Bacon 'n' Egg Salad Dip - The 3rd Annual Nebraska vs. Michigan Recpie Exchange

It's that time of year again - FOOTBALL SEASON!!!  And with football season comes the 3rd annual Nebraska vs. Michigan recipe exchange between myself and Mary over at Food Floozie!  I am very excited to be able to do this for the third year in a row... I adore Mary and her blog and can't thank her enough for continuing on with our tradition!!  So, without further ado.........

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Chazakah [hah-zah-KAH] is a Jewish tradition which dictates that the third instance of an activity makes something permanent. Well, Jenn and I have now made this a permanent gig, then, as this is our third annual swapping of recipes in honor of the Michigan-Nebraska game!

In past years, Jenn - who is amazing and wonderful, and a fabulous grillin' girl! - offered the decadent and delicious Nebraska classics Cheese Frenchees and Runza Bites in honor of her home team. I have played on the maize 'n' blue theme with cornbread, as a near-lifer in Ann Arbor who graduated from U of M. Neither team is in stellar form this season for Saturday's match-up ... well, we won't elaborate! It's not quite a "battle of the bottom-feeders," but it's not a Top 10 "Game of the Week," either! But that doesn't mean that Jenn and I are any less devoted! 

This year, I debated whether to offer Michigan-influenced dishes like Detroit-Style Pizza or Maurice Salad Subs. But I decided to go in a different direction, and simply give you some awesome football food for a tailgate, a viewing party, or just loafing on the sofa with your family. 

This Bacon 'n' Egg Salad Dip ... well, wow. Creamy, with tidbits of crunchiness. No redeeming nutritional value - what more could you want in football food??? And did I mention that it has BACON??? Well, 'nuff said, right? 

Hail to the victors valiant! Hail, hail to Michigan ... and to Jenn, who's a great friend - far more than a mere "blogging buddy" ... :) Thanks so much, Jenn, for letting me borrow some space on your blog to cheer on the Wolverines!!!  

Bacon 'n Egg Salad Dip 
(inspired by the Egg and Gribenes Spread in Michael Ruhlmann's Schmaltz)

4 hard-boiled eggs 
2 strips bacon 
1/4 cup finely diced red onion 
generous pinch kosher salt 
generous pinch freshly ground black pepper 
2 tablespoons finely minced green onion 
mayonnaise, to taste 
crackers or baguette slices, for serving 

Peel and chop the eggs, and place into a mixing bowl. 

Cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Drain the bacon, reserving the fat, and chop the bacon; add to the eggs. 

Sauté the red onion in the bacon fat over medium heat until softened; add the onion and the fat to the eggs, along with the salt and pepper and green onion. 

Stir in mayonnaise to taste - more if you want it creamier, less if you want it more solid. 

Serve at room temperature with crackers for dipping, or schmear it onto baguette slices.