Oh So GOOD French Onion Soup

Courtesy Rachel Ray

I hope we're not all souped out yet because this is a good one to have!

My wonderful chef of a husband makes this and he never follows the recipe, but it always turns out perfect. We actually put leftovers in the freezer and it stays good. That is just an FYI.

1 TBLS extra virgin olive oil

2 TBLS butter

6 medium onions

salt and freshly ground pepper (Da'pepper! : )

2 tsp fresh thyme or poultry seasoning ( I don't think we have ever used fresh!)

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup dry sherry ( I know Bid uses a little more ;)

6 cups beef stock

4 thick slices of crusty bread, toasted ( We have used croutons and that was really good too)

2 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Heat a deep pot over medium to medium high heat. Work next to the stove to slice onions. Add oil and butter to he pot. Add onions to the pot as you slice them. When all the onions are in the pot, season with salt and pepper add 1 tsp fresh thyme. Cook onions 15-18 minutes. (Bid cooks them a bit longer.) Stir frequently, until tender, sweet and caramel colored. Add bay leaf and sherry to the pot and deglaze the pan drippings. Add 6 cps stock and cover pot to bring up to a quick boil.

Arrange 4 small deep soup bowls or crocks on a cookie sheet. (Ones that can go into oven) Preheat broiler to high. Once soup reaches a boil, ladle it into bowls. Float toasted crusty bread on soup and cover each bowl with a mound of cheese. Sprinkle remaining fresh thyme on cheese and place cookie sheet with soup bowls on it under hot broiler until cheese melts and bubbles.