Creamy Onion Soup

If onions make you cry, wear swim goggles while cutting!

Ingredients:

4 large onions

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

8 ounces butter

1 cup flour

2 quarts chicken broth

1 pint fresh cream

2 teaspoons salt, more to taste

Melt butter in a soup pot. Slice onions and add to pot with garlic.  Allow to cook at a moderate heat, in order to soften and sweeten the onions.  Cook at least 30 minutes, stirring often.

Add flour and salt to make a roux.  Stir, cooking slowly and without browning.

Add cold stock.  Bring to a boil whisking continuously to prevent lumps or burning.  Once it is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender and return to the pot.  Add the cream and warm through.  Goes well with Easy French Bread.  

Baked Oatmeal

A warm and welcome breakfast on a chilly day.

Ingredients:

½ cup butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

3 cups oatmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup milk

Combine oatmeal, baking powder and spices in a small bowl.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, mixing well.  Add oatmeal mixture and milk, combining thoroughly.

Bake in a 9" pie plate or 8” x 8” pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Soft dinner rolls

These take time to make, but are well worth the effort. Have melted butter at the ready when they come out of the oven!

Ingredients:

1 package dry yeast
¼  cup warm water
1 ¼  cups warm milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 cups unbleached flour
¼  cup sugar
¼ cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon salt

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and allow it to proof for 10
minutes. Combine it in a large bowl with the milk, egg and 2 cups of
flour. Beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth, about 3
minutes. Add the salt, sugar, and melted butter, and beat again until smooth
and glossy.

Stir in another cup of flour and then add 1/2 cup more of flour. The
dough should be getting stiff enough to hold together; if it still is
very sticky, add another 1/2 cup of flour. Sprinkle a wooden bread
board with flour, turn the dough out onto it and begin kneading
gently. Sprinkle on as much flour as needed to make the dough
manageable but still soft.

When it is smooth and elastic, after about 5 minutes of kneading, put
it into a greased bowl and turn so that all sides are coated with
oil. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise in a warm place for
about 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.

Punch the dough down, place again on bread board and divide in half.

Form rolls using your favorite method.

Cover loosely with a cloth and let rise in a warm place for 30
minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake rolls for 10 to
12 minutes, until tops are golden. Watch carefully, since these burn
easily. The rolls can be brushed with melted butter while still hot,
if desired. Makes 2 dozen rolls.