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5 large sweet onions, such as Vidalia, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

½ cup white wine (see savvy)

5 cups beef stock (see savvy)

1½ cups finely shredded Gruyère cheese for garnishing

turn a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker on high, add the butter and oil to the insert, cover until the butter is melted.

remove the cover and add the onions, sugar, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir the onions until they are coated with the butter and seasonings.

cover and cook on high for 7 to 8 hours, until they are caramelized to a deep golden brown.

remove the cover and add the wine and beef stock. Cover and cook the soup on high for an additional 30 minutes or on low for an additional 1 hour.

remove the bay leaf before serving and garnish each serving with a sprinkling of Gruyère cheese.

serves 8

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white wine savvy

One of Julia’s tricks was to use white vermouth if you don’t have any leftover white wine. It makes a good substitute and keeps in the pantry for months.

beef stock savvy

I recommend Superior Touch “Better than Bouillon” brand soup base (available in supermarkets or at www.superiortouch.com) or reconstituted “More than Gourmet” brand Glace de Viande Gold, which is a classic reduced brown stock (available in gourmet stores or at www.morethangourmet.com.)

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash, that rather shapely but not-too-attractive squash, becomes the star of the slow cooker in this delicious soup. The slow cooker takes the rock- hard squash and cooks it to almost a purée. If you would like a smoother soup, a run around the cooker with your immersion blender is all that it takes. Try garnishing this soup with one of your favorites: lump crabmeat, crumbled goat cheese, or croutons. It can be served immediately, or cooled and refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen for up to 6 weeks.

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 cup finely chopped sweet onion

½ cup finely chopped carrot

½ cup finely chopped celery

2 teaspoons dried thyme

8 cups 1-inch pieces peeled and seeded butternut squash

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and thyme and sauté until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the squash and broth, and season with salt and pepper.

cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours. At the end of the cooking time, stir the soup and season with salt and pepper. If you would like to purée the soup, use an immersion blender, or cool the soup and purée it in a blender.

serve warm from the cooker.

serves 8

Ginger Pear Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin isn’t just for Halloween and shouldn’t be reserved for pies. This delicious soup spiked with ground ginger will be a welcome warm-up on a cool evening when served with some crusty bread. The soup can be frozen for up to two months.

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

½ cup finely chopped sweet onion

½ cup finely chopped celery

½ cup finely chopped carrot

2 medium red pears, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

½ teaspoon ground ginger

Two 15-ounce cans pumpkin purée (see savvy)

3 cups chicken broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup heavy cream

melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrot, pears, and ginger and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Transfer the contents of the skillet to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker.

stir in the pumpkin and broth. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 5 to 6 hours.

season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream, cover, and leave on warm for 30 minutes before serving.

serves 8

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pumpkin savvy

Pumpkin purée sold in cans is terrific for any preparation that calls for pumpkin. Cooking your own pumpkin