Thanks for all the birthday wishes! We celebrated by splurging on the tasting menu at Craigie on Main and enjoyed every bite. I also recently got a little present from the Fairy Hobmother. I left a comment on Joanne’s post that I needed a new immersion blender and was delighted that the Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online granted my wish! She is spreading cheer throughout the blogging world and if you leave a comment on this post and make a wish, she might also visit you!
I wanted to make a soup first with my new gadget because I was also itching to use my adorable new soup bowls. I love French Onion soup, but hate it when the slices of onion slip off my spoon, so I decided to puree the red and yellow caramelized onions in my soup with the immersion blender. I also poured in a bottle of beer (Allagash White!) to add an extra layer of flavor along with the traditional beef broth. I topped the soup with a layer of croutons and creamy fontina cheese – yum!
The fine print: The Fairy Hobmother from Appliances Online sent me a complimentary immersion blender, but I received no compensation for this post and all opinions are mine.
Creamy French Onion Soup
Printable Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large red onions, sliced (6 cups)
2 large yellow onions, sliced (6 cups)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 12-ounce Allagash White beer (or a Belgian style wheat beer)
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cups croutons
2 cups shredded fontina cheese
Directions:
Heat butter and olive oil over medium low heat in a large nonstick stockpot. Add onions, cover, and cook 50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Remove lid and cook an additional 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until caramelized. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Add beer and simmer 5 minutes. Add beef broth and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree soup until smooth and stir in apple cider vinegar.
Heat oven broiler. Place four heat safe bowls on a large cookie sheet and ladle soup into the bowls. Top evenly with crotons and shredded cheese. Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. Makes 4 servings.
Nutrition: 590 calories, 16.8g fat, 7.2g fiber, 21.3g protein per serving
Cost: $3.20 per serving