onions Archives - The Midnight Baker

Classic French Onion Soup

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 00:07:38 +0000

Classic French onion soup is not difficult to make at all. It just takes time but it’s worth it.

Classic French Onion Soup

The first thing that comes to mind when anyone thinks of French cuisine almost always is classic French onion soup.

Sure, it comes frozen and in cans–it always did–but there’s something so special when you make your own. Since making your own, including the stock, gives the soup your own special “flair.”

I readily admit to not using my own homemade stock in this since there’s so many good ones on the market–often for less cost than making your own.

There is another shortcut you can use which will make this soup set up in a jiffy so read on.

Caramelized Onions

If you make this soup from scratch, this is the most involved part of the entire process. It’s not hard; actually, it’s quite easy. However, it is a tedious process where you have to stir and watch closely.

There’s a way to eliminate that process. You let your slow cooker do all the work! Since I started making slow cooker caramelized onions, I always have them on hand for other things. They freeze very well.

One caveat about the slow cooker method is that your entire house will smell like onions. So what I do is put the slow cooker out on my screen porch to do it’s magic. A garage works equally as well.

Bread And Cheese

A baguette is the best bread to use for this soup. It’s relatively narrow and had a good texture that won’t become soggy easily. that’s provided the soup is served almost immediately. Regular French bread can be used in a pinch if you can’t get a baguette. Of course your own homemade bread is best if you have it. The bread must also be lightly toasted and dried out making it somewhat like melba toast.

As for the cheese, Swiss is most often used, but it’s not imperative. In fact, I prefer this with a nice aged and piquant provolone cheese. It makes the taste a lot more interesting because of the bolder flavor. But any melting cheese will do so use one you love.

The Recipe

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Classic Onion Soup

Comforting and delicious

Prep Time25

Cook Time1

Course: Appetizer, Main, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: French

Keyword: classic french onion soup, main course soups, slow cooker carmaleized onions

Servings: 6

Calories: 375kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 cups sliced onions
2 tbs butter
1 tsp oil
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbs flour
2 quarts beef stock
1/2 cup brandy or white wine/vermouth
2 sprigs fresh thyme optional
1 baguette or small French bread cut in 1/2-inch/1.25-cm slices
6 slices Swiss cheese or provolone
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Toast the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a 300F/150C oven until the edges just begin to get golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside
To caramelize the onions--melt butter over medium heat in a dutch oven. Add the oil. Add the sliced onions and stir to coat with the butter/oil. Saute the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then stir in the sugar, cover the pot and cook for another 5 minutes (this is to cook the onions), stir occasionally. Remove the cover and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are a nice deep brown. This will take about 30 minutes. Alternately, you may prepare the onions ahead by following this recipe beginning at the step 3 below where the flour is added--do not use additional butter/oil.
Stir the flour into the onions and cook for 2 minutes to cook the flour. Add the brandy or vermouth, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the stock, and thyme if using, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Place soup in 6 individual soup crocks (mine are 18 oz each). Set your broiler too high. Top each soup crock with 1 or 2 slices of baguette, place Swiss cheese over the bread and divide the Parmesan cheese evenly over each crock.
Place under the broiler and remove when cheese is melted, about 1 minute.

Nutrition

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Creamed Caramelized Onions

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 22 Dec 2021 00:00:38 +0000

Up the ante on your creamed onions. Browning the onions makes these creamed caramelized onions really special.

Creamed Caramelized Onions Rock!

I’ve always loved this perennial classic side dish. Creamed onions are pretty easy to make so I wonder why they seem to only make an appearance around the holidays.

Making creamed onions from scratch has always been my method. All I’d do was braise the onions and let the water evaporate then add some cream and let it reduce until it coated the onions. Delicious!

However, when I saw an old Julia Child show where she browned the onions by sautéing them for a French stew, I thought that’d be good for the side dish too.

