I love avocados.  Anyone who has ever been to my house for a party knows that I make some pretty awesome guacamole!  The hint is to not add too much to the avocado.  I think avocado alone is amazing.  So, I set about trying to do something new, different, and "tailgate friendly".  This dip is for an avocado tailgate contest (scroll to the bottom) by the Hass Avocado Board.  If you wouldn't mind voting right now, I'd GREATLY appreciate it!  The contest is very interesting in that 25% of the score is about how many votes I get; 25% of the score is about it's "viral" meter.  I wasn't sure what a viral meter was; mom wasn't either but we're lucky that she works in a computer department!  She went over and asked the guys she works with but I'm still not sure.  Regardless, I think it has something to do with how many times my recipe is posted on Facebook, Twitter, etc. and voted on! 

The dip was pretty interesting--first there was too much beer; then there was still too much beer!  That is the one annoying thing about Massachusetts; you have to buy a 6-pack, and you have to buy it from the liquor store.  It made for a pretty expensive weekend of trying!  But, it also made John a pretty happy camper haha!  I love UFO Raspberry but any raspberry or fruity wheat beer (like many hefeweizens) will do! 

Cheesy Avocado Beer Bacon Dip
Serves: 4
2 Hass Avocados
1/4 cup raspberry beer
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsps. pepper
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
6 strips of bacon (diced)
2 small cloves of garlic (minced)
1/2 white onion (diced)
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Peel and remove the pits from the avocados.  Cut them roughly into quarters and in a food processor, combine them with the raspberry beer, salt, pepper, lime juice, and red pepper flakes.  Process until smooth.  In a skillet over medium-high heat cook the bacon until crispy.  Remove the bacon taking care to keep the drippings in the skillet.  Stir the bacon into the avocado-beer mixture.  Then, add the garlic and onion and cook over medium heat until the onion is translucent.  At this point, dump the avocado-beer mixture into the skillet and turn the heat to low.  Add the cheddar cheese and stir until the cheddar cheese is melted and well-mixed in. 

I served this warm with tortilla chips and pretzels!  I think it would be good cold, too, and it seemed to keep its color really well (unlike my guacamole which always turns brown in about an hour!).  Please don't forget to vote--its once daily! 

Until the next time my oven is on...

What’s the Official Avocado Recipe of Your Kick Off? Sponsored by Hass Avocado Board