Thursday, October 19, 2017

French Onion Soup & A Le Creuset Giveaway


This post is in partnership with Le Creuset. As always, all opinions are my own.














































When my husband and I were first married I could barely cook a thing. We survived on
pasta, frozen fish and pizza. Luckily my parents lived near by and my mom would invite
us over for dinner from time to time or we may have starved!



About a year into our marriage I began reading cookbooks like novels. I was going to
figure this cooking thing out! I started requesting cookbooks for my birthday and
Christmas - Susan Branch and Martha Stewart were my favorites. I remember getting
Entertaining by Martha Stewart for Christmas in the early eighties and thinking -
wow this lady can do everything!

Over the years my cookbook collection has grown extensively and they did teach me
how to cook! Thank goodness we no longer eat boxed macaroni and cheese for dinner!
I still love to read cookbooks and I was super excited when I found out that Le Creuset,
my favorite brand of cookware, was releasing a Le Creuset cookbook!

























The Le Creuset Cookbook: A Collection of Recipes from our French Table, has over
80 delicious recipes, such as salmon in puff pastry, brioche rolls and apple tart tatin.






















French onion soup is one of my favorites, so of course, it was the first recipe I wanted
to try and it was just as delicious as I had hoped it would be! You can't go wrong with
caramelized onions, french bread and Gruyère cheese!

Whenever I make homemade soup, I always make it in a Le Creuset Dutch oven!
The quality of this French cookware can't be beat! For this recipe I used a 4 1/2 quart
Dutch oven in the color Marine. It is such a gorgeous color!

Le Creuset French onion soup bowls are perfect for this recipe. I opted for classic
white, but they are available in several colors. The bowls go right into the oven to
melt the shaved cheese and they help keep your soup warm long after it has reached
the table. 






















The process of caramelizing onions does take some time, but it isn't difficult at
all and the flavor is well worth the effort! Did you know that you can freeze caramelized
onions? I had no idea, but I'm definitely going to do it so that I can have french onion
soup all winter long! Caramelized onions are also delicious on pizza!

If you're a cookbook lover like me, you'll definitely want to add the Le Creuset cookbook
to your collection!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED.

Now for the GIVEAWAY! Enter to win (US residents only) a 4 1/2 quart Le Creuset Dutch
oven just like the one I'm using in this post!

To enter simply leave a comment at the end of this post telling me your favorite
Le Creuset color. Make sure to leave your email address so that I can contact you if
you win. For an extra entry follow Me and My Pink Mixer on Instagram 
and leave your Instagram handle in a separate comment.

Contest ends October 30, 2017 at 12:00 pm EST.  Good luck!

























Onion Soup

1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the bread
3 pounds medium yellow onions, halved and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
kosher salt
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 cups chicken stock
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 dried bay leaf
freshly ground black pepper
4 to 6 demi baguette slices, cut on the diagonal 1/2 inch thick
1 garlic clove, halved
1 1/2 cups coarsely grated or thinly shaved Gruyere
garnish with coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or thyme

In a Dutch oven over medium high heat, melt the butter. Stir in the onions and a
generous pinch of salt. Cover and cook until wilted, about 10 minutes.
Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin
to brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue
cooking until the onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Stir occasionally to loosen the brown glaze from the bottom of the pan.
Stir more often as the onions darken.

Deglaze the pot with wine, stirring to loosen the fond from the bottom of the
pot. Simmer until the wine nearly cooks away.  Stir in the chicken stock, thyme,
and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Discard
the thyme stems and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.

Just before serving, preheat the broiler on high. Butter the tops of the bread
slices and broil until crisp and toasted. Rub the toast with the cut sides of the
garlic cloves. Leave the broiler on.

Ladle soup into French onion soup bowls or other oven-safe crocks, and place
them on a baking sheet. Float a slice of toast in each serving. Sprinkle cheese
evenly over the soup and toast, letting a little drape over the edge of the bowls.
Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2
minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve at once.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Le Creuset.

64 comments:

  1. Love any of the colors! But Marine or Mineral Blue are beautiful.
    reidandkim @ yahoo . com

    ReplyDelete
  2. My favorite color is Flame. Love how vibrant it is.
    Melisa Alzammar
    Lovemycricut2 @ Gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. I follow you on Instagram too

    MelisasCrafty

    Lovemycricut2 @ Gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. My favorite color is cerise. waytoomanycats @ gmail . com

    ReplyDelete
  5. instagram: @agratefulattitude waytoomanycats @ gmail . com

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love the palm and the truffle! These pots are so versatile!!!
    Email: age0623@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I like Caribbean or marine and PINK!! Been wanting to try making french onion soup so I'll have to try out this recipe!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I follow you on Instagram @lkanney

