Beer Mac-and-cheese Soup

My sister and I also managed to throw this delicious soup together this weekend so that it might make eating huge amounts of pretzel bread more socially acceptable.  

As it happened, I didn't have enough of the "right" kind of cheese (cheddar) for this recipe.  My sister convinced me the more cheeses the better.  Let's be honest, that did not take a lot of convincing.  And she was SO right!

This was a combination of cheddar, colby jack, and shredded Parmesan cheese.  

The beer was kind of obvious upon eating the first bowl, but in subsequent indulgences, the beer flavor seemed to mellow.  Don't get me wrong, every bowl I had was delicious.  

And tasted great with at least 3 slices of pretzel bread.

Speaking of a variety of cheeses, here's my favorite kind!

Beer Mac-and-Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

•             6 strips bacon, cut into 1 inch slices (omit and replace with 2 tablespoons of oil or butter for vegetarian)
•             1 bag mirepoix (about 2 cups)
•             1 jalapeno pepper, diced
•             2 cloves garlic, chopped
•             1/4 cup flour 
•             2 cups chicken broth 
•             1 (~12 ounce) bottle
•             1 pinch nutmeg
•             1 cup elbow macaroni (I used ditalini)
•             1/2 cup heavy cream
•             1 teaspoon dijon mustard
•             1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
•             3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (or any shredded cheese you have on hand)
•             salt and pepper to taste

 Directions:

            1.  Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat and set aside on paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the grease in the pan.

            2.  Add the mirepoix and jalapeno and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes

            3.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

            4.  Mix in the flour and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.

            5.  Add the broth, beer, nutmeg, bacon and bring to a slight boil.  

            6.  Add the macaroni and let cook until al-dente, about 7-8 minutes.

            6.  Add the cream, mustard, worcestershire sauce and cheese and cook until the cheese has melted without bringing it back to a boil.