream a long time ago. It tastes just the same and I’m told has mad health benefits {although considering a cheesy bacon dip to be healthy *might* be a stretch}. You’ll want to use a very thick bacon like the one pictured above {Hickory had a great taste but Applewood would be awesome, too} or more bacon. I make my bacon in the oven {Thanks Pinterest!} in a 9×13 dish lined with aluminum foil to cut down on the mess. It does take a bit longer to cook because it’s so thick but the quality is higher.
Prepare the bacon however you choose {Fry, Bake, Microwave}. Then combine together the Cream Cheese, Greek Yogurt, & Mayonnaise. Everything was soft enough that I could easily blend it with a spoon but if your cream cheese isn’t softened, you may need to use a hand mixer. After you have a smooth consistency, add the shredded cheese. I crumbled 3 strips of bacon into this glorious mix.
Spoon and spread the Creamy Cheesy Bacony Goodness into a 9″ Pie Pan. I used my Pampered Chef one so I didn’t grease the pan but if you’re using a pan that typically gets “sticky” you might want to grease it with your preferred non-sticky item. Bake it at 375 degrees for ~20 minutes until it’s bubbly and hot throughout.
In the meantime, chop the lettuce and tomato into bite sized pieces. This is important because you’ll want to be eat it on a cracker or chip without half a head of lettuce hanging out of your mouth. Oh, and I LOVE this knife which keeps your lettuce from getting all wilty. Crumble the remaining pieces of bacon and set aside.
Since I was planning on serving this at a friend’s house, I kept the 7 crumbled strips of bacon, lettuce, and tomato in separate bags and didn’t place on top of the dip until right before I served it {which I kept warm in a travel dish}. Then I spread the ingredients on top of the dip evenly {I thought it looked lovely}. It was tasty with just about anything that you dipped into it – from veggies to wavy potato chips {my personal favorite} to crackers. It must have been tasty because almost everyone gobbled it up. I think some fresh bread with it would be delish, too.
A few “I might try it next time” ideas – adding chives or onions or even garlic salt to the Creamy Cheesy Bacony Goodness before baking. As long as it doesn’t take away from the taste of the bacon, I’m down with a little extra punch. It might be good with a hit of hot sauce, too? And if I was a fancy pants lady I’d make an aioli to drizzle {or drizzle not “pfbbbt” some light mayo} on top of everything.
This recipe is the PERFECT way to celebrate National Dairy Month {which is June, yay for an ice cream lovin’, cheese freak, chocolate milk drinking girl like me}. Random Royal Factoid: Dairy Month originated as National Milk Month in 1937. It changed to National Dairy Month in 1939 to reflect all the choices dairy foods offer—with milk, cheese and yogurt products available in varieties like low-fat, fat-free and lactose free. Mmmmm dairy.
I have a feeling that this will become a royal favorite!
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:13]
This post was sponsored by Indiana Family of Farmers. That means I was given a gift in exchange for this post. There is also an Amazon Affiliate link in the post. For more details, you can read my Disclosure Policy. You get a yummy recipe, I get a few dollars in the Royal Coffers. All is well and royally swell. This post was not edited or reviewed by anyone else as you can tell by my grammar and crazy random thoughts. I always give you my honest opinions in any Royal Review or Give Away post, that’s a Royal Guarantee!
This looks delicious. Thanks for sharing. Also, I totally hate it when I see pics and recipes shared on Facebook with no credit to the site. 🙁