Cheddar Beer Soup

Super yummy beer and cheese soup that won't win any health awards, but it is perfect for game night.

1/2 cup butter
3 celery ribs
1 medium onion
1/4 cup plus 3 TB flour
8 ounces extra sharp cheddar
4 ounces monterey jack cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream 
5 cups stock (chicken or veggie)
12 oz beer (hefeweizen or blonde style)
salt and pepper to taste
green onion (optional for garnish)

large soup pot
immersion blender (if you prefer smooth soup)

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium low heat.
2. Chop up the celery and onion and add to the butter. If you aren't blending your soup, you will probably want to chop the veggies finer than I did in the photo.
3. Cook the mixture over medium heat until the onions are translucent.

1. I prefer most of my soups to be smooth, so I used an immersion blender to puree my veggies. This is of course optional.
2. Slowly add the flour to the veggie mixture and stir until there are no lumps. Cook for at least 5 minutes.
3. While the flour/veggie base is cooking, heat up your stock and beer in another pot.

Slowly add some of the warm stock-beer mixture into the flour-veggie mixture and whisk until smooth. Add in the remaining stock, cream and cheese. Allow the soup to simmer 10-20 minutes.

You can serve the soup with more cheese and green onion to garnish or just plain. This soup pairs well with crusty bread or even as a dip for french fries!