Vidalia Onion Casserole!

I love Vidalia onions and I use them as much as I can when they are available.  If you are not familiar with the Vidalia onion, they are a sweet onion that you can easily eat raw without the usual pungent effects of a regular yellow or red onion.   They are called Vidalia because of where they are grown which is Vidalia, Georgia.   They are unusually sweet, because of the low amount of sulfur in the soil there.  The Vidalia onion is the Georgia state vegetable.

If you cannot get Vidalia onions in your area, use any other sweet onion you do have access to.  The Walla Walla, Texas Sweet Onion or the Bermuda Onion would work.   This casserole is a great side dish for a good grilled steak, pork chops or even ribs. 

Here is what you will need:

2 large Vidalia onions, sliced thin and separated into rings (if they are smaller, use three)

1/2 cup butter, divided (1 stick)

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded Cheddar Monterrey Jack blend cheese (can use all Cheddar)

1 sleeve butter flavored crackers, crushed (like Ritz or Town House)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Melt 4 Tbs. of the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion rings.  Sprinkle with seasoned salt and black pepper.  Toss in the butter and saute just until they start to soften.  I don't like to overcook them so they have a little texture after this bakes.

Add the sour cream and toss to blend.  Turn the heat off at this stage.  You don't want your sour cream to break.

Spray an 8"x8" baking dish or a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish with nonstick spray.  Layer half of the onion mixture in the bottom.

Sprinkle with 1/2 of the grated Parmesan and 1/2 the shredded Cheddar Monterrey jack blend

.

Melt the other 4 Tablespoons of butter and toss the crushed Ritz crackers in it.  Sprinkle half of the buttered crumbs over the cheese. 

Repeat the same layers all again, ending in the buttered cracker crumbs.  Place in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes!

It should be slightly browned and bubbly when you take it out!

Serve immediately!  This is a great side dish, but I can eat it by itself leftover the next day.  It reheats well!