Magazine Challenge: Stuffed Onions

So.
My mom's birthday was on the weekend.  J and I invited her to come and do her taxes and celebrate her birthday.  We invited my uncle and his wife to come and join us for dinner. 
Family dinners are a good chance to try out new things.  Frankly, company is a good chance to try out new recipes.  When we have people over, I invariably try new things.  If it works, it's lovely, and if it doesn't, well...there's someone to help eat up the mistake.  I bought a really nice roast at the butcher, and planned on mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.  So in terms of something new we were looking at a side or dessert. 
This recipe is from November 2005 Everyday Food.  I marked it as something I wanted to try last year, but never got around to.  J was skeptical at first.  I don't know if it was because of the word "onion" as a side, or his general skepticism when I have enthusiasm a little bit different.  But whatever the reason, I told him we were making them anyways.
Just as well.  He loved them.
For those of you who like a different side, or just like onions; I present to you now from the November 2005 issue of Everyday Food Stuffed Onions:

Ingredients:

4 large yellow onions
1/2 c chicken broth
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 sliced bread, torn into small pieces
4 oz Swiss cheese, shredded

Method:
1.  Peel and cut the root end of the onion off straight to give the onion a base to sit on.  Cut off the top of the onion, creating a wide mouth.  Using an ice cream scoop or a melon baller, scoop out the interior of the onion, leaving a wall of about 0.25".  Chop and reserve innards for the stuffing.
2.   Heat oven to 450F.  Place onions in an 8" pan, hollow side up.  Pour broth into the bottom of the pan and cover tightly with foil.  Bake 25-30 minutes, until tender.  Remove onions from pan, drain liquid, and replace onions in the pan.
3.  Make the stuffing:  In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium high heat.  Add chopped reserved onions and cook, stirring often, until golden and caramelized.  When golden, remove from heat and add bread, stirring well to coat with the onions.  Add cheese and combine.  Season with salt and pepper.
4.  Pack stuffing into hollowed onions, pressing well into the onion with the back of a spoon.  mound a little on top, sprinkle with cheese if desired.
5.  Bake filled onions at 450F for 20 minutes until browned and heated through.

From Everyday Food, November 2005

Can I tell you the worst part of preparing these onions?  Hollowing them out.  The fumes while removing the interiors were unreal.  J wondered what I was up to in the kitchen with the groaning.  I used an ice cream scoop, which was perfect for cutting the onion.  You also have to be careful about pulling the bottom of the onion out from the bowl that you're creating.  I ended up having to fit back in 3 of the 4 bottoms of the bowls.  But if there's a small hole, it's not a huge deal.

Here are my onions, ready to go into the oven and steam.  Either I needed to cook them a little longer, or I needed to make them a little thinner.  They were a little crunchy.  But no matter.  They were delicious.

I ended up with a little more stuffing than I had space.  But they smelled so good!  Bacon... onion... cheese... bread... how could any of that not taste and smell great?

And look great.  These were delicious.  We cut them in half, but both J and my uncle ate a full onion.  I think we've found a new side for dinner.