Quick and Painless French Onion Soup

Add croutons, top with cheeses, and broil until slightly golden brown and bubbling and sticking to the edge of a soup crock...sigh.

I'm not sure where this recipe originally derived, but I got it from my friend, who got it from her sister, who got it from ??? I will promptly give full credit to my friend, Kellie, since she made it for me. Yay. This recipe is so easy and quick and DELICIOUS, despite all the recipes that INSIST on caramelizing onions (40 minutes), adding Gruyere cheese ($$$), and simmering on a low boil for a significant length of time (90 more minutes).

The foodie snobs will undoubtedly snub their pristine noses at this. As stated in previous posts, you really can overdo....unnecessarily, a recipe.
The only thing I added to this recipe was bay leaves. The step of rapidly boiling for 15 minutes, replaces the lengthy caramelization step. The result? One of the best french onion soups I've had.
Do not skip the Sherry, this is key in the flavor aspect.
Use provolone and Parmesan instead of Gruyere.....the cheese is just as melty-gooey....and just as delicious.

Serves 4-6 hungry people

Ingredients:

5 medium onions- peeled and sliced into 1/4 in. slices

1/2 stick butter

salt/fresh ground pepper-to taste

1- 32 oz. carton beef broth

1-32 oz. carton chicken broth

1/4 c. dry sherry

2 bay leaves

Topping:

2 slices provolone cheese for each crock of soup (I'm greedy like that)

1 T. grated parmesan cheese

Any flavor croutons-as many as you like

Saute onions and bay leaves in butter, with salt and pepper to taste, until onions are translucent and wilted, over medium high heat. Keep stirring frequently.....took me 15 minutes.

Add both chicken and beef broth and bring to a boil....took 5 minutes.

Once to a boil, let the soup RAPIDLY boil, over high heat for 15 minutes.

Turn off the heat and let soup rest for 10 minutes. Then, add the dry sherry.

Ladle into soup crocks. Top with croutons, and provolone cheese, then sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Place on a cookie sheet and broil until browned and bubbly...the longest 3 minutes of your life.

Total cooking time: 48 minutes. SCORE!!!!!!

Now, just imagine dipping your spoon into a crock of this and pulling up bits of onion, and croutons, and melty-gooey cheeses....I love soup.

Truth be told, I've eaten this the last 2 nights.....and I couldn't be happier.

Thank you Kellie, for this absolute gem!