Onion and Apple Gratin

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            FOOD FUNNY
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This one is a food funny only in the most unpleasant sense, but
I like it anyway. Thanks to Heather Smith for sending it in.

A little old lady answered a knock on the door one day, only to
be confronted by a well-dressed young man carrying a vacuum
cleaner. "Good morning," said the young man. "If I could take a
couple of minutes of your time, I would like to demonstrate the
very latest in high-powered vacuum cleaners."

"Go away!" said the old lady. "I haven't got any money! I'M BROKE!"
And she proceeded to close the door.

Quick as a flash, the young man wedged his foot in the door and
pushed it wide open. "Don't be too hasty!" He said. "Not until you
have at least seen my demonstration." And with that, he emptied
a bucket of horse manure onto her hallway carpet. "If this vacuum
cleaner does not remove all traces of this horse manure from your
carpet, Madam, I will personally eat the remainder."

The old lady stepped back and said, "Well I hope you've got a
darned good appetite, because they cut off my electricity this
morning."

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            TODAY'S RECIPE
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This quick and easy side dish goes great with just about everything.

Onion and Apple Gratin

4 large onions, thinly sliced
4 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp
3/4 cup (180 ml) chicken stock or water
1/2 cup (125 ml) bread crumbs
2 Tbs (30 ml) bacon fat

Place the onions, apples, and bacon in alternating layers in a
greased baking dish. Add the chicken stock. Heat the bacon fat
(left over from cooking the bacon) in a small skillet and add the
bread crumbs, stirring until the crumbs have absorbed the bacon
fat and are lightly toasted. Bake covered in a preheated 375F
(190C) oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the
onion mixture and bake uncovered until lightly browned, about
15 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Thu Feb 23 09:22:39 2006