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These gooey, cheesy, bacon-crowned slices are called Cheese Humps for a good reason: when you make them the way it was done in the 80s – with a thick slather of Kraft Cheez Whiz – they’d puff up like a balloon and make an inflated, cheesy hump.
I assume because Cheez Whiz is practically plastic? Ok, maybe that’s not fair. But I do see a long ingredient list, with “cheese culture” being the only cheese-like substance, and it’s way down at the bottom with paprika – meaning there’s not much in there…
Photo via instagram
Out of nowhere this morning, I had a major craving for this comfort food of my childhood. I whipped up a no-fuss, thick cheese sauce (I almost spelled cheese with a “z” – Kraft has good marketing!) out of simmering milk with grated cheddar and butter whisked in. It was a perfect stand-in for Cheez Whiz.
You spread the cheese sauce on slices of bread, top with cooked bacon, and broil – watching very closely – until the cheese puffs up and becomes blackened in places.
The result is toasted, crunchy crust with a super-soft interior and bubbling, slightly charred cheese with creamy, piping hot sauce underneath. And bacon. Of course, bacon. So satisfying.
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If you did decide to make them with processed cheese spread, I WOULD NOT JUDGE. That puffy cheese hump (like the occasional grilled cheese made with melty processed cheese slices) is worth sometimes turning a blind eye on ingredients…
Bacon Cheese Humps
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup milk
- 4 oz grated cheddar cheese 2 very loosely packed cups
- 1 tbsp butter
- 4 slices bread
- 4 slices cooked bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the broiler and place the rack in the highest position.
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the milk to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and gradually add half of the grated cheese, whisking vigorously until smooth. Incorporate the remaining cheese, continuing to whisk constantly. Whisk in the butter.
- Position the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Divide the cheese sauce among the slices and spread to the edges. Top each with a slice of cooked bacon and broil until the cheese is bubbly and blackened in spots, watching very closely — about 3 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