Peeling Small White Onions

Small white onions, or white onions in general, are difficult to peel the standard way.

You’ll save yourself plenty of frustration by doing them this way–bring a big pot of water to the boil. Add the onions and boil for one minute. Drain them in a colander, run some cold water over then. Then trim off the root end and slip the skin off. This is the same way you peel tomatoes too. For the onions, the job is a bit tedious, especially if you have a lot of onions, but it definitely is not hard at all!.

I might add at this point that using frozen pearl onions won’t work here. They are far too watery to sauté correctly and brown.

Using Sautéed Onions

Aside from my version of creamed onions using them, they do have a myriad of uses.

Serve them as a side dish sans any cream. It’s different and very tasty. They’re a great accompaniment to steak or a pork roast.

One of the best places to use them is in the classic coq au vin. So if you use my recipe for that, just sub your own sautéed onions for the frozen I used in it.

The Recipe

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Creamed Caramelized Onions

Browning the onions takes this side dish to the next level

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamed onions, peeling small white onions, sautéed onions

Servings: 6

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb small white onions
2 tbs oil
1/2-2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper white pepper preferred

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Peel onions as directed above in the post. Pat the onions dry.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add oil and when it begins to shimmer, add the onions. Make sure you toss the onions around so you get browning on a couple of sides. Be aware that because of the round shape, the onions will not brown evenly. When they brown to your satisfaction, drain any excess oil from the pan.
Add the cream (amount depends on how much sauce you want), salt and pepper. Keep pan over medium heat until the cream reduces and coats the onions; about 5 minutes.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition

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Onion Pie

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 00:00:09 +0000

As odd as it sounds, onion pie is a tasty side dish.

Unusual Onion Pie

Admittedly this recipe is a bit out of the norm. When you first hear the name, it conjures up a standard-style pie, complete with crust, filled with onions.

Now, that kind of thing does exist, but this onion pie is radically different from what first comes to mind.

It’s not really a pie at all; it’s more like a quiche because of the eggs. It makes an excellent side dish and one that I’d serve at the holidays too. Can you picture this topped with a savory beef or turkey gravy? I can and if there’s leftovers, even better!

Know Your Onions

You can alter the taste of this onion pie by the type of onions you use.

I used the plain old yellow ones that you buy in the bag. They’re pretty inexpensive, but get the job done.

Now if you use sweet onions like Vidalia, the pie won’t be as strong as with “regular” onions. This may be a better choice if you are giving it to kids and people who are not overly fond of onions. Of course, those who are allergic or just hate onions will pass on this (as they should).

Caramelized onions will work very well in this, for the reasons I stated above about kids and those not crazy for them.

Cast Iron Works Best

If you’ve got a 10-inch cast iron skillet, use it here. The presentation is more rustic, but aside from aesthetics, it just works best because of heat distribution.

In a pinch, an American pie pan can be used as well as a removable-bottom tart pan.

Of course any skillet will do, but with stainless and aluminum you may experience sticking even though it’s been greased.

The Recipe

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Onion Pie

An unusual side dish for the holidays

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: caramelized onions, quiche as side dish, savory side dishes with onions, using excess onions

Servings: 8

Calories: 204kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

8 medium onions thinly sliced
2 tbs oil
6 large eggs
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

In a large skillet, saute onions in oil until soft but not browned; drain well. In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Stir in the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley and onions.
Place in a greased 10-in/25-cm. skillet Bake at 350F/180C until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.

Nutrition

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Cheesy Steak Bites

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 00:00:40 +0000

Cheesy steak bites is one of those kid-pleasing meals that adults love too.

Family Dinner Goes Gourmet

This is one of those “everyday” meals that packs a gourmet punch.

These cheesy steak bites are easy to make and they’re sure to be a hit with the kiddos. For one thing, it’s all pretty easy to put together and has ingredients that are pleasing to both adults and children.

