Recipe Rescue: Beer Cheese Soup that will Help you Survive the Winter

There are cold weather go to foods that you cook over and over again once the snow starts to fly, they can get tiring day after day, so add this easy Beer Cheese soup and survive the winter with a little something more than pot roast.

Beer Cheese Soup: Winter Survival

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Cheese-ha ha! It's really a basic creamy soup base with beer, winner winner chicken dinner, right!? Let's start with half a stick of butter ( I prefer unsalted),1 onion (chopped) 2 carrots-chopped (or a handful of the mini's if you typically have them on hand for school lunches), 2 celery stalks(chopped) (including the leafy ends), 2-3 cloves of garlic (minced) 3 Tbs of flour, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream, 1 bottle of your favorite lager (if you don't drink lager's ask your local liquor store attendant, they are usually pretty helpful, especially when you tell them why you're looking for an item, like a special recipe), a splash of Worcestershire sauce, a squirt of mustard-like Dijon, 2 cups of a good sharp cheddar cheese and 4 cups of chicken broth (you can also use veggie broth, but I like chicken better)

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

In a large stock pot (I use my cast iron dutch oven) melt the butter and add the onion, carrots and celery, cook down for about five minutes and then add the minced garlic. After another minute add the flour and stir it in completely, now add the broth and beer. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. In a microwavable bowl heat the heavy cream for about 30 seconds and add to the soup, now add the dash of Worcestershire sauce, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, the cayenne pepper (about a 1/2 a tsp or less, but no more, it will then start to actually change the flavor of the soup)-Don't forget the cheese, add it in now and stir until its incorporated. You can serve it like it is, it will have little bits from the veggies or you can use an immersion blender to smooth it out a little, not completely-but that is totally up to you.

I like to make a batch of crispy garlic bread, cut it into cubes and serve a top the bowls of soup-little garlic croutons-yummy! No go fight the upcoming winter, you are armed! :)