Recipe: Beer Cheese Soup

The weather has been cold and rainy...the perfect weather for a warm, hearty soup! I am not a big soup fan, but there is something about a really good beer cheese soup that gets to me. Bryan and I usually go to J. Buck's each February for Valentine's Day and this is where my love for this particular soup blossomed. I'll admit, this is not the healthiest meal, but it is warm and steamy and filling, just perfect for a blustery autumn day.

I read about 15 different recipes and each one was slightly different from the other. Knowing what I like and what Bryan will eat, I made my own version and it is pretty damn good if I say so myself! Tweak the ingredients as needed to fit your needs. Then sit back and enjoy a nice bowl of soup!

Ingredients:
1.5 cups of finely chopped carrots
1.5 cups of finely chopped celery
1.5 cups finely chopped onion
Minced garlic (fresh)
1 teaspoon of hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot)
Cayenne pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups of broth (veggie or chicken)
2 cups of beer (I used Bud Light)
1/3 cup of butter
1/3 cup of flour
4 cups of half & half
6 cups of cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon ground mustard
2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce

Directions
1. In a large pot combine carrots, celery, onion, garlic, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper, broth and beer. Cook on low-medium heat until the veggies are the consistency you desire. I believe I cooked my veggies for about 30 minutes.

2. In another pot warm butter, stir in the flour. Slowly add in the half & half and whisk until it gets thick. Take the pot off of the heat, then add in the cheese, stirring constantly until everything is mixed well. Be sure to keep this cheese mixture warm otherwise it will start to harden.

3. Slowly stir the beer mixture into the cheese mixture.

4. Add in the spicy brown mustard, ground mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce; simmer for about 15 minutes until everything is heated.

This was not a kid-hit in our house. Brennan told me he is too young to drink beer and Alex told me it smelled like a butt so they had grilled mozzarella cheese sandwiches that evening. Bryan and I loved this soup!