Bacon Horseradish Onion Dip

I hear there’s a big football game on this weekend…  That’s right, it’s Super Bowl weekend. Of course, the Ravens are out of it now, so I’m not as excited about the game.  But, I still have the commercials and the half-time show.  And, of course, there’s the food.

Even if you don’t really like football, I’m guessing that you have some weekend plans to watch the game and eat some pretty fabulous food while you’re doing it. And, if you haven’t finalized your menu yet, I’ve got a great (easy!) last minute recipe for you.

I have always been a fan of dips… Especially ranch dip. My favorite snack growing up was pretzels dipped in ranch dressing. I think I ate that every day after school for a very long time.  I still indulge in it once in a while, I admit.

When we were visiting family over the holidays, I discovered a new favorite dip… Bacon horseradish dip. Oh my goodness! If you look for it at your local grocery store (in the dairy aisle, near the sour cream), you will probably find it… And, I admit that it does taste pretty good. But, take a look at the ingredients before you buy it.  I won’t name names, but this prepared dip has all kinds of junk in it.

All of that got me thinking… It wouldn’t be too hard to make my own version of the dip at home, sans junk. So, that’s exactly what I did. I threw in some sweet onions (cooked in bacon fat!) to up the flavor anty a bit, too. And, I have to say… I think my version of the dip is even better than the one in the store. My husband agrees.

Even if you think you don’t like horseradish, you should really give this a try. My hubby doesn’t like horseradish (or raw ginger while we’re on the subject of roots he doesn’t like), but he devoured this dip. Of course it is fabulous with potato chips (which I rarely eat, but will make an exception for foootball food), but it’s also tasty with pretzels, pita chips, and even veggies. But, don’t just take my word for it… Grab the ingredients at the store (there are only 4 of them!) and make it for yourself!

Bacon Horseradish Onion Dip
Makes 2 1/2 – 3 cups

• 4 thick slices of bacon
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 16 ounces light sour cream
• 2 tablespoons grated horseradish
  (You’ll probably find this near the deli… Not the same thing as horseradish sauce)

Place the bacon slices in a large saute pan and heat over medium-low heat to render the fat and cook the bacon. Cook for a 4 – 5 minutes on each side, until the bacon is well cooked.  Remove from the pan, and cool on a few paper towels to absorb any excess fat. Crumble or chop the bacon and set aside.

Add the diced onion to the skillet, and cook in the bacon fat over medium-low heat (the onion should sizzle a bit, but not too much… you want to cook the onion slowly). Stir occasionally, cooking the onion until it has turned a rich amber color. Remove from the heat and cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, combine the crumbled bacon, cooked onion, sour cream, and horseradish. Mix well.  Transfer the dip to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours prior to serving.