Slow Cooker French Onion Soup

6 T. butter

¼ tsp. dried thyme

4 large yellow onions, sliced and

1 bay leaf separated into rings

8 slices French bread

1 T. white sugar

½ c. shredded Gruyere cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 c. shredded Emmental cheese

½ c. cooking sherry

¼ c. freshly shredded Parmesan

7 c. reduced-sodium beef broth cheese

1 tsp. sea salt, or to taste

2 T. shredded mozzarella cheese

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Heat butter in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat; cook and stir onions until they become translucent, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle onions with sugar; reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly, until onions are soft and browned, at least 30 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir sherry into onion mixture and scrape bottom of pot to dissolve small bits of browned food from the pot. Transfer onions into a slow cooker and pour in beef broth. Season to taste with sea salt; stir in thyme and bay leaf. Cover cooker, set on High, and cook 4 to 6 hours. If desired, set on Low and cook 8 to 10 hours. About 10 minutes before serving, set oven rack about 8 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven’s broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet. Broil bread slices until toasted,1 to 2 minutes per side. Combine Gruyere, Emmental, Parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses in a bowl, tossing lightly. Fill oven-safe soup crocks ¾ full of onion soup and float a bread slice in each bowl. Top with about 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture per serving. Place filled bowls onto a baking sheet and broil until cheese topping is lightly browned and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Note: You do not HAVE to caramelize the onions, you CAN simply melt the butter in your crock, add the onions to coat them and then add all the ingredients and cook. HOWEVER, caramelizing the onions makes for a much better soup

Helpful Hints when creating your Appetizer or beverage

• Add flavor to tea by dissolving old-fashioned lemon drops or hardmint candies in it. They melt quickly and keep the tea brisk.
• Make your own spiced tea or cider. Place orange peels, wholecloves, and cinnamon sticks in a 6-inch square piece of cheesecloth.Gather the corners and tie with a string. Steep in hot cider or tea for10 minutes; steep longer if you want a stronger flavor.
• Always chill juices or sodas before adding them to beverage recipes.
• Calorie-free club soda adds sparkle to iced fruit juices and reducescalories per portion.
• To cool your punch, float an ice ring made from the punch rather than using ice cubes. It appears more decorative, prevents diluting, and does not melt as quickly.
• Place fresh or dried mint in the bottom of a cup of hot chocolate for acool and refreshing taste.
• When making fresh lemonade or orange juice, one lemon yields about 1/4 cup juice, while one orange yields about 1/3 cup juice.
• Never boil coffee; it brings out acids and causes a bitter taste. Store ground coffee in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it fresh.
• Always use cold water for electric drip coffee makers. Use 1–2 tablespoons ground coffee for each cup of water.
• How many appetizers should you prepare? Allow 4–6 appetizers per guest if a meal quickly follows. If a late meal is planned, allow 6–8appetizers per guest. If no meal follows, allow 8–10 pieces per guest.
• If serving appetizers buffet-style or seating is limited, consider no-mess finger foods that don’t require utensils to eat.
• Think “outside the bowl.” Choose brightly-colored bowls to set off dips or get creative with hollowed-out loaves of bread, bell peppers, heads of cabbage, or winter squash.
• Cheeses should be served at room temperature –approximately 70°.
• To keep appetizers hot, make sure you have enough oven space and warming plates to maintain their temperature.
• To keep appetizers cold, set bowls on top of ice or rotate bowls of dips from the fridge every hour or as needed.

Helpful Hints when creating your Soup or salad

• If the soup is not intended as the main course, count on 1 quart toserve 6. As the main dish, plan on 1 quart to serve 2.
• After cooking vegetables, pour any water and leftover vegetable pieces into a freezer container. When full, add tomato juice and seasoning to create a money-saving “free soup.”
• Instant potatoes help thicken soups and stews.
• A leaf of lettuce dropped in a pot of soup absorbs grease from the top – remove the lettuce and serve. You can also make soup the day before, chill, and scrape off the hardened fat that rises to the top.
• To cut down on odors when cooking cabbage or cauliflower, add a little vinegar to the water and don’t overcook.
• Three large stalks of celery, chopped and added to about two cups of beans (navy, brown, pinto, etc.), make the dish easier to digest.
• Fresh is best, but to reduce time in the kitchen, use canned or frozen broths or bouillon bases. Canned or frozen vegetables, such as peas, green beans, and corn, also work well.
• Ideally, cold soups should be served in chilled bowls.
• Perk up soggy lettuce by spritzing it with a mixture of lemon juice and cold water.
• You can easily remove egg shells from hard-boiled eggs if you quickly rinse the eggs in cold water after they are boiled. Add a drop of food coloring to help distinguish cooked eggs from raw ones.
• Your fruit salads will look better when you use an egg slicer to make perfect slices of strawberries, kiwis, or bananas.
• The ratio for a vinaigrette is typically 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar
• For salads, cook pasta al dente (slightly chewy to the bite). This allows the pasta to absorb some of the dressing and not become mushy.
• Fresh vegetables require little seasoning or cooking. If the vegetable is old, dress it up with sauces or seasoning.
• Chill the serving plates to keep the salad crisp.
• Fruit juices, such as pineapple and orange, can be used as salad dressing by adding a little olive oil, nutmeg, and honey.