It's Tastey Tuesday!!!

Time to share those recipes!

Yesterday, in order to deal with Monday, I got some onion rings for lunch. Onion rings are one of my favorite foods. But, they are not something that I eat very often--especially for lunch. But, when I walked into the food court in our building and I smelled those onion rings--I just had to have them. Unfortunately, they couldn't just sell me a few onion rings--I had to buy an entire basket. So, I handed over my $2.95 and bought the basket--with the hopes of sharing them with some of my coworkers in the office. As it turned out--even though everyone was lured by the smell and my hallway was a-buzz with onion ring love declarations--I didn't have any takers. That is--until I practically forced one on Rebecca and one on Gerry. Which left me with the rest. Thankfully, my Lapband didn't allow me to eat too many. But, oh, they were so good. Fresh. Crispy. Hot from the fryer. With a side of ketchup. Just the way I like them. Onion ring ectasy. For sure.
I've been thinking about those onion rings ever since. Thank God the food court will be closing down in a few days for the holiday break. Hopefully, I'll forget all about them come January. Because I'm pretty sure I'd be buying onion rings a little too often if I could. If they are out of sight (and smell), they will be out of mind. But, for right now--they are still on my mind. So, to keep me from taking a trip to the onion ring counter today--I figured I'd get my onion fix some other way.
Here's a few onion-ring-inspired recipes you might want to try. I guarantee their yumminess.

Carmelized Onion Soup

• 3 pounds sweet onions, such as Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui(sliced thin)
  
• 3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, splash of balsamic vinegar
• 12 medium shallots, halved (about 12 ounces)
• 2 cups beef broth and 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup tablespoons dry white wine
• Salt and pepper
• 6 ounces cheese--grated (I use any sharp firm white cheese I have on hand)

Directions

In a large skillet, heat butter & oil. Add the onion slices in a single layers. Gradually add the wine. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until golden brown and carmelized (about 10-15 minutes). Keep an eye on them and turn frequently.

Splash with balsamic vinegar and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes.
Transfer mixture to soup pot, add remaining ingredients (except for cheese)
Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 40 to 45 minutes--stirring occasionally.

Ladle into bowls, top with cheese (you can put it under the broiler or just stir in to melt)

Makes about 6 main-dish servings

Baked Vidalia Onions

Ingredients:

• 4 large Vidalia onions
• 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup shredded (fresh) Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Peel onions, leaving roots intact. Cut each onion into eighths, cutting just to the root, but not through. Place each onion on a lightly greased square of foil. Press butter into onions, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and cheese. Wrap in the foil then arrange in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 400 for about 1 hour.
Serves 4.

Homemade Onion Dip

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced onions
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

Have an ONION-ly Tastey Tuesday!