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like the Palm or Amethyst- oh so pretty!! Would love to try this Dutch oven out!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love the Caribbean color. paula.lunsford@suddenlink.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love this Marine color you have. I've wanted one for ever! They used to have a teal color but not sure if they still do. My hubby bought me a knock off one years ago and it didn't last. Been wanting the real deal for a while. Soup looks yummy! Will have to try! Tammy!
    Tiekslove@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. I also follow you already on Instagram, my name is Tiekslove

    ReplyDelete
  13. All of the colors are beautiful! I think the Caribbean is my favorite, but the Cerise is a close second! I'd love to try this French Onion Soup recipe! It is definitely one of my favorite soups, but I've never been brave enough to try making it at home.
    agillette7@hotmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. I follow you on Instagram, agillette24

    ReplyDelete
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  16. My favorite Le Creuset color would be Marine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. forgot email sorry,
      supergrand2009 at yahoo dot com

      Delete
  17. Follow on Instgram, https://www.instagram.com/shirleyemitt/

    supergrand2009 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Love the Cashmere color, and the similar Oyster color. Gorgeous cookware!
    (rusthawk at gmail dot com)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I follow you on instagram @rusthawk1.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm so in love with the Flame color.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love Caribbean!!
    skyejaden at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. there isn't a color that I don't like, but the Caribbean goes with what I have in my kitchen

    ReplyDelete
  23. follow you on Instagram as sandyheadtke

    ReplyDelete
  24. I follow you on instagram with the name shroomfrog

    ReplyDelete
  25. They have so many colors I love. It's a toss up between Oyster and Ocean.
    crazy4bassets25@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  26. I follow on instagram. @thehippiehut32

    ReplyDelete
  27. I think it's Cerise it's the bright China red. So happy! Jbduran62@gmail.com and I'm a follower on instagram @juliepoolieduran ��

    ReplyDelete
  28. I love the marine as well! I have some pieces that I just adore! Especially my canister set. Best birthday present ever!
    Millie phochef@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. I love them all, but anything in the blue family is the best!

    ReplyDelete
  30. My favorite color is marine! But I love them all!

    ReplyDelete
  31. I would just love one that is a color! I have one piece that is white. sfdvt2001@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  32. My favorite color is white. A classic!

    Khwarner@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  33. love cerise....I'm all about anything red. Can't get enough dutch oven artician bread
    juliethowdyshell@comcast.net
    sorry....not an instagram user

    ReplyDelete
  34. All the colors are so pretty but if I have to choose one i will go with Hibiscus. Thanks for the chance to win!
    Neiddy.
    neiddyruiz (at) Gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  35. Following you on Instagram as @neiddyruiz
    Neiddy.
    neiddyruiz (at) Gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  36. Love all colors. I buy baking dishes for their general attractiveness. My cabinets have a very eclectic feel! Which I what I love about it. ❤️

    ReplyDelete
  37. My favorite color is marine! But any le creuset color is perfect for me!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I love the classic matte white! It blends well with our many potluck dinners. Betsyjarrels @ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  39. I love your instagram @hokiebetsy

    ReplyDelete
  40. I love the matte aqua!
    Lesleeab2@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  41. And I follow you on instagram!
    @lesleemichael

    ReplyDelete
  42. Mineral Blue -- but I love the whole Le Creuset rainbow!

    ReplyDelete
  43. Following on Instagram @saladgoddess

    ReplyDelete
  44. Same color as yours!!! Love French Onion Soup. Email karnowskir@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  45. My favorite color is Hibiscus. So soft and pretty! There is nothing like cooking in a dutch oven <3

    SNSHNE4U2 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  46. I follow you on Instagram! @SNSHNE4U2

    SNSHNE4U2 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  47. I follow on Instagram @ mysweetiepiepie.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Ooh I love the simple basic colors like black and white! My email is alliemerick@gmail.com and Instagram allieemerick

    ReplyDelete
  49. I love the cerise or the limited time quiche color. my email is megs.gabel@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  50. I love the Ink!

    Beth @ middlerivergroup.com

    ReplyDelete
  51. I love the white and the Ink

    Bjarrels @ gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  52. The classic red or cobalt blue

    Email phishurman2 @ gmail . com

    ReplyDelete
  53. Instagram @phishurman2

    ReplyDelete
  54. My fiance and I just moved to Maine, and have been dreaming about a dark blue Dutch oven to make stews in! We love the Marseille :-) thanks for doing this! Robyndlevin@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  55. Instagram is Robyndlevin!

    ReplyDelete
  56. Would love love the Marseille or cerise!! So beautiful!! My email is toreyan.clarke@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

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