French Onion Soup

8 -10 servings
INGREDIENTS

For the base:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
8 cups beef broth*
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

For serving:
4 to 5 cups cubed crusty bread (I use a multi-grain loaf)
freshly shredded gruyere cheese






INSTRUCTIONS
Turn on your crockpot and set it to high. Add in the butter chunks and then put on the cover. Once the butter is melted, add in the onions. Mix to combine. Put on the cover and let cook for about 1 hour.
After the first hour, give the onions a good stir. Place a double layer of paper towels under the lid (which will help to absorb some of the moisture - you’ll want to replace this layer about 2 to 3 times during the cooking process). Continue to cook on high for about 5 to 6 additional hours, stirring the onions about every 35 to 45 minutes.** You want the onions to be a caramel color. Toward the end of the cooking time, keep a closer eye on the onions (you don’t want to let them burn and may need to stir them more often).
Discard the paper towels. Turn down the crockpot to low. Add in the broth, bay leaf, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 1 hour. Discard the bay leaf and then taste and adjust with additional salt/pepper if needed.
Preheat your broiler. Place oven-safe bowls or crocks on a baking sheet. Spoon the soup into the bowls. Place a handful of bread cubes in each bowl and then sprinkle the top with some of the cheese. Broil for about 2 to 4 minutes, until the cheese is golden and bubbly.