“Banish (the onion) from the kitchen and the pleasure flies with it. Its presence lends color and enchantment to the most modest dish; its absence reduces the rarest delicacy to hopeless insipidity, and dinner to despair.” Elizabeth Robbins Pennell, American columnist

Since my first quote is about onions it seems only fitting to make my first recipe a base recipe that can be used in a multitude of dishes and that is Easy Caramelized Onions. Caramelizing onions results in the onions being sweet (hence the "caramel" name), dark, nutty, and buttery. This particular recipe comes from Beverly Mills with Alicia Ross of Desperation Dinners fame. Cooking them in the crockpot eliminates the possibility of the onions burning and requires much less attention than baking or cooking them on the stove top. These almost creamy onions can be used as a base for French Onion Soup, on sandwiches, in fajitas, top a pizza with them, or add them to cornbread or savory muffins. These have so many uses they are worth always having on hand in the freezer.

Easy Caramelized Onions

6 large onions -- I'd use Vidalia, if available, but any onion will do.
2 tablespoons olive oil (or real butter-not margarine or shortening)

1. Peel onions and cut them into 1/4 inch slices; you should have about 6 cups.
2. Place them in a slow cooker, and drizzle the oil over the slices
3. Place the lid on the cooker, and adjust the heat to high. Cook 8 - 10 hours, until the onions caramelize. They will have a deep brown color.
4. Leftover onions may be refrigerated, covered, up to 3 days. They may be frozen up to 1 month. Yield = 3 cups
My favorite way to use these delectable tidbits is in making a batch of French Onion Soup. Personally I do not cook with alcohol-but if you are so inclined 1/2-1 cup dry, white wine may be added with stock.

French Onion Soup
1 batch Caramelized Onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups beef broth (canned broth or broth base is much better than bouillon cubes-
but use what you have)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4-6 slices of toasted French bread
1 cup grated Swiss Gruyere, provolone cheese, or other white cheese

1. In big pot sauté garlic with onions for about 1 minute.
2. Add the beef broth, water, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf to the pan and bring mixture to a boil.
3. When soup begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf.
5. To serve ladle the soup into individual bowls.
6. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.