Touchdown Dip

Published on by carol lou

I named this my Touchdown Dip since I love to serve it while watching football, exactly what we did this past weekend.  Now we are fueling up for the big game in a few weeks.  If you are looking for a great appetizer to serve during the Super Bowl, Touchdown Dip is a great choice.  The tomato topping is what really sets this dip apart from others.  Make sure to use fresh basil, not dried basil in this recipe.  The fresh basil is necessary to highlight that fresh Italian twist to a classic dip. 

 

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Touchdown Dip

Ingredients

  • cheese dip
  • 1 8oz package Neufchatel cheese, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 1 1/2 cups 2 % milkfat Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated
  • topping
  • 3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a small serving dish (that will hold 2 1/2 cups) with cooking spray. In a mixing bowl, beat Neufchatel cheese until light, about 1 minutes.  Beat in the 3 tablespoons basil, salt and pepper, and bread crumbs.  Fold in 1 cup of the grated cheese and spread mixture in prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of grated cheese.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until heated through.  While baking, combine the tomato topping.  Remove the dip from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Top with tomato mixture, serve with assorted crackers