Beef and Cremini Mushroom French Onion Soup

How is everyone?
It sure is getting cold these days and the weekend brought a real frost. My sweet basil is done for so I should dig my rosemary before it is done for as well. We spent the weekend with Mom and it was great to see her feeling a bit better. At 83 she is slowing down but they had her on some med's that seemed to be dragging her to her knees. The doctor put her on a halter monitor and things were fine with her heart, that you, Lord. So Dr. Wagner took her off of part of the propraninal that she was taking. She is feeling better and her stamina is improving. Her voice is even stronger today.

As always going to see Mom is a cooking time and trying new things. I made Cheddar Potato Soup while we were there and I made a pot of soup that I found the recipe for in Hy-Vee's Seasons Mag. It was quite good and thought that you might like to try it. I really like French Onion Soup and I love beef so this one was a winner all the way around for me.

Beef and Cremini Mushroom French Onion Soup
from Hy-Vee's Seasons Mag. Fall 2009

1 Tbsp. olive oil
12 oz. trimmed stew beef (I would use a nice piece of sirloin, if were you, cut in bite sized pieces, as it was Mom had a Hormel prepackaged sirloin tips in au' gue that she wanted me to try and it was really good using pre packaged meat and gravy)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 lrg. yellow onions, peels and thinly sliced
1 C. sliced fresh cremini or baby bella mushroon (Hy-Vee didn't have the cremini so I went with the sliced baby bellas)
5 C. beef broth (if you like I think that if you used 3 cups of beef Stock and 2 of broth it would be a bit richer)
1/2 C. dry red wine (Mom doesn't do wine at all so I used the liquid from the prepackaged entry for this liquid and didn't really miss the wine at all)
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I used the Lea and Perkin's thick , this time)
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. thyme (choose fresh and it was wonderful)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
6 3/4 inch slices of French baguette bread (I chose to used Italian bread)
1/2 C. finely shredded gruyere or Swiss cheese

Heat the oil in a 4 quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the beef cubes and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned. Remove beef from the Dutch oven: reserve dripping in the pan and set aside beef. Add butter to the drippings and heat over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, covered 5 minutes more or until onions are golden, stirring occasionally. Stir in the beef, broth, wine, Worcestershire, bay leaf, thyme and pepper: reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Meanwhile, place the slices of bread on a baking sheet. Divide the cheese evenly and top each slice. Heat for a few moments under the broiler (be careful, this step doesn't take long at all and the crusty bread burns easily) Ladle the soup in to bowls and top with a slice of the cheese toasted bread.

6 servings

This one is a keeper.

Enjoy and talk to you again soon.

God Bless and Hugs To All,
Linda