Buck Dancing Bleu Cheese Dip

Your next platter of chicken wings will thank you!

I went to a funeral the other day and was reminded of bleu cheese dressing. I know…a little odd but stay with me. When I got home, I began rummaging through scraps of paper in my cupboard in search of the handwritten recipe.

I wanted to make it to honor my friend Daniel Bell who had passed away.

Daniel was a preacher, a devout foodie and a Grand Ole Opry clogger since his youth. He

also was a World Champion Buck Dancer. The last time I saw him was in the backstage area of the Grand Ole Opry. I was there working, and he was preparing to clog for a packed Opry House crowd.

Daniel’s joy shone even more brightly when he clogged, talked about his kids, Jesus or food.

His funeral captured all his passions. Opry star Connie Smith sang the beautiful hymn How Great Thou Art. Ricky Skaggs and Sheryl and Sharon White performed the Vince Gill song Go Rest High on that Mountain. Then the Opry Cloggers came on and danced. That’s when I started quietly bawling.

Daniel’s son, Joshua, and my daughter went through pre-school and elementary school together and were great friends. Joshua, who’s in his mid 20s, gave a eulogy that was so perfect in capturing all of Daniel’s passions. Joshua has both his dad’s gift of humor combined with a down-to-earth but beautiful oratory style that didn’t desert him even in his grief.

Joshua recalled that Daniel’s definition of family was broad and wide. Others called Daniel “dad” because of the impact he made on them. One even legally changed his last name to “Bell”.

During the eulogy, Joshua also showed some of Daniel’s food photos. Daniel was fond of saying, “The camera eats first.”

Which brings me back to Bleu Cheese Dressing…

My family was fortunate to have Daniel cook for us at his home several times. The first time was close to 20 years ago. I still remember it.

Daniel had made a deconstructed salad. Each Romaine lettuce leaf on a platter was topped with a small dollop of bleu cheese dressing and a couple of halved cherry tomatoes. It was simplicity and perfection! I asked him for the recipe.

I never wanted to eat bottled bleu cheese dressing again – with its artificial flavors and tasteless soybean oil. Daniel had showed me the light!

So, I made bleu cheese dressing to honor Daniel.

When you make it, you’ll be honoring my friend Daniel as well.

“It is as the Scriptures say: ‘The godly man gives generously to the poor. His good deeds will be an honor to him forever.’” (2 Cor. 9:9, TLB)

This dip, which I call Buck Dancing Bleu Cheese Dip, as an homage to Daniel, shines as a side sauce for a sizzling ribeye off the grill, as a decadent topping for mashed potatoes or cauliflower or as a topping for a simple platter of sliced garden tomatoes.

Wanna use it as a dip? Serve it with chips for Game Day crowd -- esp. Super Bowl. For a sweet/salty combo, serve it in a bowl topped with some snipped fresh figs and rustic crackers. And try it with our Cowboy Coffee Wings and Sizzling Skillet Venison Tenderloin too. It will make you kick up your heels, it’s so good!

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Buck Dancing Bleu Cheese Dressing

Recipe Ingredients

Everything you'll need for this delicious recipe is below.

4 oz. bleu cheese

1 c heavy whipping cream

1 c mayonnaise

2 T vinegar (preferably apple cider vinegar or white balsamic vinegar)

1 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

Preparation Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor.

2. Pulse until smooth but still slightly chunky

3. Pour into a bowl

4. Refrigerate to let flavors meld. until serving. Add all ingredients in a bowl.