Crockpot French Onion Soup

So, I've noticed that most recipes on Pinterest have a huge story to tell before giving you the ingredients list and instructions. That's great and all but when it's time to start cooking, I don't always like scrolling through a post for 5 minutes before getting what I'm really there for. So, I will be starting my posts with the ingredients list and instructions first. While your food is cooking, I hope you'll have time to read the rest of my post!

Ingredients: 4-5 Spanish onions 8-10 tbsp. butter Salt Pepper Thyme 3-4 tbsp. minced garlic 40oz. Beef Broth 16oz. water 2 tbsp. cooking sherry or red wine vinegar 1 Bay Leaf 1 Loaf of French bread 8oz shredded Provolone cheese Instructions: 1. Cut the onions into slices, then half in half 2. Add 4 tablespoons of butter, divided, into a skillet 3. Add the onions to the skillet 4. Season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Add remaining butter 5. While onions are caramelizing, add beef broth and water to crockpot 6. Just as onions become translucent, add minced garlic. Continue cooking until onions are fully translucent and caramelized to your liking 7. Add the cooked onions to the beef broth and water mix 8. Top with bay leaf 9. Cook on low for 3-4 hours 10. Cut French bread into pieces, add to bowl of finished soup 11. Add shredded provolone cheese on top of bread 12. Add a little bit more broth on top to melt the cheese French Onion soup is one of the few soups that I actually enjoy cooking and eating. I first started making homemade French Onion soup years ago. When I didn’t have a daughter, I was able to go full out Food Network style and take great care in preparing this delicious soup.

Now, even though I have less time, my love of making this homemade soup has not changed. The way I make it, however, has.

I found an easy recipe on Pinterest but it didn’t utilize a crockpot. I love, love, love using a crockpot- especially in the fall. The delicious smells wafting throughout the house while you know that a comforting meal will be ready for you by dinner time makes me feel extra cozy and happy!

Once I've wept like a baby cutting all of the onions, I carried over a lesson I learned from my more involved recipe- caramelize your onions. I love caramelized onions. While most people will order a classic cheeseburger, I prefer the blue cheese and caramelized onions burger. Every Time.

Having made French Onion soup several time over the years, I’ve also learned that while caramelized onions are delicious- burnt minced garlic is not. That is why I do not add my minced garlic at the beginning. I do, however, add plenty of butter. This is not a skinny soup, people. I used about 8 (or even 10?!) tablespoons of butter. I seasoned with salt, pepper and thyme.

Admittedly, I almost forgot the garlic in my most recent recipe. Luckily, I added it a few minutes before I thought the onions would be finished. Next time, I think I will try adding the minced garlic halfway through cooking to bring out more of the garlic flavor.

Once the onions were caramelized, I added the mix to my beef broth and water I had in the crockpot. I topped with a bay leaf and let the crockpot do the rest!

When we were ready for dinner, I cut up some French bread into little pieces. I used to prefer a big piece of bread dropped into my soup and then added thin sliced provolone on top. Since I don’t have as much time as before, I cut up my bread into smaller pieces and topped with shredded provolone cheese.

My husband then likes to microwave his soup to get the cheese all melty. I think I found a better way! I added another ladleful of broth on top of the cheese and it helped melt it perfectly!

I really liked using the shredded cheese as it made the soup more restaurant-like. The cheese melted so well that I had to raise my spoon about a foot and a half from the bowl to stretch it out enough to break!

I hope you enjoy!