Recipe: Cheesy Onion Casserole

With the holidays coming up shortly... I thought it would be a good time to post a terrific side dish... Cheesy Onion Casserole.   This is really a no fuss side dish that is so good.. it's almost addicting...

TIPS

I used Campbell's Cream of Onion Soup... I know a lot of recipes use Cream of Chicken or Mushroom... all I can say is... don't... The Cream of Onion Soup keeps the flavor as onion.... the combination of the onion flavor and delicate Swiss-Gruyere cheese flavor cannot be any better.

You can add a teaspoon of sherry to the sauce mixture... honestly.. I usually don't... and it isn't missed.. but.. with that said... it does round out the flavors.. so if you're a fan of a light sherry flavor.. by all means.. add it.

I use fat free half and half.... which makes the sauce rich.. remember it's a side dish.. not a main dish so it can be a bit heavier... if you want it less heavy substitute whole milk or 1/3 cup half and half .. and 1/3 whole milk.

Sweet onions are best for this... but yellow or white onions will work.

Make sure not to cut your bread too thick... cut it about the same thickness as sandwich bread.

This is easy... very little prep... great presentation and sooo good!

Recipe:  Cheesy Onion Casserole

All you need:

3 large sweet onions, sliced

3 tablespoons butter

1 can Campbell's Cream of Onion Soup

2/3 cup Fat Free Half and Half *See Tips

1 teaspoon sherry (optional)

3 cups Sargento Shredded Artisan Blend Swiss and Gruyere cheese

About 8 sliced French Bread, lightly toasted *See Tips

About 2 tablespoons butter, softened

All you need to do:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large skillet melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium high heat and add the onions.  Toss with a spatula to coat the onions with the butter and cook until soft.. light browning of a few of the onions is okay but don't try to brown them... you're aiming for softened onions.

Lay the onion slices in a 9 x 9 (an 8 x 8 will work too... make sure you place it on a baking sheet so it doesn't run into the oven.. it shouldn't but just in case) baking dish.  Toss with 1/2 of the shredded cheese.

In a medium bowl, mix together the soup and the half and half (or milk) and sherry (if using sherry) until smooth.

Pour the soup mixture over the onions and cheese.

Lightly spread one side of the bread slices with the softened butter.

Lay the buttered slices on top of the casserole... butter side up...  pushing them down a bit into the onion soup sauce... allowing the top of the bread to be exposed.  Sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.