I got a text earlier this week from my neighbor, Miss Jackie, suggesting we order pizza and have snacks Saturday night in the front yard while the kids rode bikes, played Ghosts in the Graveyard, and ran around. Easy enough– we love casual summer get togethers. Who knew there would be a pop-up thunderstorm at 5:00? The whole group ended up in my kitchen and playroom, and I drank margaritas. I made a blue cheese Columbine dip that works really well as a topping for hamburgers too, so we cancelled the pizza idea and grilled burgers.

The original recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Colorado Collage. Sewing Sister thinks we should add crumbled bacon to the top to make it even more delicious.

 Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. crumbled blue cheese
• 1/3 c. chopped red onion
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 t. crushed garlic
• 1 t. dry mustard
• 1/4 t. ground black pepper
• 1/3 c. chopped fresh parsley

Directions

• Pour crumbled blue cheese in a 9-inch pie pan or similar sized dish (I used a quiche dish).

• In a food processor, combine onion, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, mustard, and pepper. Pulse to blend.

• Pour the dressing evenly over the blue cheese.

• Sprinkle with parsley.

• Let stand 2+ hours at room temperature.
• Serve with blue corn tortilla chips, pita chips, or little toasted bread triangles.

Notes

• Add a scoop to the top of a freshly grilled hamburger to make a blue cheese burger.