Warm Blue Cheese Dip With Garlic and Bacon

This is a great combination of flavors for you blue cheese lovers! Serve this with crackers, sliced, lightly toasted French bread, and/or vegetables. Originally from a September 1989 issue of Bon Appetit magazine in the "Great Cook/Great Party" feature.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Yields: 1 2/3 cups

Ingredients

• 7  slices bacon, diced
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 8  ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1⁄4 cup half-and-half
• 4  ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh chives
• 3  tablespoons  chopped  smoked almonds (about 1 oz.)

Directions

1. Cook bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until almost crisp, about 7 minutes;drain excess fat from skillet.
2. Add garlic and cook until bacon is crisp, about 3 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add half and half and beat until combined.
5. Stir in bacon mixture, blue cheese and chives.
6. Transfer to 2-cup ovenproof baking dish; cover with foil.
7. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Bring to room temperature before continuing.).
8. Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and serve.