I admit it! One of my favorite things is French Onion Soup!!!!!

Seriously! I love cooked onions, I love soup, plus cheese? Seriously! This one, to me. is much less salty than ANYTHING I have ever gotten in a restaurant.

3 tbsp butter
3 Spanish onions, halved and sliced thin
1 white onion, halved and sliced thin
1 medium shallot, sliced thin
3 tbsp minced garlic
2 small tenderloin or sirloin fillets
salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
1 2 inch Parmesan rind
32 oz beef broth
32 oz beef stock
EVOO if needed
Italian bread
provolone cheese

Melt butter in a large soup pot. Coat fillets with pepper and a small amount of salt (I use coarse sea salt) brown on both sides, to VERY medium rare. Remove from pot.  Add onions, shallot, garlic and bay leaf. Stir frequently until soft. Add Parmesan rind and liquids. Bring to a full rolling boil. Reduce to a hard simmer and cook for at least 2 hours. To serve, ladle into oven safe mugs. Turn broiler on to low. Toast bread lightly under the broiler. Place toast over soup, top with sliced provolone, put under broiler until melted and bubbly. Serve with salad on the side, we had cornichons(another of my obsessions) and these crazy green olives my Dad HAD to have.

Creamed Spinach with baked Eggs and Bacon

I found the beginnings for this from my beloved Doctor, who told me last week "more iron, more protein". So when I saw this in Rachael Ray I said, YES. Of course I tweaked it a little!


Serves 3 (you could stretch and add 2 more eggs to serve 4)

6 slices bacon (I use thick cut Smithfield bacon)
6 eggs
2 bags fresh spinach
1/2 onion, diced fine
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 small block (3 oz?) cream cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream (I cheated and used fat free half and half)
salt and pepper
FRESH nutmeg, grated into spinach and on top of eggs
Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400. Place bacon on broiler pan and cook until crisp, turning several times.

In a large skillet, heat bacon renderings or olive oil. Add onion and garlic, cook for 4 minutes. Add pepper (and salt if desired). Add spinach slowly to wilt, add half a bag at a time, turning with tongs frequently. When all the spinach is added and wilted, drain the pan carefully of most of the liquid. Add cream cheese and stir until melted, then ass cream and nutmeg. Cook for 4-6 minutes until thick and bubbly. With the back of a spoon, make 6 indentations in spinach, add eggs into holes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and nutmeg. Put skillet in oven for 10 minutes for runny eggs, 15 for firm. Scoop 2 eggs into a bowl with spinach and serve with bacon on the side. We used french bread to sop up the sauce. Hot sauce could be added to the spinach!

Cheesy Wild Rice, Chicken and Broccoli Casserole

This one is SO easy, yummy and nutritious.

1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 can cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp poultry seasoning
black pepper to taste
1 1/2 lbs cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 bag frozen broccoli pieces
1 cup diced onion
2 small boxes (3 servings each) quick cooking wild rice
8 oz shredded cheddar

Heat oven to 400
Prepare rice according to package directions. In a large bowl, blend first 6 ingredients well. Add chicken, broccoli, onion and rice. Mix well. Pour into large baking dish, top with shredded cheese. Bake for 25 minutes until hot and bubbly.