Happy New Year!

I can’t believe we are saying goodbye to 2011 today!  We will enjoy a smaller New Year’s Eve this year than we did last year.  Suzanne, Kevin and their son will be joining us for Mexican food (ordered in), games and movies. 

I’m in total hibernation mode, so I'm keeping everything simple.  I’m using the same table setting I used for Christmas.   After seeing a beautiful table in Southern Living with blue, silver and green, I decided to make a blue table runner for my Christmas table.  The blue fabric I found has a small bright green stem that is perfect for Christmas. 

 

I added my green Crate and Barrel chargers and used my beautiful Lenox Butterfly Cloud dinner plates.  The Princess House Fantasia luncheon plates for salad added a sparkly touch, and I added the green glass napkin rings and my favorite green water glasses.

 

My green trees and mercury glass candleholders and votives finished the look.  I think the blue, green and white table is a winner (if I do say so myself).

I made these Onion Squares for our Christmas cocktail party.  I’ve made them a few times in the past to rave reviews.  For the cocktail party, I substituted whole-wheat pastry flour for half the all-purpose flour.  I won’t make that substitute again. The whole-wheat pastry flour made the dough a little heavy.   The dough is light and airy when using only all-purpose flour, so I didn’t change the original recipe.  The topping is delicious.  The onion and rosemary cook down to an almost jam like consistency, and pair beautifully with the blue cheese.  Caramelized Onion Squares are elegant appetizers to serve at your next cocktail party.

Caramelized Onion Squares with Blue Cheese

Adapted from epicurious.com

Printable Recipe

Crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

¾ cup whole milk

¼ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Topping

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Crust

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and stir to blend.  Whisk milk, olive oil and melted butter in a liquid measuring cup.  Make a well in the dry ingredients and slowly pour milk mixture into the well.  Stir ingredients until just blended and smooth.  On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 10x13-inch rectangle.  Transfer the dough to a rimmed baking sheet.  Re-shape the dough into a rectangle, and pierce dough all over with a fork.  Let dough rest at room temperature while preparing the topping.

Topping

Melt butter with the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat.  Add onions and cook until the onions are soft and beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.  Add rosemary, sugar, salt and a generous grinding of black pepper.  Reduce heat to medium.  Continue to cook until the onions are soft and dark brown, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.  Cool.

Spread onion mixture evenly over dough.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake until crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling, about 20 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes and cut into squares.  Serve warm or at room temperature.