BLT Dip

Like sooo many of us I LOVE BACON.

I know it's bad for me, but screw it.  I love that crap.  In fact, on my birthday, I received a pile of bacon for breakfast.

Isn't it beautiful?
With a candle and everything???

It's the best!

I know what you're thinking, "but you're skinny?"

I don't eat bacon everyday.  I'm not that stupid to kill my arteries and induce early onset heart disease.

I digress.
The real reason for this post is to share the AWESOME bacon dip recipe that my aunt and uncle brought to my birthday party.  (Yes, I still party for my birthday.  You're only as old as you feel and on the week of my birthday I like to party.  Sometimes like a five year old, others, like I'm 21, others like my age.)

So here it is:  TADA!  BLT DIP

Ingredients:
1 to 1&1/2 pounds of bacon, cooked, drained, crumbled and divided
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 (8oz packages) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 mayonnaise
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded) or to taste
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (to taste)
1/2 tsp garlic powder (to taste)  [I know right now you garlic freaks are saying load it up - go ahead]
1 TBS mustard
2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes
1 to 1/2 cup shredded Iceberg lettuce
Salt and pepper to taste (your arteries are going to scream anyway, so do what you like)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 1 & 1/2 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  
2. Set aside 3/4 cup crumbled bacon.
3. In a large bowl, combine remaining bacon, cream cheese, shredded cheese, sour cream, mayo, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, mustard (and salt and pepper if you wish).  Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  Top with chopped tomatoes and the remaining 3/4 cup of bacon and lettuce.  Dig in immediately!
4. Serve with whatever chips or bread you like.  I'm gluten free so tortilla chips (the scoopy kind) were perfect for me.  

I promise the bacon lovers (and I bet some of the non-bacon lovers) will love it!