French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup is a nice soup to serve on a cold winter's day.  Not to mention the incredible aroma in the kitchen.  This soup makes a great appetizer course for a dinner party.

• 1 stick butter 
• 5 onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T brown sugar
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 ½ T flour
• 1 c red wine
• 2 quarts beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1 loaf of Ciabatta bread, in 2” slices
• 2 c shredded Swiss or Gruyère cheese

Place stoneware, oven proof crocks on a sturdy foil lined baking sheet.  Set aside.

In a medium dutch oven over medium heat add butter and onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until translucent.  Add the garlic, stirring, cook for three more minutes.  Add in the brown sugar and wine. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Whisk in flour, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves and cook for two minutes.

Add broth, thyme sprigs, salt and pepper and cook on low for forty minutes. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs and ladle soup into ovenproof stoneware crocks.  Place a slice of bread over soup.  Sprinkle generously with shredded cheese and bake until cheese is golden brown and bubbling.  Serve hot.