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From Caramelized to Fried

The Many Layers of Onions

By Kelly Burgess

Onions can also be caramelized in the oven or Crock Pot. For the oven: Spread a layer of sliced onions on a cookie sheet and cook at 400 degrees F until the onions are soft and brown. Total time will vary depending upon the thickness of the slices. For the Crock Pot, slice six to eight onions, drizzle a few tablespoons of oil over them and cook them on high eight to 10 hours.

The caramelized onions can be used to top meat or baked potatoes or on a ready-made pizza crust. Brush the crust with a little olive oil, spread the onions, top with feta cheese, sprinkle with your favorite dried herb and heat through. You'll never go back to pepperoni.

With the health benefits onions give, there are as many reasons to eat them as an onion has layers. Onions contain significant levels of quercetin, which has been shown to help guard against many diseases such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. Onions are also a source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and folic acid – a must for pregnant women. They also contain calcium and iron, but have no fat and are very low in sodium.

On the down side, the sulfuric acids released when you cut onions can irritate your eyes. The National Onion Association recommends keeping your head as far away from the onion as possible (don't hunch over that cutting board), freezing or refrigerating the onion before slicing, or slicing it under running water or in a dish of water. As for the problem of raw onions and bad breath, they have ways to counteract that as well, but the best is Roberts-Dominguez's suggestion – just make everyone eat onions.