Everyone loves ooey, gooey, delicious game day food. While people rave over the impeccable flavor, the party host needs a game day clean-up plan after the last guest leaves. Luckily, the best finish comes from the TRUFF Hot Honey Bacon Cheddar Dip.
Even though football might be the draw for the gathering, guests are obsessed over the food served. The party host needs to take into consideration the hows, whys, and whats associated with ensuring that everyone leaves satisfied.
Recent food trends have shown that people love to graze. Instead of the mad dash to consume everything during that short halftime break, guests prefer to nibble as they anxiously await the 55 yard field goal to pull ahead or hide their feelings in a plate full of food when their team cannot convert on another third down.
While all those reasons influence the food menu, the host has another consideration that no one sees. The post-party clean up is equally as vital. Unfortunately, there is no magic wand that instantly makes all the dirty dishes vanish and be put away.
Recently, Finish partnered with TRUFF to offer a cravable recipe that is familiar yet new. More importantly, the dish will not have host scrubbing dishes for hours after their guests leave.
As Alexis Chatzialexiou, Vice President of US Marketing for Finish at Reckitt, said, "Finish is here to help foodies and football lovers become the Ultimate Host, without compromising on flavor or clean dishes. Our partnership with TRUFF allows hosts to indulge in bold and messy foods with their guests without the fear of the aftermath in the kitchen, thanks to Finish Ultimate."
Although clean-up is part of the conversation, the TRUFF Hot Honey Bacon Cheddar Dip is the real star. Dips are a standard football food fare. Not only is it an easy to serve option, it has broad based appeal.
This particular recipe builds on a classic and adds some elevated flavor. As many people have come to expect from TRUFF, their sauces are the simple addition that is a game changer. Blending the familiar and the new is the balanced that people crave.
Here’s how to make the TRUFF Hot Honey Bacon Cheddar Dip.
Ingredients:
5 slices bacon
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons TRUFF Original Hot Sauce
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup lager-style beer
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
24 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup fresh scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
24 ounces frozen pretzel bites, baked according to package instructions
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Evenly space bacon in 13-by-9-inch dishwasher-safe ceramic or glass baking dish.
Bake bacon 10 minutes.
Microwave honey 15-20 seconds. Add hot sauce and whisk to combine.
Remove bacon from oven and carefully pat dry with paper towels.
Brush bacon with hot honey and return to oven. Set aside any remaining hot honey for later use.
Bake bacon 10-15 minutes until brown and crisp. Set bacon aside to cool.
Chop bacon into small, bite-sized pieces.
Pour bacon pan drippings into bowl and discard once cool.
In bowl, whisk softened cream cheese, beer and mustard to combine.
Add grated cheddar cheese, chopped scallions, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Spread mixture evenly in 13-by-9-inch dishwasher-safe ceramic or glass baking dish.
Bake 20-25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Remove from oven and rest 5 minutes.
Sprinkle top of dip with chopped bacon and drizzle with remaining hot honey.
Serve dip alongside baked pretzel bites.
While this recipe calls for cooked bacon, some people could cheat and use bacon bits. Simply toss the pieces in the hot honey. The flavor will be muted, but it is a shortcut.
Also, the type of beer matters in this recipe. Many people know the rule about using beverages that you would drink in a recipe. The concept applies here, too. A lighter beer will have a less pronounced beer flavor. In contrast, too bold of a beer will overshadow the other ingredients. Basically, a middle of the road option is best for the overall flavor.
Lastly, this recipe calls for frozen pretzel bites. It can be smart to have some extra pieces. And, if anyone runs out, chips, bread, or even a spoonful works in a pinch.
This football season, the game day food winner is definitely TRUFF Hot Honey Bacon Dip. Instacart has the whole recipe and Finish cleanup available at the ordering fingertips, too.