Carmelized Onions & French Onion Soup

I love French Onion Soup! I have always enjoyed it at restaurants, and I decided it was time to give it a try at home. I saw an easy recipe on Semi-Homemade that pushed my over the ledge of fear and convinced me that I could do it. But, after reading some of the reviews, I decided to make some changes here at home. It all started with caramelizing the onions.

{Carmelized Onions}
5 onions, sliced
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt, sugar, herbes de provence
1/2 tsp pepperCombine all ingredients in a large pot or pan. Stir to combine. Set temperature to low, just above a simmer. Now, wait, this is going to take anywhere from 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 hours. But, it will be worth it.Stir occassionally, to rotate the onions position in the pan. These were just starting to color.

The final product of the onions should look golden "caramel"-colored like these. Now, onto the soup.

{French Onion Soup with Gruyere Toastlettes}
1 batch caraelized onions
1 qt beef broth
2 cans beef consomme soup
1 packet onion soup mix
1 crusty baguette
shredded gruyere cheese

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours. You can add up to 2 cups of additional water if needed.
Slice baguette into about 1/2 inch slices. Place on a cookie sheet. Top each slice with 2 Tbsp of the gruyere. Broil in the oven until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with a baguette slice. Serve immedately.