Soup is a warming treat for a fall day

When I make soup, it isn’t always purely homemade. I often use commercial broth, the kind that’s sold in 900 mL boxes, rather than making my own. The 30 per cent less salt version usually is more to our taste than the regular broth.

The slow cooker is a great tool for days when you can’t keep your eye on a pot of simmering soup.

Use Island butter, onions, wine, thyme, bread and cheese for this made-in-P.E.I. soup.

If your bowls will stand up to it, sprinkle the cheese on top of each bowl of French Onion Soup instead of putting it in the bottom of the bowls, and melt under the broiler until bubbly.

French Onion Soup, P.E.I.-Style

Adapted from recipe found on www. flylady.net

25 mL (2 tbsp) butter

2 large red onions, thinly sliced

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

5 mL (1 tsp) sugar

salt and pepper to taste

750 mL (3 cups) low sodium beef broth, divided

125 mL (½ cup) dry white wine

500 mL (2 cups) water

2 mL (½ tsp) dried thyme

6 slices French bread

25-45 mL (2–3 tbsp) olive oil

170 g (6 oz) Island Gouda cheese, grated

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion slices; reduce heat, cover and allow the onions to sweat for about 10 minutes.

Uncover. Add sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Raise heat to mediumhigh and brown onions; transfer browned onions to a slow cooker. Add half of the beef broth to the skillet and scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add skillet liquid, remaining beef broth, water and thyme to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting for about 6 hours.

Between 25 and 30 minutes before serving, preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F).

Cut bread slices into bite-sized pieces, and place on a cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until golden.