French Onion Soup

Well it's official.  It is chilly outside tonight!  By chilly I mean 65, which...looking back that was a pretty average temperature year-round in Monterey so...

Maybe that's not chilly for you.  But here...that's soup weather!  Hurray!

So, thanks to pinterest I'm going through a period of my life in which I'm alternately obsessed with different fashion/food/beauty related products or ideas.  I spend hours poring over my laptop dissecting the pros and cons that would go along with cutting bangs. 

I know this can't be good.  I know.  Help me?  No don't.  No do.  Actually just sign up and we can link each other stuff forever, YAY!  Here's a brief list of my recent obsessions.



1.  Lady blazers.  Not talking about for work here...but just for fun.  Blazers with jeans...with shorts...leggings...whatever really.  I'm not sure what it's about but I like it.  Extra points if you roll up the sleeves.

2.  Leopard-print ballet flats.  I actually just bought a pair of these from Target for like 15 bucks.  Then I got a cute video of Cricket trying to fight them.  She's crazy.  That was worth the $15.

3.  Pumpkin everything.  I know...I think everyone is obsessed with pumpkins right now.

4.  Seasonal Color Analysis.  What the heck is that?  It's the beauty idea that based on your skin tone, eye and hair color, that everyone can be classified into one of the four seasons which would indicate what colors will look best on you.  I'm an autumn, but my mom has been telling me that since I was 12.  She has always been WAY ahead of the curve in anything fashion/beauty related. 

5.  Dying my hair some sort of reddish.  I was born a redhead and my natural color still has some pretty strong auburn tones...I just go through that season-based phase that most women do...I want to be blonde in the summer and darker in the winter.

Anyway, if you're even still paying attention...I made some soup!

I dunked bread in there and melted cheese on top!

It was awesome.

French Onion Soup
(from smitten kitchen)

1.5lb or about 4 large Vidalia onions
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp flour
2 quarts beef stock
1/2 cup white wine
black pepper to taste

(Optionally...)
Sliced baguette rounds to float in soup
Thinly sliced Gruyere cheese to melt
Pinch Parsley


Thinly slice the onions.  In a dutch oven or a large pot with lid, melt the butter and olive oil together on medium low heat.  Add the onions, place the lid on.  Hold the lid in place and toss the onions to coat them with the butter and oil mixture.  Reduce the heat to very low and leave the onions alone for 15 minutes.  Don't remove the lid or stir during this step.

After the 15 minutes, remove the lid, increase the heat slightly and stir in the sugar and salt, stirring to incorporate.  Cook, stirring frequently for 40 minutes to an hour, until the onions have carmelized, turning a deep brown. 

Once the onions have carmelized, add the flour, stirring, for about 3 minutes.  Add the wine, stir, then add the beef stock.  If you need to add more salt or pepper to taste, do so.  Bring the soup to a simmer and allow to simmer partiallyl covered for about 30 minutes.  Skim the fat off the top as needed.

Optionally, spoon soup into oven-safe crocks.  Float a sliced baguette round in the soup, and place a slice of gruyere on top.  Broil at about 450 for just a couple minutes until the cheese starts to melt and brown.  Remove from oven carefully and garnish with a pinch of parsley.  Serve hot with additionally baguette.