Kids tend to love beef and cheese together or in combos. However, in this dish, they are introduced to more sophisticated ingredients masquerading as comforting favorites. This, of course, makes it popular with the grown-up crowd who like basically the same thing but at a different level.

Meat And Cheese

This uses a higher-quality of beef–steak tips.

Steak tips go by different names depending on your geographical location. They are from the tenderloin basically. Often they are called sirloin tips or flap meat. While flap meat doesn’t sound all that appetizing (at least I don’t think so LOL), it is nonetheless a nice cut of meat because it’s very tender. Sirloin is a misnomer because the meat doesn’t come from that area. If you can’t find this, or the price makes you plotz, you can use sirloin steak or any other tender steak.

Kids love cheddar cheese to be sure and you have it in this. This dinner introduces them to fontina. Fontina is smooth and creamy, but it’s very mild.

This also uses a more gourmet blend of herbs–herbs de province. However, it is used very sparingly so it’s not overpowering. If you can find a small bottle of it or have access to a store that sells herbs and blends in bulk, my advice is to take a sniff of it. If you don’t like what you smell, then don’t buy it and use my suggestions in the recipe for alternates.

Onions?

Have you got an “onjun” hater in the house? Don’t despair if you do.

While young children may find the taste of raw onion objectionable, most like the flavor of caramelized onions because they are mild and sweet.

Basically you are making caramelized onion here. The flavor they add is exceptional. But if you want to play it safe, use milder, sweeter onions such as vidalia onions.

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The Recipe

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Cheesy Steak Bites

Cheesy steak bites is one of those kid-pleasing meals that adults love too.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Keyword: steak bites, steak recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 674kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb beef tenderloin steak tips cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tbs olive oil
2 large white onions thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic finely minced
6 slices cooked bacon optional
1 cup shredded fontina cheese
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
2 tsp herbs de provence OR 1/2 tsp thyme + 1/2 tsp oregano mixed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat. Sear steak tips until they are brown on all sides; remove from pan.
Reduce heat to medium-low and in the same skillet, add the olive oil. Place the onions in the pan, and cook for about 10 minutes or until they are soft and golden brown. Add the garlic and cook until it’s fragrant. Remove onions and garlic from the pan.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wipe out the skillet and add the browned steak tips, lay the bacon on top then top with the cooked onions.
Mix the cheeses and place evenly across the top. Sprinkle top with the herbs.
Bake 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted, bubbly and beginning to brown.

Nutrition

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Slow Cooker Onion Cream Pork Chops

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 19 Mar 2017 00:00:53 +0000

Savory pork chops slow cooked in a creamy onion sauce, but you won’t believe how easy they are!

Onion Cream Pork Chops: Great Taste Little Work

This is one of the easiest, yet tastiest crock pot meals you will ever prepare!

Another plus is that it cooks in a relatively short time in newer slow cookers.

This is one of those “dump-and-go” meals–there’s no extra work involved. Of course, if you want to brown the chops first and deglaze the pan with the wine, that would increase the already great taste. However, it’s not at all necessary.

My friend Cris featured this in her “Whatcha Crockin‘ ” roundup on Recipes That Crock. And if you’re looking for super crock pot recipes, hers is the site to visit first!

About Those Cream Soups

Unless you are lucky enough to be able to find a can of condensed cream of onion soup, you will probably have to prepare your own. I haven’t seen this variety for a long time.

I have a marvelous recipe for condensed cream of soup on this site. And since I started using that recipe, I will never buy a can again. They are easy to make and taste terrific too. I’d never consider reconstituting a can of cream of mushroom to eat as soup, but my own homemade condensed soup I’d reconstitute and eat in a heartbeat.

I made my own cream of onion and cream of mushroom for this recipe and I’m convinced it’s superior flavor came from the homemade soups.

Slow Cooking Fast?

While that might be considered an oxymoron, it’s true!

