French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup butter
3 cups thinly sliced sweet onion
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
8 1-oz. slices French bread; cut into 1-inch cubes
8 1-oz. slices reduced fat Swiss cheese
8 1-oz. slices provolone cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese





Directions:  (This recipes was taken DIRECTLY from Stefanis Blog.. ;-)

Heat olive oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; saute for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to medium; cook for 60 minutes, stirring frequently until onions are carmalized. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add minced garlic and cook until tender - do not overcook.

[I add about a tablespoon of flour here and stir for about a minute - it gives the soup a rich, velvety texture].

Increase heat to medium-high and stir in broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer for 20 minute.

Preheat broiler. Place bread on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted - turning after 1 minute.

Place 8 oven proof bowls on a jellyroll pan. Ladle 1 cup of soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls. Top each serving with 1 slice of Swiss and 1 slice of provolone. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Makes 8 servings.

Bon Appetit!

Baked Potato Soup

 Ingredients:

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}

3 14oz. cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1 pkg. cream cheese {don’t use fat free.  It WON’T melt!!!}

Directions:

In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese.  Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.  About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted.  Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or whatever else you think would be good!!

Bon Appetit!