Cassie's Cheddar Cheese Soup

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:34 pm

This is a delicious Soup.. I hope you try it!

Ingredients

1 medium red onion

8 strips of raw bacon

1 large stalk celery

3 tblsps butter

1 cup flour

3 cups chicken broth (or water)

3 cups milk

3/4 pound of white cheddar cheese (old or sharp)

dash tabasco or hotsauce of your choice

1/2 cup beer

salt/pepper to taste

small amount of fresh chives or green onions - sliced finely

Instructions

Cut up the bacon into small pieces and begin to brown.. when done divide the bacon in equal halfs and set aside in 2 bowls

To the hot bacon fat - add the onion chopped and the celery chopped - don't be too particular about the sizes of the pieces as you are going to strain these out later.

When the onions and celery are softened add the butter and one of the bowls of bacon you had set aside.

Start sifting in the cup of flour a bit at a time... it will start forming a thick pasty substance... keep adding flour and mixing until it gets hard to stir.

Now you can start gradually adding the three cups of chicken broth (or water) a little at a time and keep adding the flour and stirring untll all the flour and chicken stock are in.. at this point let it cook for 15 minutes on low... it will be thick and pasty.

After 15 minutes start adding the 3 cups of milk... when all the milk is in get another pot or bowl and start to ladle the mixture through a strainer to take out all the onions, celery and bacon.... don't worry - you still have the flavour and soon you will have a nice smooth creamy soup base.

Put the strained soup back in the pot and cook for 15 minutes... don't bother tasting at this point because it will just taste bland and floury...

After 15 minutes add a dash or 2 of tabasco or hot sauce and start adding your shredded white cheddar cheese a handful at a time.... keep stirring and the cheese just melts away and your soup gets smoother and smoother and glossy... keep adding the cheese until it is all in...

Open a can of beer - we used canadian beer - but whatever you have... add 1/2 cup of beer to the soup and cook for another 10 minutes.. you are ready to serve now, taste for salt and pepper and add what you feel you need, but with this pot I just made it was perfect without anything.

Ladle your soup into bowls and top with crumbled bacon and chives or green onions sliced finely.

Serve with some nice crusty bakery bread - I guaratee you will LOVE this soup.

It makes about 6 large bowls full, but there was only two of us so we had tons.

I froze the rest, but I have not tried to reheat it yet to see how well it freezes.

I hope you try it!

Tombstone · Post by **Tombstone** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 5:37 pm

Excellent! Thank you! I'll try to make this recipe this weekend. I'll report back!

LottomagicZ4941 · Post by **LottomagicZ4941** » Fri Jan 07, 2005 4:24 am

If you like butter. When I make Stove Top stuffing I skip the butter alltogether.

Of course I should not knock it if I have not tried it. But I know I could not force myself to put that much butter in it.

Lotto

http://www.flalottomagic.net/cgi-local/ ... elcome-344

MagicZ4941

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Fri Feb 04, 2005 7:47 pm

Remember I told you I froze half of this batch of soup... well tonight I thawed it out on low in a pot and it was perfect, tasted the same if not better than the original pot ~ I just had to thin it out a bit with milk as it heated.

Hope someone tries it

LoveMama · Post by **LoveMama** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 7:57 am

Cass......soup sound's wonderful! I'll try it. I'm making lots of soup here and I sure love cheese! Next time you make this cheese soup..put in about 2 tablespoons of a good cream sherry. It will give it a great flavor......Buy a good sherry....not the cheap stuff! Sherry and cheese are wonderful together!

I made a wonderful white bean soup the other nite but the reason it was so good was I had a HUGE piece of ham bone with lots of meat on it.

How can you lose! I even put in two fresh chilis (serano's) and it gave it a little tiny bit of heat. LOL

xxxxoooooooo

mama

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 8:32 am

Hi LoveMama... the whitebean soup sounds great. I also like some 'heat' in my soups ans stews but I only add them to my bowl - Paul is wussy about hot things.

