french onion soup

so i haven't tried this one yet and it's up to debate whether or not i can (sherry--wines, fermented...decisions to be made. what will probably happen is i have my mom make it and i try it and see, and then she can have the rest if i doesn't go well!) but a friend sent it to me as a must-have so i shall share it!

Crock Pot French Onion Soup
Ingredients
FOR CARAMELIZED ONIONS:
6 large yellow onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
FOR SOUP:
1/2 cup dry sherry
6 cups broth
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied in bundle with twine
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
salt to taste

Directions
Step 1, Caramelize the Onions:
Cut the peeled onions in halves and then quarters from pole to pole. Cut each quarter, pole to pole, in 1/4 inch slices. Coat inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Add sliced onions and olive oil to slow cooker; toss with tongs or 2 forks to separate slices and distribute olive oil. Cover and cook on high for approx. 12-14 hours, until browned to caramel color. Keep an eye on them during the last few hours of cooking time; if they begin to burn around the edges, stir, re-cover, and continue cooking until caramelized throughout.

Step 2, Make the Soup:
Add the sherry to the caramelized onions in the slow cooker, and cook on high with the lid off for 1/2 hour to evaporate the alcohol. Add chicken and beef broths & soy sauce. Tie thyme sprigs into a bundle with cooking twine. Add thyme, bay leaves, and black pepper to the soup. Stir, cover and cook on high for 1-1/2 hours. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Taste and add salt, if needed. (For speedier finishing on the stove-top, transfer caramelized onions to a large stove-top pan. Add the sherry and cook on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Add the broths, soy sauce, and seasonings; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.)

also, crock pot recipes rock.

i am preparing a thoughtful post on thanksgiving, but i have to get my thoughts in order for it. but keep tuned!