Cooking Light Supper Club Warms You Up With a Caramelized Onion Spread

The holidays are over and now we get down to the serious business of getting through these cold winter days! When it is cold outside, nothing is better than a warm home with all the comfort foods that you adore. So that is what it is is all about this week at the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. With the cold weather, comes the urge to find warmth in our favourite meals. Warm comforting foods nourish the soul as well as our bodies and tend to be familiar foods that remind us of simpler times or of a contented childhood. Your senses can be awakened with anything from a caramelized squash soup to a large bowl of comfortable macaroni and cheese. It is not uncommon for my home to be filled with warm, fragrant and earthy aromas of a slow cooked roast or bubbling crock pot.


There’s no reason to let calories rob you of the opportunity to cozy up with a plate of any of your favourite dishes. Enjoy your winter comfort favorites by consciously keeping lighter in mind. You’ll still get the entire flavour with none of the guilt. With the Super Bowl looming this is an excellent choice. 

For this reason we are so glad you have decided to join us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where a group of ladies and one gent in two neighbouring countries get together on the first Wednesday of every month to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. This is our third year of the Virtual Supper Club where we continue to share a love for Cooking Light magazine with an emphasis on healthy eating and living.This is a team effort where we combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!! This months theme "Winter Warmth" was chosen by our very own Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants. How can you join in? If you would like to add your own "warm winter dishes"  join the Linky below.


I brought along an appetizer of some gooey, cheesy Caramelized Onion, Gruyere and Bacon Spread (recipe below) Serve with crackers or bread slices. If you can't find Gruyère, substitute raclette, fontina, or Swiss cheese.

Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts, Ravings and Rants wowed us with his version of winter warmth "inside and out" with a steaming bowl ofTuscan White Bean Soup. 

Roz  of La Bella Vita  brings us a stunning main dish with Sirloin Steaks with Mushroom Sauce and Chive-Garlic Potatoes. Talk about a treat!!

Sandi of Whistlestop Cafe ties it all together with a comforting dish of Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Gouda and Spinach.

Giz of Equal Opportunity Kitchen ends the meal with a BANG with a comforting Double Ginger Pumpkin Flan.

Here's the recipe........

**Caramelized Onion, Gruyère, and Bacon Spread**

Cooking spray
3 1/2 cups chopped onion
2 ounces (1/2 cup) Gruyère cheese, shredded and divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
1/3 cup canola mayonnaise
1/3 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled


1. Preheat oven to 425°.


2. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan lightly with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low; cook 20 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly.


3. Reserve 2 tablespoons cheese. Combine remaining cheese, caramelized onion, 1 tablespoon chives, and the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle with reserved 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives.

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