I have loved French onion soup since I was a child. Although, back then it came out of a can with a red and white label. One warning, making onion soup will make your house smell like onions for a while so stock up on Febreze or light a candle or something.
1/4 C. unsalted butter
6 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
5lbs. large sweet onions, vertically sliced, about 16 cups
1 tbsp. Sugar
6 C. unsalted beef stock
2 tbsp. Red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
24 slices whole grain French Bread baguette
5oz. Gruyere chees, shredded, about 1 1/4 cups
Place butter, thyme, and bay leaf in the bottom of a 6qt. slow cooker. Add onions; sprinkle with sugar. Cover and cook on high for 8 hours.
Remove thyme and bay leaf; discard. Add stock, vinegar, salt, and pepper; cook, covered, on high for 30 minutes.
Preheat broiler to high. Arrange bread in a single layer on 2 baking sheets; broil 30 seconds on each side or until toasted. Place 1 cup soup in each of 12 8oz. ramekins or oven proof bowls. Top each serving with 2 bread slices and about 2 tbsp. cheese. Place 6 ramekins on a jelly roll pan; broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts and begins to brown. Repeat with remaining ramekins.
Per serving: 240 calories, 8g. fat, 9g. protein, 33g. carbohydrates,
