Our infamous event planner neighbor, Ms. Jackie, went above and beyond for her latest party. She hosted an 80s prom night last night in her backyard oasis, Possum Grove. She even rented a dance floor and had a balloon arch photo area. In honor of this big event, I cooked up a new party dip to share with guests rather than making one of my old reliables. This hot and cheesy roasted red pepper dip was better than I expected. I think throwing the bacon bits on the top before baking really elevated the flavor satisfaction levels.

The cream cheese base in this dish reminds me of the Hot Artichoke Dip and the Charleston Cheese Dip, which have always been favorites of mine. If you need appetizer ideas for football watching this fall or are cooking for a cocktail party with friends, I recommend this roasted red pepper dip recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 c. mayonnaise
• 2 T. finely chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4-5 sun dried tomatoes, drained and chopped (~4 oz)
• 1/3 c. chopped roasted sweet red peppers
• 1 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 c. shredded Italian cheese blend
• 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
• 3 cooked bacon slices, crumbled
• Ritz and/or Club crackers for serving

Directions

• In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, and garlic until blended.

• Stir in tomatoes, red peppers, mozzarella cheese, Italian cheese blend, and 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese.

• Spread mixture in a greased baking dish. I used an oval baking dish, but a 9-inch pie pan would work too. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and bacon bits.

• Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until edges are bubbly and lightly browned.
• Serve warm with crackers.

Notes

• Can be doubled.