Onions, Not Only for a Steak Sandwich

Baked Onion Blossom with Dill Sauce recipe
Onion
1 large sweet onion (Vidalia, Walla Walla, or Maui)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons plain bread crumbs

Sauce
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon (or more if desired) dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel onion; cut and discard root end. Leaving bottom intact, cut almost through onion from top down to from 16 wedges. Place on 12-inch square sheet of foil. Bring foil up and around onion; crimp edges to seal. Place in 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 425 degrees F for 20 minutes.

In small bowl, combine margarine and mustard; mix well.

Remove onion from oven. Open foil; fold down to make a 1-inch high rim around onion. Brush margarine mixture over onion. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Return to oven; bake an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until crisp-tender.

In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients; blend well. Refrigerate until serving time. Place baked onion on serving plate. Serve with sauce.

Baked Onions with Sour Cream recipe
Serves: 4

4 Bermuda or Vidalia onions (about 3-inch diameter)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the unpeeled onions in a foil lined shallow pan. Bake, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.

Warm a heatproof shallow serving dish. When onions are tender, remove from oven. Spear each with a fork, snip or cut off both ends, and remove skin. Place the peeled onions in the warmed dish.

Immediately add the butter and sour cream so they will melt from the heat of the onions. Then add the rest of the ingredients and toss lightly to mix.

NOTE: These will hold nicely in a warm oven for 1/2 - 1 hour

Gourmet Onions recipe

5 medium onions, sliced
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine onion, sugar, salt, and pepper; stir gently. Melt butter in a heavy skillet; add onion mixture, and cook, stirring frequently, 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in sherry, and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon into serving dish; sprinkle with cheese.

Yields 6 servings

Onion-Mozzarella Bake recipe
2 tablespoons butter
6 onions, thinly sliced
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 loaf French bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a small pan, melt butter and add onions. Cook 10 to 15 minutes or until soft. Remove onions from pan (leave butter in pan) and place onions in a 13 x 9-inch pan.

Combine soup and milk and pour over onions. Sprinkle with cheese. Slice bread approximately 1 1/2 inches thick and dip both sides in butter in pan. Arrange on top of cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until bread is golden brown and toasty.

Makes 9 to 12 servings.

Onion Patties recipe
Chop finely 2 1/2 cups onion and set aside. Mix together:

3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornmeal
1/2 cup powdered milk

Add water to make a stiff batter (about 1/2 cup water). Fold in onions. Drop by spoonsful into hot oil.

Tangy Herbed Onions recipe
4 medium onions
Olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Peel onions and cut a small slice from the top, leaving the root end whole. Cut each onion from the top into 8 wedges, taking care not to cut through the root end. Brush four sheets of aluminum foil with the olive oil.

Mix the remaining ingredients (except for the bread crumbs) and rub the mixture into each of the onions. Wrap each onion securely in its own foil wrapper. Bake at 350 degrees F for one hour or until tender. During the last 5 minutes of baking, open the foil and sprinkle with the bread crumbs.

NOTE: These may also be grilled