recipe: FRENCH ONION SOUP

Isn't this a convenient spot? What follows has nothing to do with what I was doing here before. But let's use it anyway.

Here's how to make easy French Onion Soup  that's comforting & kinda healthful, too
from the annoying Mama, with love.

The RECIPE (but mess with it freely)

4 onions :: 4 garlic cloves :: 3 tbs oil :: +/- 4 cups veg broth ::  4 pieces “good” bread :: slices “good” cheese (it’s fine if bread or cheese are a bit stale)

1. Chop onions & garlic. 

2. On very low heat, sauté onions & garlic in oil. Stir often. Maybe 20 minutes, onions should be brownish. 

3. Add broth. Keeping heat low until it’s simmering for a while.

4. Ladle soup into oven-safe bowls, half full, or a bit more. 

5. Top w/ ‘good’ bread & ‘good’ thinly-sliced cheese. 

6. Bake +/-325 degree oven or broiler. 

notes: 

a. Most any hard, or semi-hard cheese works. My current fav is Racklette (sp?). Since I can’t spell, you’ll have to call for more cheesy thoughts.
b. Bake vs. broil? I can't broil here, so baking works fine. If you can broil conveniently, everything in your bowl must be nice and toasty because that wonderful broiler can brown the cheese topping quickly. Ideally, I'd bake until soup is slightly bubbly & cheese is melted, then finish off in the broiler, but I can't. Experiment in your kitchen. I hope you'll enjoy all the outcomes.
c. ‘Good’ bread & ‘good’ cheese makes it better, even if a little stale. Of course, slice any moldy bits from the cheese.
d. This recipe is for Pipa’s soup (i.e., low-salt, low-fat, not spicy, blah blah). But, for us who appreciate flavor, add salt, pepper & cooking sherry. How much? Till it tastes yummy.
e. Lastly, you should know that everyone but me uses beef broth.

Heh, we all can use some comfort food now.  (But we'll keep it kinda healthful, please.)

Just in case you're wondering, I've got no numbers on this soup. And, believe it or not, I'm collecting zero onion soup data.