French Onion Soup

This winter I wanted to try my hand at French Onion Soup. It is something I have always wanted to make, but felt especially in the winter.  It is a little time consuming, but overall fairly easy to make. I think it turned out pretty good and with time and practice (and making sure I read the directions correctly), I really think it could be great. I accidentally forgot to leave to pot ajar and forgot to stir after that as well, so they onions probably were a little bit more overdone than they should have been, but still delicious.  My pictures aren't great and really don't do it justice!

I forgot to take a picture of the ingredients, but I'm sure you can imagine it... fairly basic stuff! :)

French Onion Soup
From: The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter, cut into 3 pieces
6 large yellow onions (about 4 pounds), halved and cut into slices
salt
2 cups water, plus extra for deglazing
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
1 bay leaf
ground black pepper
1 small baguette, cut into 1/2 inch slices
8 oz shredded Gruyere cheese (or provolone or mozzarella)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously spray inside of a heavy-bottomed large Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray.  Place butter in pot and add onions and tsp salt. Cook, covered, 1 hour.

2. Remove pot from oven and stir onions, scraping bottom and sides of pot.  Return pot to oven with ld slightly ajar and continue to cook until onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hr longer, stirring onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.

3. Carefully remove pot from oven and place over medium-high heat. Cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until liquid evaporates and onions brown (make sure to use oven mitts - pot will be hot).


4. Stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed a dark crust, about 6-8 minutes.  Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown.


5. Stir in wine and cook, stirring frequently, until wine evaporates, about 5 minutes.


6.  Stir in broths, 2 cups water, thyme, bay leaf, and 1/2 tsp salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot.  Increase heat to high and bring to simmer.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes.  Remove and discard herbs, then season with salt and pepper.


7.  While soup simmers, put bread covered with cheese in broiler and broil until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Place in soup and serve.