Caramelized Onions - Oven Baked - Great for OAMC

I love caramelized onions but being a busy cook, I often end up with burnt onions if I'm distracted. My mother taught me this oven method and it's just the thing when I'm preparing my OAMC and need onions. I usually throw 1/4 - 1/2 cup in the zip lock bag when assembling anything that calls for ONIONS! Another nice thing about using the oven for these is how much can be prepared at one time. I chop my onions into big 1" pieces if using for soups, stews, or roasted meats. If using in a dish that will be frozen, cool the mixture before adding to other ingredients. You can also add a little cayenne pepper before baking if you want to spice them up. And if you're making burgers for the family, slicing them into 1/2" rings (and separating)before baking looks pretty cool.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 10
• Yields: 3 cups

Ingredients

• 4  large onions
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500°F.
2. Spread a large sheet of foil on top of a baking sheet leaving enough to pull around the onions (and seal) once they're baked.
3. Roughly chop and place the onions in a large bowl. Toss with just enough of the oil to lightly coat. Salt and pepper to taste. You can also use a little cayenne or red pepper flakes if you like the spice.
4. Put prepared onions on the foil covered tray and spread out as much as possible.
5. Bake 30 - 40 minutes Do not let onions burn.
6. Remove from oven and carefully seal the onions in the foil they were baked on.
7. Set foil packet aside for 5-10 minutes so onions can finish steaming.
8. If preparing to use as a sauce or condiment, substitute melted butter for the olive oil. I don't use butter if I'm making these to use in my freezer meals.