Sweet Onion Casserole

I'm not a big fan of stuffing which isn't so good this time of year when stuffing and dressing recipes are everywhere. I am a fan of onions however. Especially grilled, sauteed, caramelized, pickled, fried and creamed onions. Oh my! Yummy! Here's one of my mom's recipes that strikes a perfect balance between a dressing and a casserole with onions as it's main ingredient.:)

I prepared this dish two ways. The first time, for those onion lovers like me, I made it like my mom's recipe, with the stuffing layer topped with delicious sauteed onions, cheese. I changed my mom's version just a bit by adding some crispy French fried onions to the stuffing layer and to the top.
The second time, I made it with my kiddos in mind. I wanted to hide all those onions so I mixed the stuffing and onions together to make a dressing of sorts. I still topped it with cheese and french fried onions. Both versions of this casserole were absolutely delicious! I ate them both for breakfast and lunch for three days in a row! Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving!

Sweet Onion Casserole
Serves 6

3 c. Vidalia onions (yellow onions can be substituted)
1 c. Stove Top Savory Herbs Stuffing Mix
1/2 c. plus 1/4 c. French's French Fried Onions
1/4 cup butter plus 2 T. butter
2 eggs
3/4 cups milk
salt and pepper
3/4 c. shredded cheese (I used Cheddar and Asiago)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut onions in quarters and slice very thin. Melt 2 T butter in a large skillet. Add onions and saute until tender about 8 minutes. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add Stuffing Mix and 1/2 cup of French Fried Onions. Melt 1/4 cup of butter and pour over the stuffing/fried onion mixture. Transfer stuffing/French's Fried Onion mixture into a 1 quart casserole dish and spread evenly on the bottom of the casserole dish. Now layer the sauteed onions on top of the stuffing mixture. 
Mix eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over the stuffing/onion layers. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle additional French fried onions and more cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Enjoy!
 
(Note: For our kiddos that don't like onions, here's a more kid-friendly version that hides the onions. Mix the stuffing, fried onions and sauteed onions together and then transfer into a 1qt casserole dish. Add milk/egg mixture, top with cheese and bake as directed above. This version has a more stuffing-like consistency. Equally delicious, but the onions are less obvious! See picture below)

Other recipes to try:
Parmesan Creamed Onions
Tortilla Dressing