Aah, there's nothing like comfort food...especially homemade French onion soup (at my house, at least). I make it a few times a year, and always when it's chilly outside - never in the summer.  I was given a big bag of onions recently, so it was a sure thing I was going to make French onion soup in the near future! My recipe is a combination of recipes I've tried over the years, and it sometimes varies depending on what I have in my pantry at the time. This is the version I made for supper tonight:

French Onion Soup

3-4 medium-sized onions, thinly sliced

4-5 Tbl. butter

1 Tbl. flour

2 cups beef stock

1 cup water

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 cup red wine

sliced French bread (or any crusty bread)

sliced cheese (Muenster, Monterey Jack or Swiss)

In a soup pot, melt butter and add onions.  Cook slowly, until very soft and golden. Sprinkle with flour and stir.  Add beef stock, water, bouillon and wine and simmer for 30 minutes.  Toast bread slices and butter.  Ladle soup into oven-safe cups or bowls.  Place toasted bread on top and then add sliced cheese on top of the bread. Broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned.  



If you want a "fancy schmancy" version, you could try Martha Stewart's recipe:

French Onion Soup (taken from Favorite Comfort Food by Martha Stewart)

4 Tbl. butter

2 pounds yellow onions, sliced into 1/4-inch half circles

1 tsp. sugar

1 Tbl. flour

1/2 cup dry sherry

6 cups beef broth

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 tsp. dried thyme

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 small French baguette, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot on medium-low heat.  Add the onions.  Spread them out in as thin a layer as possible.  Sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring just as needed to keep the onions from sticking, until they are melting and soft, golden brown and beginning to caramelize; about one hour. 

     Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir to coat.  Add the sherry, stock and thyme, and bring to a simmer.  Cook, partially covered, for about 30 minutes, to allow the flavors to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

     Meanwhile, lightly toast the bread and set aside.  Ladle the hot soup into ovenproof bowls.  Arrange the bowls on a baking sheet.  Place a slice of the toasted bread over each bowl of soup.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of grated cheese over the bread in each bowl, and place under the broiler until the cheese is melted and crusty-brown around the edges.