Within a single paragraph, hang a wrapped line, but do not hang new lines

It makes no sense to me not to use paragraphs:

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{units}
\begin{document}

\begin{minipage}{4.5cm}
\everypar{\setlength\hangindent{1em}}
\nicefrac{1}{2} lb.\ (about 1\nicefrac{1}{2} cups) thinly sliced yellow onions

2 (about 1 cup) sliced green bell peppers
2 to 3 Tb olive oil, if necessary

2 cloves mashed garlic

Salt and pepper to taste
\end{minipage}

\end{document}

Since using \hangindent is the obvious solution it is probably also the best one. Nonetheless, if you want your text to look as though it is a single paragraph, you always have the option of messing with the syntax:

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}
 \newenvironment{hanginglines}[1][1em]
  {%
   \renewcommand\\{\par\hangindent#1}%
   \parindent0pt %
   \hangindent#1 %
  }
  {\par}

\begin{hanginglines}
 This is a very long line that I hope will wrap many times.  This is a very long line that I hope will wrap many times.
 \\
 This is a very long line that I hope will wrap many times.  This is a very long line that I hope will wrap many times.
 \\
 This is a very long line that I hope will wrap many times.  This is a very long line that I hope will wrap many times.
\end{hanginglines}
\end{document}