We spent three weeks in France in early Fall and I never had French Onion Soup once! So I made it recently (it’s easy, you just need plenty of time to caramelize the onions) and wanted to share the recipe. Also, I have some great books that make excellent gifts if you want to get something sent in a hurry.
It’s Sunday Faves time with Annie and Cindy.
Carmelized French Onion Soup
This recipe from All Recipes is what I basically used except with Gruyere cheese (more typical and melty) and I lightly toast the bread before topping it with cheese before going under the broiler.
Warming French Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 4 cups sliced onions
- 8 cups beef broth
- 3 tbsp sherry
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- pinch salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup or more grated Gruyere cheese
- 6 to 8 French bread slices
Instructions
- Melt butter with olive oil in an 8-quart stock pot over medium heat. Add onions to butter and continually stir until tender and translucent and lightly browned This can take a while, so be patient.
- Add beef broth, sherry, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread. Then preheat the broiler.
- Ladle soup into oven-safe serving bowls and place one slice of lightly toasted bread on top of each. Layer each slice of bread with the grated cheese (as much as you want).
- Place bowls on a cookie sheet and broil in the preheated oven until cheese bubbles and browns slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot!
I made this for Howard and me and froze the leftover soup to serve again later for lunch.
Here is a set of four great French onion soup bowls.
Styling With Books
We were in Tampa this week and styled our son and daughter-in-law’s new book cabinet with items that they already had.
We were commenting that it would be nice to have a few more books, especially the Assouline Travel coffee table books from places they have visited. Notice they have the one featuring Palm Springs…we were there on vacation with them.
Great Books For Gifts
If you need a gift in a hurry…these are very good.
The Home Cook
I gave Howard “The Cook’s Atelier book.” It’s about a cooking school in Beaune, France. He liked it so much, we took a daylong class at the charming school. The American mother daughter duo have a new book out called “French At Heart.” And we have enjoyed the “Mostly French” recipe book.
The Design Enthusiast
I would like to have the new “AD at Home!” I gave Cindy “Living With Flowers” and “Memories Of Home” for her birthday (it’s tomorrow).
The Avid Reader – Mary Ann Recommends
These are two books that I read recently that I recommend and would be nice gifts: “The Correspondent” and “Wild Dark Shore.”
The Avid Reader – My Friend Debbie Recommends
Debbie enjoyed “Full Bloom” and “Beautiful Ugly” …these are next on my list.
40 Of My Favorite Books
Check out my Amazon Storefront library above! LOTS of winners! I own almost all of them.
Our Home At Night For The Holidays
Our children/grandchildren arrived from California last night! We have some things planned as well as downtime.
So I am taking things slower here at Classic Casual Home.
I will be back next Sunday sharing tips on having your own afternoon tea party along with Cindy and Annie’s favorite things…and then taking a bit of a break.
If you would like to receive this series every week, please sign up HERE.
Let’s see what my friends have discovered this week:
Cindy Hattersley Design
Most Lovely Things
Your house looks beautiful!! Thanks for all the book selections!!
Great post as always! I *love* French Onion soup, have been making it for years. I’ve found that using the slow cooker to make the onions (onions *only* not the soup!) is the best hack! Thinly slice the onions “pole-to-pole” vertically (best for caramelizing) and fill the slow cooker. Use Sweet Visalia’s or other sweet yellow. Add 1/2 stick of butter to slow cooker and put on low for 4-6 hours. Check to be sure they are brown and fully caramelized.
Then use those in the French Onion soup recipe of your choice. Add a splash of good quality sherry at the end. Voilà!
This sounds amazing. Thanks!!!
Can you come and pretend to be my mom and decorate my house with things I already have? LOL. Just kidding. I would love to see you do more of these redecorate with current things in home. I love what you come up with. French Onion Soup going on my to make list. Enjoy the holidays with family and friends and your time “off”.
Ha! It IS one of my favorite things to do!
Your house looks so festive and welcoming, Mary Ann! I appreciate the book recs, as always. I love your son and daughter-in-law’s elegant new bookcase! It’s fun to know that they live in Tampa, as we will head there for my quick outpatient parathyroid surgery in early January. The warm weather will be appreciated, coming from the upper MW, where we have ALREADY had three 6-8″ snowfalls this Winter!
I hope the weather is beautiful for you, Joan. Good luck!
Mary Ann! I was just telling Brent we need to make French onion soup! We had it at Café de Flore right before leaving Paris! Your house looks so pretty at Christmas! And I love those travel books! What a fun collection!
xx
We have the Paris book…and I love it.
Hi Mary Ann,
Your house looks so gorgeous with the Christmas lights!!
Here’s wishing you a very Merry Christmas for you and yours and all good things for the New Year!
I have so enjoyed reading your posts. Thank you for all the amazing recipes and travel insights and clothes suggestions, I have many lovely skirts thanks to you! .
Take care! xo
Merry Christmas, Francesca.!! You always leave such kind comments…I appreciate you.