STEP ONE:

2 cans beef consomme or beef broth
1 soup can water
1 thin sliced carrot
1 thin sliced celery stick
1 med. bay leaf
1/8 tsp. thyme
1 med. sliced onion

Important to use these two or any other spices by taste.

Combine all ingredients in soup pot, heat to boil, turn down, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. After cooking, strain everything out of the broth. I sometimes throw the onions back in.

STEP TWO:

3 tbsp. butter
4 lg. onions, sliced thin (more or less to taste)

Melt butter in large pot, add onions, cover and simmer over low heat. Cook for 30 minutes. Should soften the onions.

STEP THREE:

Combine the ingredients from steps one and two. (Pour step 1 into step 2.) Bring to boil, turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes, covered.

RESULT:

4 bowls of soup. Serve over thinly sliced French bread with Gruyere cheese (or any favorite) melted on top.