If there is kale in it, it’s healthy, right?
How about THIS much kale?
* Crickets *
Ok, I will not pretend this recipe is healthy, but I will assure you it is delicious, and is a total winner for party snacks. If there are three things people are loving on these days, they are kale, bacon, and cheese.
I had a few ladies over to get ready for LS’s wedding, and I thought it would be nice to have some snacks out to graze on while we glammed up…and I also thought maybe it should be something a bit substantial, because we knew what the night had in store for us.
Well, I mean, no one could have anticipated that the night would entail a DJ spinning “The Humpty Dance” in the room where President Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation (I <3 DC), but I also can’t say that it completely shocked anyone. But we were pretty sure we would be drinking a bit.
I made this Kale and Bacon Cheesy Party Dip the night before, and refrigerated it in a covered casserole dish so it was ready to throw in the oven and take care of itself (one of my favorite party tips). I was glad I had done that when NB let me know she was running early and would be over two hours before originally planned!
More NB time is a good thing! And with this Kale and Bacon Cheesy Party Dip? Done.
For this recipe, I diced thick-cut bacon using a kitchen shears, and cooked it in a dutch oven. I removed the crisp bacon pieces when they were done, and drained some of the grease out of the pot.
And then I cooked the kale and onion and garlic. IN THE BACON GREASE. Stop it, you know this is genius. I mean, it was not my idea, but I am so on board.
So, a pot on the stove of the hot stuff; the other ingredients mixed in a large bowl; combine; bake; boom. Kale and Bacon Cheesy Party Dip.
It’s super cheesy.
And yeah, we didn’t regret having a good base for LS’s amazing bash.
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1 bunch lacinato kale, sliced into thin ribbons and then chopped roughly
- .5 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced, minced, or zested
- .25 c. white wine (like sauvignon blanc)
- 1 8-oz. package lite cream cheese, or Neufchatel, removed from the packaging and softened in the microwave
- .5 c mayonnaise
- 2 c shredded cheese: combination of asiago, swiss, and fontina
- 1 T red wine vinegar
- .25 to .5 t dried crushed red pepper
- 10-15 cranks of freshly ground black pepper
- Heat oven to 350.
- Add bacon to a dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat, about 7 minutes or until the pieces are crisp. Stir the bacon around frequently to crisp all sides.
- Remove the bacon using a slotted spoon and drain it on a plate covered in paper towels.
- Carefully remove the bacon drippings from the pot {I like to pour it into a piece of foil molded over a small bowl, to store the grease until it is cool and ready to toss} but leave about a tablespoon in the pot.
- Sauté the kale, onion, and garlic in the bacon grease until the onion is tender.
- Add the wine and deglaze the pan, cooking for a minute or two.
- Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cream cheese and mayonnaise until combined. Add the shredded cheeses, the red wine vinegar, the red pepper flakes and the black pepper, and stir until combined.
- Add the vegetable mixture from the pot, and stir again.
- Spray a small baking dish (1 or 1.5 qt) with cooking spray, and spoon in the combined mixture.
- {At this point you can cover and refrigerate for a day or so until you are ready to bake and serve.}
- When you are ready, top with the reserved crispy bacon pieces, and bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes until the Kale and Bacon Cheesy Party Dip is hot and melty.
- Serve with bread, crackers, and veggies.
Adapted from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/warm-kale-asiago-dip
Tell me what you think!