i wanna marry my slow cooker

i'm in love with my slow cooker. was it love at first sight? i'll admit it wasn't. as with all good relationships, we started out as just friends, but then i discovered something about my slow cooker and i realized that the fondness i felt towards it had suddenly turned into a deep, deep love.

it can make caramelized onions.

of course, i don't actually want to *marry* my slow cooker. i mean...c'monnnnnn....it's a slow cooker. a kitchen appliance. it can't love me back, right? (...right?) and besides, i'm already married. to a wonderful guy. who may or may not be able to make caramelized onions.

hmm.

ok, moving on.

all right, people, obviously i don't really love my slow cooker *in that way*. and obviously, i love kevin even though he can't, as a matter of fact, make caramelized onions. but i do love that my slow cooker can make with relative ease (although it does take a lot longer) one of the few things that i absolutely CANNOT STAND COOKING but yet LOVE TO EAT. seriously, i can't really think of anything else that i wish i didn't totally loathe making. if any of you have ever made caramelized onions, i'm pretty sure you feel exactly the same way i do. and if you don't, then it's because you are an abnormally patient person. who also obviously needs to get more of a life. or lay off your bong.

anyhoo, one of our favorite dishes at the "froon" household is french onion soup. i didn't make it all that often b/c, like i said, those onions are pretty freaking annoying to make (although now that i know my slow cooker can make them instead, that's definitely going to change). i mean, all that standing and stirring, standing and stirring. *yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn* dudes, i got better things to do. like.... well.... hmmm.... i'll come up with something, just give me a minute [to make something up].

in the meanwhile, below is the recipe. as you can see, making french onion soup takes time, but if you have a slow cooker, it'll do all the heavy lifting. because it loves you. i'm sure of it. ;)

French Onion Soup
3 lbs sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp salt
2 tsp unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
4 cups beef stock
1 1/2 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 lb of Gruyère cheese, coarsely grated
4 1-inch thick pieces of day-old baguette*

Combine butter, onions, and salt in slow cooker. Cover and cook for 2 hours on high heat, stirring occasionally. Then cook for 2 hours on low, or until onions are evenly caramelized, stirring occasionally. At this point, you can transfer the onions to a pot on the stovetop or continue making the soup in the slow cooker. Stovetop takes a half hour, in the slow cooker, another 2 hours.

Stir in flour until well incorporated, about 1 minute. Add wine, water, stock, bay leaf, thyme, and pepper. On the stovetop: simmer for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. In slow cooker: cook on low for 2 hours.

Place each slice of bread into 4, 8-10 oz flameproof soup crocks or ramekins. Ladle soup into each bowl, and then top with cheese. Place bowls on a rimmed baking sheet and broil 4-5" from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly (~2 minutes). Serve immediately, but be careful, the soup bowls will be HOT!

*If you all you have is fresh baguette (sheesh), you can dry the bread out in a 350 degree oven. Place bread slices in single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes on each side.