Beer Cheddar Soup

FOUND IT: At Cooks.com

I modified this recipe on 9/24/2011 to add and adjust some ingredients and change the cheese sauce process a bit.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bacon, diced
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup chopped bell pepper (I prefer red, green works)

4 cloves garlic
3 cups chicken broth or stock
1 can of beer (12 oz)
4 cups milk
1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2/3 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute bacon in a large soup pot until crisp, and set aside on a paper towel. In the bacon drippings, saute the vegetables and garlic until the onions are transparent. Add stock and beer to pot and heat to boiling. Then reduce it to a simmer and cook until vegetables are tender, roughly 20-25 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. Once the butter has melted add the flour, whisking the two together and letting the flour brown for 2 minutes or so. Whisk in the milk next, then the dry mustard and hot sauce and heat to near boiling. Once this mixture is hot, add the cheese and stir until it melts.

Add the cheese mixture to the soup pot. Use an immersion blender at this point (or a regular blender in shifts) to puree it down to a smooth texture. Season the soup to taste and heat it to desired serving temperature. Garnish with the bacon.

This recipe makes about six servings.