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1
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat.
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2
Add in the onions; cook about 7 minutes until limp but not brown.
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3
Increase heat to med-high; add in the mushrooms and thyme; cook about 6 minutes, until most of the liquid has been released and cooked down and the mushrooms are brown around the edges.
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4
Add salt and pepper to taste; transfer mixture to a bowl.
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5
Wipe skillet clean using a paper towel but do not wash it.
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6
Quarter the baguette and cut each quarter in half lengthwise to make 8 pieces measuring about 5 inches.
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7
Pull out some of the center of each piece to make a trough.
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8
Brush the remaining 2 tablespoons oil onto the outside of each piece of bread; place the 4 bottom pieces on a work surface, oiled side down.
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9
Place mushroom mixture evenly over these pieces, followed by the cheese (you may need to press the cheese down a bit to make sure it fits).
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10
Place the 4 remaining bread pieces on top, oiled side up.
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11
Heat the skillet over med-high heat for 2 minutes; place the sandwiches in the skillet (in batches) and press them firmly with a spatula to flatten them slightly.
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12
Cover and cook 3 minutes or until the undersides are golden brown in places and the cheese has begun to melt.
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13
Uncover and turn sandwiches, pressing firmly to compress the bread; cook 2 minutes or until the undersides are golden brown in places (the shape of the baguette prevents it from browning uniformly).
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14
Turn the sandwiches one more time, pressing with the spatula and cook for 1/2 to 1 minute or until the cheese has melted completely; serve immediately.
