Stuffed Sweet Onions

Name: Stuffed Sweet Onions
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings.
Ingredients: 3 quarts water; 4 medium sweet onions, peeled; 1 tablespoon chopped green onion; 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley; 6 teaspoons butter, divided; 1/2 cup chopped fully cooked lean ham; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon celery seed; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 cup soft bread crumbs, divided

Looking for an impressive addition to your Easter menu? Consider this eye-fetching idea from Rye, Colorado's Jeanne Allen. A filling of savory ham and golden bread crumbs makes these onions a decadent accompaniment to many entrees.

Ingredients

3 quarts water
4 medium sweet onions, peeled
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
6 teaspoons butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped fully cooked lean ham
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs, divided

Directions

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add onions; cover and boil for 9-11 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool for 5 minutes. Cut a thin slice off the top of each onion; carefully hollow out, leaving a 1/2-in. shell. Chop removed onion.
In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook the chopped onion, green onion and parsley in 4 teaspoons butter for 3 minutes. Add the ham, salt, celery seed, pepper and garlic powder; cook until onions are tender and ham is lightly browned. Stir in 1/4 cup bread crumbs; heat through. Stuff into onion shells.
Melt remaining butter; toss with remaining bread crumbs. Sprinkle over stuffing. Broil 6 in. from the heat for 3-4 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned and onions are heated through.

Nutrition Facts

1 stuffed onion: 158 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 26mg cholesterol, 597mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 3g fiber), 8g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 fat.

Originally published as Stuffed Onions in Light & Tasty April/May 2006