So Insanely Delicious, You'll Never Buy a Can Again!

Homemade French Onion Soup

Want to impress your dinner guests, friends or even a random character?  Make this an hour or so before your guest(s) arrive, then add the toast and cheese and broil - and manga!

Approximate time from start to finish- 1 hour, 10 min

• 6-8 vidalia onions (i used 8- I love onions!)
• 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
• olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 containers of beef broth (I don't like canned broth, seems like it has a metallic taste- also, I like to use the lower-sodium beef broth)
• 1/2 cup of dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon of dry thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 8 slices of toasted French bread
• 1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere with a little grated Parmesan cheese (or provolone is good too- but Gruyere puts it over the top!)

* In a large pan, saute the onions in some olive oil on low- to medium heat until browned, but not burned, about 30-40 minutes (or longer).  Personally, I like the "slow and low" concept in cooking and keep my flame low and just keep stirring.  Once those onions stick, you have to start again- who wants to chance that?!  Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the caramelization.  Pour a glass of wine, turn some tunes on, hang out by the stove and watch over those precious morsels.

* When onions are caramelized, add garlic and saute for 1 minute.

Your onions should look like this:

 * Add the stock, wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes.  Now add a little salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf .

* To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish.  Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish.  Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately with more wine!