This Onion Gratin is, well ... divine!

I came across this recipe last week and decided it would be perfect to go along with the pork tenderloin we grilled yesterday. It got rave reviews from my husband and daughter! Tom actually said, "Divine!" Being a man of few words, he's not usually prone to fluffy comments. When he does occasionally use that particular word, it's only in connection with very good food. It means he really, really likes something so I know I should make it again! You can use any kind of onions to make this, but be sure to cut them in thick, half-inch slices after you peel them.
ONION GRATIN WITH ROSEMARY AND THYME
Makes about 6 servings, recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen, one of the more impressive blogs I follow, at: http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/
8 medium-sized white, yellow, or Vidalia onions
1-2 T olive oil, for brushing onions (I used more)
1 tsp. finely minced fresh rosemary (or use dried rosemary)
2 T minced fresh thyme leaves (or use dried thyme)
Gratin topping:
8 T mayo
1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1-1/2 cups shredded cheese (any mild white cheese will work, even low-fat cheese)
3 T grated Pecorino-Romano cheese (or use grated Parmesan)
fresh ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450*. Peel onions and cut in 1/2 inch slices. Spray or brush baking sheet with olive oil, then arrange onion slices in a single layer. Drizzle onions with oil, then sprinkle with chopped herbs. Roast onions 15 minutes.

While onions roast, combine mayo, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shredded cheese, Pecorino-Romano cheese, and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix together with a fork. (The mixture will be lumpy.)

Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with Pam. Remove baking sheet from the oven and use a turner to layer onions in the casserole dish. Spread topping over onions (I used a rubber scraper to spread it around. And don't worry if the mixture doesn't cover every bit of the onions.) Sprinkle top with paprika and parsley. Place casserole dish in oven and bake 25-35 minutes at 375*, or until top is golden brown and onions are slightly bubbling. Serve hot.

Vegetarian Chili

This is a recipe I got from Cooking Light magazine. I took the basic recipe and tweaked it a little bit. Since my husband Tom likes hot, I added Tabasco sauce, pepper and diced green chilies. I also added Morning Star Farms Meal Starters. They look a lot like cooked, crumbled ground beef, and come frozen in a bag. I've never tried them before and I thought they added a lot of texture to the chili, as well as nutrition. Plus, they're much lower in fat and calories than ground beef. And, best of all, Tom couldn't tell the difference!
VEGETARIAN CHILI
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups water
1 can vegetable broth
(or chicken broth, which makes this "Almost" Vegetarian Chili)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. Tabasco
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (4 ounce) can hot diced green chilies
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (12 ounce) package Morning Star Farms Meal Starters
Reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add 3 cups water and next 12 ingredients (through cannellini beans), stirring to combine.
Combine chicken broth and tomato paste in a bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended. Stir tomato paste mixture into bean mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with cheese, if desired.

Katie's good cookin'!

This is another one of my daughter Katie's recipes from her favorite cookbook, The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift (Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2008).
Escarole simmered in good broth with a little wine, tomato, pasta and chickpeas is pure Italian comfort food! You can cook the soup a day ahead, up to adding the pasta. When you want to serve it, bring it to a simmer 10 minutes ahead and then add in the pasta.
SOUP WITH FRESH GREENS AND TINY PASTA
Serves 6 to 8 as a first course; 4 to 6 as a light main dish
Prep time 15 minutes; stove time 35 minutes.
INGREDIENTS:
8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup whole canned tomatoes, crushed with your hands (do not use canned crushed tomatoes)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium to large onion, minced
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 large handfuls escarole or curly endive leaves, fine chopped (2-1/2 to 3 cups)
1/3 tight-packed cup fresh basil leaves, fine chopped
1/2 cup tiny pasta (alphabets, orzo or stars)
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
1 cup or more fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1. In a 6-quart pot combine the broth, wine, and tomatoes. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, chickpeas, greens, and basil. Simmer partially covered 20 minutes.
2. Stir in the pasta and simmer, partially covered, 6 minutes or until pasta is tender. Taste soup for seasoning. Serve hot, passing the cheese to be sprinkled on the soup as its final seasoning.

Egg Bake For Easter Brunch

I found this excellent recipe years ago and it has become my favorite thing to make for brunch. I'm taking it to Easter breakfast at my mom's. It goes together really fast ... and tastes great. I'll take it out of the refrigerator in the morning and bake it before we go. Then we'll pop it in the oven at Mom's to keep it warm until we eat.
HUCKLEBERRY INN EGG BAKE
serves 8-10 people.
Ingredients:
8 slices bread, crusts trimmed off and cubed
1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1/2 lb. grated Swiss cheese
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
6 green onions, diced (or 1 bunch)
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups half-and-half
2 tsp. Worcestershire
1 tsp. dry mustard
Butter 3 qt. casserole. Mix bread, onion, cheese, and bacon. Arrange the bread cubes in the bottom of casserole dish, then add cheese, then onions, and last bacon. Beat eggs; add milk, half-and-half, and seasonings. Pour over bread mixture. Cover. Let set overnight in refrigerator. Allow to come to room temp for about an hour before baking. Bake uncovered at 325* for 1 hour.