Creamy Goat Cheese, Bacon & Date Dip

Ingredients

• 10 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
• 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 pinch Pepper
• 5 oz. thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2 in. pieces
• 10 Medjool dates, pitted, cut into quarters lengthwise
• crusty bread, grainy crackers, endive or fennel (for serving)
• Honey (optional)
• Red-pepper flakes (optional)
• Flaky salt (optional)
• Toasted sliced almonds (optional)
• Chopped pistachios (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine goat cheese, cream cheese, lemon juice, salt & pepper.
3. Bake in 1-quart baking dish or oven-safe skillet until bubbling (20 to 25 min.)
4. Cook bacon on medium-low heat until crisp (~10 min.)
5. Use slotted spoon to remove bacon from pan. Drain.
6. Add dates to bacon fat. Cook until insides are tender & outsides blister.
7. Topped baked cheese with dates & bacon.
8. Garnish w/ honey, red pepper flakes, salt, almonds, and/or pistachios. (optional)

Notes

Serve with crusty bread, grainy crackers, endive or fennel.