French Onion Soup- In A Flash!

I LOVE FRENCH ONION SOUP. 

 That said, I owe it to Aubree for teaching me a recipe that I should have learned long ago! I have no idea why I thought this recipe would be so complicated- I guess I just assumed that the process of making my favorite soup would have more complex steps than I'd ever care to attempt. I've never been so thrilled to be wrong!

I worked at Longhorn Steakhouse for nearly two years and I ate French Onion soup more often than I'll ever admit. Turns out, this recipe doesn't vary much from one of my favorite restaurant's appetizers. (A secret I could not share until now...)

Here's what you need if you're the only one who's hungry:

1 can of Campbell's French Onion Soup
Croutons- Add as many as you like of whichever flavor you choose. Careful not to add too many, or they'll soak up all your soup!
Parsley and/or basil- I use a dash of both.
1 Slice Provolone cheese
1 Slice Swiss Cheese

Yep...that's it. Seriously.

I like adding a little crushed red pepper because I like adding that to just about everything I eat. You may not like croutons, but trust me- they make this extra delicious!

Dump your can of Campbell's into a large and awesome-looking mug like mine. I guess you can use a bowl if you don't care that yours looks as pretty as the one you see here. :)

Add 5-7 croutons. You can use however many you choose, but I've found that 5-7 keeps your soup from being overly salty or spicy. Depending on whether or not you choose flavored croutons, use a light hand when adding them into your dish!

Sprinkle a bit of parsley, basil, red pepper- or go big, and add all three spices. Stir this up!

Layer your two slices of cheese so that your soup is entirely covered. I use more than two slices because I'm addicted to cheese. I also add more parsley on top of my cheese- then sometimes add more cheese. I guess if you're not a carb fiend, you can stick to just two slices. Just make sure to use Provolone and Swiss! I let my cheese drape a bit over the sides of my dish so that all flavors are sealed inside my mug!

Depending on how big of a hurry you're in, microwave on high for 5-6 minutes or bake for 10.

 I microwave because most of the time because I always forget to preheat the oven. 

I've tried this both ways- It's incredible, no matter which heating method you choose!

Longhorn bakes their soup. I have no time for baking when my craving monster strikes! I opt for saving 4 minutes of my life that I spend later when I slowly sip my soup, savoring its deliciousness, while telling myself what a clever and talented cook I am. 

Whether you bake it or 'zap' it in the microwave is up to you. I honestly can't tell a difference. Just make sure your cheese melts and the edges turn a golden brown color.

While my soup is doing its thing in the microwave, I pop a couple pieces of bread into the toaster. (I'm such a multi-tasker!) I like slicing my bread into pieces like french fries...Don't ask me why- it just tastes better when it's fun-sized. 

Now, sit down and sip on some soup that took you about 6 minutes total to make!