French Onion Soup

Another extremely easy recipe. Once you try this, you will wonder why you ever bought anything out of a can or a box. I love this meal, and if you make it for others, they will be delighted. Make sure to get good quality Gruyere and a nice quality baguette. A good baguette should make a slight crisp sound when you squeeze, like a cracker, but be chewy on the inside.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Servings: 6

32 oz. beef broth $2.00
2 white onions $1.60
2 tbsp. of EVOO $.35
8 ounces of Gruyere $7.00
A baguette $1.50
Salt and pepper $.10
1 tbsp. Thyme $.25

Total Cost $12.80 Cost per serving: $2.14

Heat EVOO in a large stock pot. Add onions and sautee until onions are soft. Add the thyme and the beef stock. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. The soup is ready. Slice the baguette into round wafers, and you can slice the Gruyere into slices or shred it. This really depends on your bowl situation. WIth proper oven kettles, slices work best because you will fill the kettle with soup, then place the sliced baguettes on top of the soup, then the slices of gruyere, and place in the oven to broil until the gruyere is melted and "brown" a little. If you don't have kettle bowls, then shredding it, and (do I dare say) microwaving it until the cheese is melted is okay. Of course, you can also let the heat from the soup melt the cheese.
Bon Apetit!

Croque Madame

Tonight, we are having the delicious French sandwiches, Croque Madame. These are very simple, yet elegant.

Prep Time: Ten Minutes Makes two servings

8 oz. of sliced deli ham (not Oscar Mayer) $3.50
4 oz. Gruyere $3.00
4 slices of bread $1.00
2 eggs $.25

Total Cost: $7.75 Cost per serving $3.87

Slice the Gruyere and place it on the ham which should be on one slice of bread. So you have just made an open-faced Ham and Cheese Sandwich. Set your oven to Broil and place the open-faced sandwiches on an ungreased pan in the oven. Let the cheese melt on the ham, and toast the other side of the bread. Your uncovered slice of bread may toast faster than the cheese melts, so you may have to pull out exposed bread before the cheese melts onto the ham on your other slice of bread. While that is in the oven, fry two eggs. Be sure to coat your pan with a little butter or cooking spray.

Pull your sandwiches out of the oven, put them together and place one egg on both sandwiches. Bon Apetit! Some other recipes will call for beschamel to be added, but I find that a time-consuming expense.