Spring, a time for Vidalia onion recipes
By DONNA B. STINNETT, Gleaner
features editor
Henderson, KY May 18, 2006
Here are some recipes for using
those sweet onions: Vidalia
Casserole
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 medium Vidalia onions, sliced in
1/4 inch rings
15 saltine crackers, crushed
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom
soup
2 eggs beaten
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
Melt butter in large fry pan. Sauté onions over medium heat until clear. Reserve 4 tablespoons of cracker crumbs for
topping and place remaining crumbs in the bottom of a lightly greased 2-quart
casserole. Remove onions from pan with slotted spoon. Combine all ingredients.
Top with cheese and remaining cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30
minutes or until brown and bubbly.
Yields 6 servings. Vidalia
& Cheese Quesadillas
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 Vidalia onion, sliced
6 small flour tortillas
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese,
divided
1/3 cup finely diced red pepper
24 cilantro (coriander) leaves
Directions: In a large skillet, melt butter over
medium heat, sauté onion until softened. Lay tortillas on work surface; sprinkle
cheese on half of each tortilla. Divide onions evenly among tortillas; placing
over cheese. Top with red pepper and cilantro. Sprinkle remaining cheese over
cilantro leaves. Fold plain half of tortilla over filling; press down gently.
Heat large, lightly greased, non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high
heat. Place folded quesadillas in hot pan; cook until golden brown, turn and
cook other side, Remove from pan; cut each into 3 triangles. Serve warm.
Makes 18 quesadillas.
Whole
Grilled Onions Ingredients:
4 large sweet onions
Salt and pepper
Butter
Directions: Remove any dry skin and stem from
onions. Working from the top, core the onions, leaving a cavity about 1 inch
across and almost through to the bottom of the onion. Salt and pepper the onion
cavities, then fill with butter.
Sprinkle onions all over with salt
and pepper; wrap in foil, gathering at the top and twisting to seal. Cook in
closed grill in for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours over medium indirect coals. Open foil
10 minutes before serving and leave on the grill for more smoked flavor.
Features Editor Donna Stinnett can be
reached at 270-831-8344, or dstinnett@thegleaner.com
Along
with strawberries, there are other foods
that scream spring. For me, one of those foods is Vidalia onions. It's exciting when they show up
at the grocery store. There are other varieties of sweet onion that are good,
but in my book they don't approach an honest-to-goodness Vidalia.