Creative Holiday Cooking

Christmas Tree Dip

(no actual Christmas tree in the ingredients)

Ingredients

1 box crackers (I like Toasteds buttercrisp crackers)

1 jar cocktail sauce

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

1 package canadian bacon

small bunch of green onions (3 or 4)

1 Christmas tree serving dish, not too big! (optional)

Start by cooking the bacon in a skillet or pan over medium heat. I use the entire package, because if it makes too much I never have a problem finding someone in the house to help me eat the extra bacon! 

White the bacon is cooking let the cream cheese soften to room temperature. If you have a Christmas tree serving dish, place the cream cheese on the dish and spread it with a spatula to cover entire dish. Make sure to spread evenly and neatly. If you don't have a Christmas tree dish, place the cream cheese on a dish and spread out into a triangle shape. Cut and re-spread the cream cheese until a "tree" shape is created. Cover gently with saran wrap and place in fridge. 

Wash the green onions thoroughly and cut off about a half inch of the tips and ends and discard. Dice the remaining green onions (green and white part). I leave the rubber band on so I don't have to hold them all together. Set aside.

If bacon is done, remove to drain on paper towels and let cool.

Get the cream cheese tree out of the fridge and cover cream cheese with the cocktail sauce. I put a couple tablespoons on the cream cheese at a time and spread it so a tiny bit of the white cream cheese is still showing around the border of the tree shape. Add cocktail sauce and spread until the cream cheese is evenly covered.

If the bacon is cool, crumble it into tiny pieces into a bowl. If it is not cool enough it will melt the cream cheese. Once all bacon is crumbled, sprinkle it on top of the cocktail sauce and cream cheese.

Lastly, sprinkle the diced green onions on top of the bacon. Now you have a beautifully decorated, edible Christmas tree!

Serve immediately or cover with saran wrap and place in the fridge until ready to eat. Serve with crackers.