OSO Sweet
A salad of sweet onions, oranges, lettuce and apples
add a festive and colorful touch to holiday meals.

Onions enhance
midwinter menus

Onions are the "awesome blossom" blooming in the middle of winter. Slice crispy onions into salads. Or, cook their intense, rich flavor into cold-weather soups, stews and casseroles.

A member of the lily family, the onion is prized around the world for its pungent magic in a multitude of dishes. The underground bulb offers a fair amount of vitamin C.

Buy onions that are heavy for their size, with dry, papery skins and no signs of spotting or moistness. Store in a cool, dry place with good air circulation for up to 3 months, depending on humidity.

Once cut, store onions tightly wrapped and refrigerated; use them within four days.

Sweet jumbo red onions are a best-buy at 69 cents a pound at Foodland. Also, round onions are 10 pounds for $3.89 at Sack N Save, 59 cents a pound at Safeway, and 69 cents at Star Markets.

Slice into salads navel oranges for 49 cents a pound at Star, and 59 cents at IGH and Times; tomatoes for 98 cents a pound at Daiei and 99 cents at Star; broccoli at 49 cents a pound at Times, 89 cents at Sack N Save and 99 cents at Star; and crunchy celery for 48 cents a pound at Daiei.

Other produce best buys this week include Ka'u oranges for 78 cents a pound at Daiei, 97 cents at Sack N Save, and 99 cents at Foodland. Brussels sprouts are $1.59 at Safeway.

Also, beef New York strip in bulk costs $1.97 a pound at Sack N Save; top sirloin in bulk is $1.99 a pound at Foodland; and air-flown fresh Atlantic salmon roast is $3.99 a pound at Star.