Caramelized Onion, Bacon and Blue Cheese Tartlets

Superbowl, baby!!! Okay, I'm a poser. I don't like football, I don't get football, but I am a fan of football FOOD! Jeremy texted me on Saturday night while I was working to say we were going to a friend's house for a Superbowl party the next day. Gee, talk about last minute! I try not to show up to a party empty handed so I put together this little appetizer. It's a little tart made from a refrigerated biscuit dough crust filled with cream cheese and topped with caramelized onions, bacon bits and crumbled blue cheese. It was a good excuse to use the mini muffin pan my husband got me that I'd never used. These turned out really well - the blue cheese was nice and mellow once it was melted and combined with the cream cheese, and the sweetness of the onions with the smokey salty bacon was a really delicious combination. I got a lot of compliments and requests for the recipe on this one! :)

CARAMELIZED ONION, BACON AND BLUE CHEESE TARLETS

INGREDIENTS:
4 strips thick cut bacon, diced
2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (5 oz) container Blue cheese crumbles
2 (16 oz) containers refrigerated large flakey butter biscuits


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Spray a mini muffin pan lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large pan cook bacon until brown and crisp. Remove onto paper towel to drain. Pour out most of the bacon grease, reserving about a teaspoon in the pan. Add olive oil and onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onions begin to soften and brown. Add brown sugar and reduce heat slightly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until onions are browned and caramelized. Remove from heat.

3. In a small bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder and salt until smooth. Set aside.

4. Open biscuit containers and separate biscuits. Cut each biscuit into quarters, and press one quarter into each tin of the mini muffin pan, making sure bottom and sides are covered. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture into muffin tins. Top with a small amount of bacon bits, caramelized onions and Blue cheese crumbles. Bake for 12 minutes or until biscuit dough is golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool slightly. Serve warm.