No Soup for You!

I decided this morning as I was driving to work in snow that tonight would a good night for some delicious soup. Where could I possibly get yummy soup for a minimal price?... PANERA! I am obsessed with Panera's French Onion soup and decided while I was looking at the menu that I might as well just order the Soup for a Group instead of just a bowl. Yummy! I have also been inspired, thanks to Jon & Kate Plus 8, to make a variety of soups over the weekend to freeze & store in my new freezer. I've noticed myself getting very lazy when it comes time to fix my lunch. So what better thing to have stored away for a cold day like today? I am planning to make veggie soup (cross your fingers that it tastes just like my grandma's!), baked potato soup, and french onion soup after I finish up class on Saturday. Below I have included Panera's French Onion Soup recipe for my BFF, Lauren, who has made a New Year's resolution to cook one new recipe a week (Tell Chad that it does not include anything green!)!

I am patiently laying on the couch waiting for my cell phone to ring. I just know that at any time I will hear Taylor Swift singing to me and a 764- number will show up on my caller Id. At that time I will be informed via School Reach that school has been canceled for tomorrow due to dangerously low temperatures/wind chills. I know that there is of course a negative side to an exciting phone call. One snow day means we are in school past Memorial Day... but, a snow day tomorrow means a 5 day weekend for the Meridian students. Oh no, as I type, my weather bug dropped from 10 degrees to 9 degrees. That must be a sign! Regardless if there is school or not, Alex has already told me that he can not go to school because it will be too dangerous for him to walk to the school bus stop one street over.... he will do ANYTHING for an extra day off!

Panera Bread's French Onion Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 c sweet cream butter
8 c sliced yellow onions (4 to 5 med. onions)
Two 14 oz cans beef broth
3/4 c chicken broth
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c water
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic power
Drops of Tabasco pepper sauce


Garnish:

Croutons
Shaved Asiago cheese
Onions


1. Melt butter in large sauce pan over medium heat. When butter is melted, add sliced onions and saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until onions turn brown.


2. Add remaining ingredients (but not the garnish) to the pan and stir to combine. Heat soup until it's boiling, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.


3. Make croutons for the top of the soup by slicing foccacia bread into 3/4 in thick slices. Butter both sides of those slices, then cut the slices into bite-size cubes. Bake the bread in a 425 degree over for 15 minutes until crispy. Shave some asiago cheese by simply dragging a potato peeler over the edge of a wedge of asiago.


4. Serve the soup super hot with a handful of croutons floating on top followed by a couple of tablespoons of shaved cheese!