Oh, yes.

So, one of my favorite things to get at Outback or Chili's is the Blooming Onion/Awesome Blossom. So good. Well, what do you know, I found a recipe for a way to make it by baking it instead of frying! Suh-weet. Here it is:

1 large sweet onion (the biggest one you can find)

1 T. butter, melted

2 t. Dijon mustard (I used spicy brown mustard)

3 T. dry bread crumbs

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Dipping sauce:

1/4 c. sour cream

1/4 c. mayo

1.5 t. dried minced onion

1/4 t. garlic powder

1/4 t. dill

With a sharp knife, slice 1/2" off the top of the onion. Peel the onion. Cut the onion like a pie, into 16 wedges, but stopping about 1/2" from the root end so that you don't cut all the way through.

Place the onion on a double thickness of foil. Fold foil up around the onions and seal tightly. Place this in a baking dish and bake at 425 for 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the butter and mustard. When the onion is done, open the foil and fold the foil down around the onion. The onion should fall open a little, you can spread the pieces out a bit more with forks. Brush the butter mixture over the onions. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over. Bake again for 18-25 minutes or until crispy and tender. The tips of the onion pieces should turn dark.

Combine dipping sauce ingredients and enjoy when it's done!

Yum. Of course it's not quite as good as the real thing, but hello, so much better for you. It'll do.

Onion Soup of Dubious Nationality

It's not technically French because if it were, it would be much more fussy.

1 Large yellow onion
2 TBS of butter
1 TBS olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/4 C sherry
3 quarts of beef broth
kosher salt to taste

Crusty bread
Snooty cheese of your choosing (Munster is actually amazing on this)

Slice the onion into strips. Sautee over medium heat with butter and olive oil until the onions are translucent. Add garlic and thyme and sautee for a minute before adding the broth and sherry. Simmer for 15 minutes until onions are tender. Season with salt and more garlic if necessary.

Unless you have 12 oz. oven proof straight-sided bowls hanging around don't attempt to serve this the French way (with cheese dripping down the side of your bowl, fresh out of the broiler). Cool. It's much easier to serve like so: Cover your bread slices with shredded cheese, throw 'em on a cookie sheet, and broil for 5 minutes until crusty and browned. Plop atop your soup and enjoy.

Carmelized Onion Dip

This is the ultimate dip for ruffley chips for a summer barbecue OR for when you get laid off and want to loaf around in your sweats all day and watch the Food Network. The genius of this dip is that it tastes vaguely reminiscent of the onion dip of your youth, but classed up a notch or two with the addition of caramelized onions and yogurt. Yogurt is necessary for your digestive system, so basically when you eat this dip you're practically doing your body a favor.

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 large yellow onions (they look like a lot now, but they'll shrink like a frightened turtle)
• 3/4 C sour cream
• 3/4 C plain or Greek yogurt
• 2 TBS dehydrated onion flakes (to taste)
  
• 1/2 tsp salt

Finely chop onions. Saute onions in the olive oil along with a pinch of salt on medium heat. Stir occasionally, cooking until the onions are deeply golden, brown, and caramelized - roughly 25 -30 minutes. Let cool.

In the meantime, stir together the sour cream, yogurt, onion powder, and salt. The important thing is to add whatever onion powder you are using to taste. Add a bit at a time until it tastes really good. Set aside until the caramelized onions have cooled to room temperature. Stir in 2/3 of the caramelized onions, scoop into a serving bowl, and top with the remaining onions. I think this dip is best at room temperature.

Makes about 2 cups.

From 101 cookbooks.