Christmas Entertaining French onion, bacon and cheese cob dip

Who doesn't love a good cob loaf? Tuck into this golden baked French onion, bacon and cheese cob loaf dip.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 150g shortcut bacon rashers, finely chopped
• 1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 375g cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup (150g) mayonnaise
• ½ cup (60g) grated tasty cheese
• 40g packet French onion soup mix
• ¼ cup chopped chives
• 450g white cob loaf
• Chopped chives, extra, to sprinkle
• Vegetable sticks to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180c. Line a baking tray with baking paper
2. Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high heat.  Add the bacon and onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until bacon starts to brown. Transfer toa plate lined with paper towel to drain.
3. Combine the bacon mixture, cream cheese, mayonnaise, tasty cheese, soup mix and chives in a large bowl.
4. Use a serrated knife to cut 4cm from the top of the cob loaf and reserve. Remove the bread from centre of loaf leaving a 2cm-thick shell. Tear bread pieces into 3cm pieces. Spoon the bacon mixture into shell. Top with lid. Place on prepared tray. Arrange bread pieces around cobb. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
5. Sprinkle with extra chives. Serve with vegetable sticks.