This is an old recipe from Taste of Home that I adapted. When this recipe first appeared, the crock pots cooked slower because the low setting was 200 degrees F. More modern slow cookers now cook at 300 degrees F for the slow setting.

As long as your pork chops are under one-inch thickness, they will likely be done in about 4 hours–yes, even on low. If you plan for half the usual cooking 8-hour cooking time, then your pork chops will not be overcooked and falling apart. But if you do cook it longer and that happens, it will still taste good!

The Recipe

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Slow Cooker Onion Cream Pork Chops

Savory pork chops slow cooked in a creamy onion sauce, but you won’t believe how easy they are!

Prep Time5

Cook Time4

Total Time9

Course: Comfort Foods, Pork, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: American

Keyword: onion, pork chops, slow cooker pork

Servings: 4

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 large bone-in rib or center-cut pork chops
1 recipe cream of onion soup see NOTES
1 recipe condensed cream of mushroom soup-OR- 1 can 10.75 oz cream of mushroom soup, low-sodium preferred
3 tbsp ranch seasoning -OR- 1 envelope ranch dressing mix
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp salt optional
1/8 tsp pepper

Instructions

Sprinkle pork chops with salt (if using) and pepper. Place the chops in a 5-7 quart slow cooker.
In a small bowl, mix the soups, milk, ranch seasoning and wine.
Pour over chops.
Cover and cook on low 3-4 hours.

Notes

Link to recipe for homemade condensed soup is HERE

Nutrition

*Adapted from Taste of Home

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Pinwheel Meatloaf

Judith Hannemann — Fri, 20 Nov 2015 00:00:20 +0000

Pinwheel Meatloaf

One of my mother’s treasured recipes. Comfort food at it’s best.

This is a recipe my mother transformed. Originally, she said, the filling was mashed potatoes. She thought it would taste better with a soft-bread stuffing. What do they say? Mother is always right? YEP!!

Mine never looks as good as my mom’s. Her stuffing stayed relatively white. Mine doesn’t…however, it tastes the same, and that’s what counts!!!

This is made like a jellyroll. The ground beef is rolled into a rectangle, the stuffing is spread on top of the meat, then rolled up. She cooked this in a “V” roasting rack so it never sat in the fat. The use of the roasting rack is optional, of course, but I suggest using it, especially if you are watching your fat intake.

The Recipe

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Pinwheel Meatloaf

Prep Time25

Cook Time40

Total Time1 5

Course: beef, Comfort Foods, Everyday Meals

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy meatloaf recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 558kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs very lean ground beef

STUFFING

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp parsley
4 tbsp butter
2 cups soft breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp poultry seasoning

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack in a roasting pan
Mix all stuffing ingredients in a bowl; set aside
Roll out ground beef between 2 sheets of waxed paper to make a 12 x 8-inch rectangle.
Spread stuffing on top of meat and roll up, jellyroll style, from shorter end. Seal seam.
Place meatloaf on rack in prepared pan.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until center of meatloaf is 160 degrees F

Nutrition

Pinwheel Meatloaf

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Ramp Fest 2013

Judith Hannemann — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 19:49:00 +0000

Celebrate the ramp on May 4, 2013! Serious fun for serious foodies!

This year’s Ramp Fest is local to me in Hudson, NY. For those that don’t know, a ramp is this GLORIOUS allium in the garlic/onion family. It looks somewhat like a green onion but that’s where the similarity ends. They are AWESOME!

Yes, it does cost to get a ticket–they are $30 with a small service fee, but, it’s worth it. And the company handling the ticket sales, Brown Paper Tickets, is a Fair-Trade company and you can designate where you want part of the proceeds to the ticket sale to go. Of course I chose animal welfare.

Here’s a link to this years’ Ramp Fest Information:

Ramp Fest Hudson 2013

I will be taking my camera–the GOOD one, and I will have photos on the site and more than likely on The Daily Meal’s site as well, as I said I was attending anyway and would be glad to share anything with them.

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