French Onion Soup

5 pounds of vidalia onions, peeled and thinly sliced (4-5 large onions)

4 Tb of butter

5 cloves of garlic, finely minced

4 Tb. flour

1/2 cup of cream sherry

8 cups of beef stock

1 tsp. beef base (I prefer Better Than Bouillon)

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

Gruyere cheese, grated

sliced baguette, toasted

In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook down for approximately 30 minutes, or until carmelized. Stirring the onions regularly and scraping any brown bits off the bottom. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the the onion mixture and stir to combine. Add the cream sherry to deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits off the bottom. Add the beef stock, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Take sliced baguette and toast to a golden brown, you can also use cubed and toasted bread if you want smaller pieces of bread.

Ladle soup into ramekins, crocks, or bowls. Top with the toasted bread and approximately 1/4 cup of grated gruyere cheese and broil on high until cheese is melted and lightly brown.