Anh's French Onion Soup

Our well-travelled, scientific, epicurean friend Anh has shared his delicious, easy version of French onion soup, that's not too salty, the way some tend to be.

Artie thinks it would be a great camping food. Make at home, then heat up over the campfire, floating stale slices of baguette on top; then add the cheese and cover with a lid to melt. Eating French onion soup around a Colorado campfire definitely gives new meaning to al fresco dining... (Make sure you bring enough wine!)

French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
1 Large Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 Stick of unsalted Butter
Pinch of salt
4 cups of Chicken Broth (low sodium, fat free)
1 cup of Beef Broth (fat free)
Bouquet de garni: 6 sprigs of Thyme, 4 sprigs of Parsley, 1 bay leaf tied together with kitchen string
Grated Gruyère
French baguette,

Preparation:
In a large stock pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onion and cook till onions are caramelized to a golden brown color on medium high heat (approximately 30mins).

Pour in chicken broth and beef broth. Add the bouquet de garni, cover and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup for 30mins or longer. The longer you simmer at a slow rate the more developed the soup will be. Taste, salt and pepper if needed. In the meantime, slice French baguette, brush with melted butter or olive oil, and toast in a 350-degree oven for 5-8 mins. Remove slices and increase oven temp to 450

To Serve:
Ladle soup into ovenproof bowls, place toasted baguette slice on top and sprinkle grated Gruyère over bread slice. Place soup bowls into 450 degree oven and bake till cheese melt and browns. Serve with wine of choice.

Summer Squash delight from Cousin Rick's Bistro...

The men in my family all know how to cook, and I'm always eager to learn a trick or two. Here's a delightful summer meal that is nutritious and light, and won't keep you slaving over a hot stove.

Here is Rick’s six minute meal, in his own words:

Saute fresh yellow squash in olive oil with spring onions (lots), little green pepper and few spinach leaves, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder .until onions golden brown (high heat) /// six minutes.
In another pan 1/4 cup water, teaspoon of olive oil, salt, little black pepper garlic and asparagus, bring to boil on high heat ... till water boils off. four-five minutes, max. keeps the asparagus crunchy. Add to squash. Prepare Trader Joe’s shrimp fried rice (frozen) takes 3-4 mins. I use the pan from the asparagus (has left over olive oil) to quick heat the rice adding a little soy or sesame sauce. Whole meal takes just 6 minutes, start to finish. 2 sauce pans. Easy clean up.

Says Rick, I never spend more than 30 mins in the kitchen. Using fresh veggies I can usually fix a meal in 15-20 mins. ‘Course I rarely have meat. Enjoy!

got hibachi?

This afternoon I cleaned out the 'fridge and we took it all and the hibachi to the beach, Bob and I.

Nothing fancy, basic grub. Just using up what's in the larder, adding a little imagination and plenty of love.

We had one potato left, half an onion, a jalapeno, some garlic. Sliced 'em all up, tossed the mixture in olive oil, added salt and pepper, divided into two and wrapped in aluminum foil packets. We used to make this in Girl Scouts, only we added some ground beef and cut up carrots and called it "camper's stew." Loved it then, love it now. If you cook it and eat it indoors, it's pretty average. Needs the spice of fresh air and the excitement of night falling to bring it alive.

Had some frozen hamburger patties to be finished off, and luckily, two buns. A tasty Braeburn apple and some Swiss cheese. Poured our wine into two empty Vitamin Water bottles, just in case the Beach Wine Nazis were out...

We watched a group of teenagers throw a Frisbee and run races across the sand. Showing off for each other, they were oblivious to us. We were like two birds on a wire to them.

The air was warm and smelled like kiawe trees.

After dark a family came with a lantern and a bucket, digging for sand crabs. Their voices against the backdrop of shushing waves, an old, familiar song.