charleston cheese dip

charleston cheese dip

Cheese seems to be a staple in many southern dishes. I was on tour a few years ago and had a show in Charleston. When I got to my hotel room, the staff had left me a lovely basket of goodies. Usually, amenities baskets are full of things like fruit and candy. This basket was accompanied by a tray of homemade cheese dip and crackers. It was perfect for this Georgia gal!
SERVES 10

½ cup mayonnaise
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
½ cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (about 2 ounces)
2 green onions, finely chopped
Dash of cayenne pepper
8 Ritz or butter crackers, crushed
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a medium bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, green onions, and cayenne pepper. Transfer the mixture to a shallow baking dish, such as a 9-inch pie pan. Top the mixture with the cracker crumbs and bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through. Remove the pan from the oven and top with the bacon. Serve immediately with corn chips, crackers, or bagel chips.