Clams Casino Dip (from an Elin Hilderbrand novel)

An A+ summer dip from Elin Hilderbrand's novel Here's to Us (one of my least favorites of hers but the recipes are excellent)

Serves 4 to 6

8 slices. thick-cut bacon, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 sweet onion, diced

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup of minced or chopped clams (fresh or canned and drained work)

2 blocks cream cheese, 8 oz. each, softened and cubed

8 oz. fontina cheese, freshly grated

4 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated

Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a 9-inch round baking dish at least three inches deep with nonstick spray. Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the bacon. Cook until the bacon is completely crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.

Keep the skillet with the bacon grease over medium-low heat and add the peppers and onions. Add in the smoked paprika and black pepper. Stir well to coat and cook until the vegetables are soft and golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and the chopped clams and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the vegetables and clams with a slotted spoon and add them to a large bowl. Add the cream cheese, grated cheeses, and bacon into the bowl. Use a large spatula to mix, and stir until everything is combined, distributing the cream-cheese cubes as you go. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately.

I serve with the herb-butter baguettes the recipe calls for but ALSO really great potato chips (either store-bought or homemade). A perfect dip.

(Image from this blog)