Cheese Onions

4 large onions
1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (6oz.)
1 cup soft bread crumbs
½ cup chopped fresh mushrooms (optional)
¼ tsp. crushed oregano leaves
¼ tsp. crushed thyme leaves
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, divided
1 cup milk
Salt to taste
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. paprika

Place unpeeled onions in a saucepan. Cover with water and boil 20 minutes. Drain and allow to cool. Butter a 9"x9" baking dish. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Peel cooled onions, removing roots and stem. Remove center, leaving a 1/2" shell. Place shells in baking dish. Chop onion centers finely and combine 1 cup of the chopped onion with the cheddar cheese, crumbs, mushrooms, oregano & thyme. Add S&P to taste. Spoon into shells.
Cover and bake about 1 hour, until onions are tender. Meanwhile, melt butter, stir in flour, add 2 Tbsp. parsley and the milk. Cook until sauce thickens and add salt. Combine Parmesan cheese, 2 Tbsp. parsley and paprika in a bowl. Transfer onions to serving dish, pour sauce over, then sprinkle with Parmesan mixture and serve.
Fantastic recipe from an old WV Market Bulletin. Perfect for using up almost-sprouting onions. Strong winter onions are great for this.

These are really good – stuffed and then topped with white sauce and the parm sprinkle. I have made them more often without mushrooms than with – simply because the rest of the ingredients are always on hand (dried parsley of course). MMMMMmmmmm killer LOL.

Dede