4B

Who can go wrong when it comes to Beer, Bacon, Cheese, and Bread? This is a friend of mine's recipe that she shared with me. You can forget your Paleo, Keto, No Carb diet for this delish dish. It's okay to splurge now and again. Social gatherings are not made for diets and rules. It is a time for fun, food, and laughter.

Put your favorite stretchy pants on. Throw a hat on, and forget trying to impress anyone. You know you are going to spill a bit of beer on your shirt or someone else's before the night ends anyway. There is no sense in ruining your favorite get-up.

Now, to get this mouth-watering treat:

1 large Italian loaf

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

8 ounces (1 cup) lager or beer of choice, plus 1 tablespoon, divided

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

8 ounces swiss cheese, shredded

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

3 cloves garlic

1/4 cup chopped mixed herbs (such as chives, parsley, and dill)

3 tablespoons olive oil

Chopped chives, to top

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Slice off the top of the bread. Hollow out the inside of the bread to create a bowl. Save the top of the bread for later.

In a large bowl, combine whisk the softened cream cheese and 1 cup of the beer, until well-combined. Combine the remaining tablespoon of beer with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add the cornstarch slurry, the whole grain mustard, and the Worcestershire sauce to the cream cheese mixture and whisk again to combine. Fold in the shredded cheeses, then fold in the bacon. Fill the bread bowl with the cheese mixture. Transfer the bread bowl to a rimmed baking sheet.

Slice the top of the bread that was cut off earlier into thin pieces, and place them on the baking sheet, crust-side up.

In a small bowl, mix the garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Spoon or brush the herb mixture onto the tops of the bread slices.

Bake the bread for 5 minutes, or just until the cheese is melted, stir and continue to bake until the cheese begins to brown on top, about 30 minutes. If you notice that the bread slices begin to brown too much, cover them with foil as the beer cheese finishes cooking.

Serve this dish up nice and hot. You may want some extra crackers, pretzles, etc for dipping. Trust me! This hit won't last long.