prep 20 min.

ready 1.5  hrs.

serves 4

My daughter and her boyfriend came home from college last Friday evening. I decided to make them a shepherds’ pie for dinner which is one of my daughter’s favorite meals. It’s perfect for a cold winter evening. I will make one for my blog soon. I do not know if I cried more when I almost cut the tip of my finger off chopping carrots for the pie or when I sliced the onions for this classic French onion soup. We love French onion soup. I was able to purchase all the ingredients on a quick trip to Trader Joe’s (TJ’s). My finger is now fine, and the soup tuned out awesome. I was even able to share a couple of bowls with our neighbors who enjoyed it immensely.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 4 medium sweet onions, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 4 cups beef stock

• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 Tbs. flour

• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

•  salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 1 baguette sliced

• 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese

• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. (I used a large saucepan.) Add onions, and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown and caramelized about 30 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook an additional couple of minutes. Dust the onions with 2 Tbs flour and continue to cook an additional 10 minutes. Continue to stir occasionally.

2. Stir in wine, beef stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes. This will reduce the soup down slightly and evaporate the wine.

3. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Stir in the white wine vinegar and add the crushed black pepper. Salt to taste.

4. Preheat the broiler to high setting. Place sliced baguettes on an edged baking sheet. Broil on second from top rack setting. ( I found the top setting is too close and you can burn the bread or cheese.) Broil a couple of minutes per side or until golden brown.

5. Place 4 ramekins or ovenproof bowls on edged baking sheet and ladle the soup into them. Top each with two toasted baguette slices. Sprinkle the cheese on top. (I found using a cheese grater made it very easy to slice these cheeses.)

6. Place under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbly and golden brown.

Let the bowls cool a few minutes before servings.

Print

French onion soup

Course Soup

Cuisine French

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter unsalted
• 4 med. onions sweet-sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 cup wine dry white
• 4 cups stock beef
• 6 sprigs thyme fresh
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 Tbs. flour white
• 2 tsp. vinegar white wine
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 baguette sliced
• 1 1/2 cup parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. (I used a large saucepan.) Add onions, and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown and caramelized about 30 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook an additional couple of minutes. Dust the onions with 2 Tbs flour and continue to cook an additional 10 minutes. Continue to stir occasionally.

2. Stir in wine, beef stock, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 25 minutes. This will reduce the soup down slightly and evaporate the wine.

3. Remove the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Stir in the white wine vinegar and add the crushed black pepper. Salt to taste.

4. Preheat the broiler to high setting. Place sliced baguettes on an edged baking sheet. Broil on second from top rack setting. ( I found the top setting is too close and you can burn the bread or cheese.) Broil a couple of minutes per side or until golden brown.

5. Place 4 ramekins or ovenproof bowls on an edged baking sheet and ladle the soup into them. Top each with two toasted baguette slices. Sprinkle the cheese on top. (I found using a cheese grater made it very easy to slice these cheeses.)

6. Place under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbly and golden brown.

7. Let the bowls cool a few minutes before servings.

prep 10 min.

ready 40 min.

serves 2

We have been experiencing an ice storm, and the trees look like glass chandeliers. Occasionally you can hear branches crashing down. So, it seems like the perfect time to make a kale salad with roasted vegetables to celebrate the wonderful weather here in the Midwest. I had just purchased some fresh kale and had carrots and shallots so I thought I would give this simple salad a try.

Ingredients

• 6-8 small whole beets

• 1 large carrot, sliced 1/4 thick

• 2 shallots, peeled and quartered

• 1/4 tsp. black crushed pepper

• 1/4 tsp. sea salt

• 4 cups chopped kale

• 1/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds

• 2 oz. goat cheese

• 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

• 2 oz. aged balsamic vinegar for dressing

• Dried cranberries or cherries (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Using a salad spinner or colander, wash all the vegetables and spin or pat dry.

3. In a medium-size bowl mix together the kale, salt, and pepper.

4. On an edged baking sheet, place carrots, shallots, and beets and drizzle them with olive oil. Roast 25-35 minutes until they become tender.

5. Remove vegetables from the oven and let them rest 5 minutes. Then add them to the bowl with the kale. Sprinkle with goat cheese and pumpkin seeds. Add Balsamic vinegar as dressing. Add salt and pepper (optional).

This was a great simple salad and was a perfect light meal. I served it with a fresh loaf of Ukrainian 7 grain bread which I purchased at a local bakery.