So if I use sherry ~ do I skip the beer?? I can't see that working well together, the beer adds a interesting taste in this recipe.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:06 am

the soup sounds excellent Cass! i know you're a good cook, and so is Lovemama! i made a homemade stock last week and then made a portuguese kale and potato soup, used ham bone as well. fresh kale of course. there is nothing like soup in the cold weather, and we are getting our little annual chill. Mama, the white bean soup reminds me of cassoulet, white beans and lamb, a real peasant dish that i like a lot, more winter fare. delicious!

Paula · Post by **Paula** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:09 am

The recipes says you can use (old) cheese? Can that be assorted moldy ones, good way to clean the fridge out? hahahahaqhaha... get rid of that cheese...wash day soup?

LoveMama · Post by **LoveMama** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:40 am

Cass wrote: Hi LoveMama... the whitebean soup sounds great. I also like some 'heat' in my soups ans stews but I only add them to my bowl - Paul is wussy about hot things.

So if I use sherry ~ do I skip the beer?? I can't see that working well together, the beer adds a interesting taste in this recipe.

Oh, I was forgetting about the beer. Well....leave out the sherry....but when I make this and I am going to, I'll mix a little sherry.......into a little bit of soup and give it a try and let you know. I LOVE beer. I haven't had any for years and on my birthday we ate at our local drop dead Mexican restaurant...boy did a beer taste good. Forgot how much it fill's you up!'

'xxxxxxxooooooo

mama

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 9:52 am

Paula wrote: The recipes says you can use (old) cheese? Can that be assorted moldy ones, good way to clean the fridge out? hahahahaqhaha... get rid of that cheese...wash day soup? let us know how that moldy cheese soup turns out, Paula

LoveMama · Post by **LoveMama** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 10:06 am

lady cop wrote: the soup sounds excellent Cass! i know you're a good cook, and so is Lovemama! i made a homemade stock last week and then made a portuguese kale and potato soup, used ham bone as well. fresh kale of course. there is nothing like soup in the cold weather, and we are getting our little annual chill. Mama, the white bean soup reminds me of cassoulet, white beans and lamb, a real peasant dish that i like a lot, more winter fare. delicious!

LC....I LOVE a cassoulet. You soup sounds to die for. I love kale..love potatoes...love soup!

It's chilly here in the mornings too, but we've had what they call here a 'Santa Anna" which is very dry, very windy'.It blow's in from the North East. Today looks to be beautiful. Since I live so close to the beach I get a great breeze.....

I bought my tenant in the back....a super nice slow cooker and he's been buying ready-made dinners to put in it. I almost didn't have the heart to tell him how bad they tasted but got up the nerve a couple of days ago to tell him to buy FRESH veggies. He did, and now agrees with me.

Okay..you made stock. I used to. I know it's wonderful and a whole lot better than the canned stuff. However, I, when I can afford it am buying stock from a company called "More Than Gourmet"

Here's there web site.

http://www.morethangourmet.com/

Their DEMI-GLACE1.5OZ*-*Classic*French*Demi-Glace*1.5*oz.

sell's for $4.73 and if I bought in my local GOOD market it cost's $7.50.

Course you have to pay shipping....but that's not much. I use it so much I need to buy the really big amount.....then I've save money.

There is NO way on earth you could make this reduced sauce for less money. Good Lord, the cost of just buying beef bones...is rediculous and it takes hours of cooking.$4.73

The Glace de Viande Gold is the Mercerdes of sauces.

Cost $5.00 for 1 1/2 oz.....but worth it! To die for.

It keeps in your fridge for a long time....

Believe me, a LOT of restaurants use these.

Maybe use for a 'special' dinner for someone!

Making chicken stock is MUCH cheaper because those dang little chickens are cheaper...... Am I right?

There are recipes and instructions on how much use...etc. on this web site. I would forget buying the chicken stock reduction..just the beef..may the lamb...

xxxxxooo

mama

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 10:27 am

i am going to try some of your recommendations Lovemama, i know you are an expert! when my sweetie was here he deboned a lamb leg and used the bone to make the most fabulous flavorful stock, it was so rich! he's a world-class cook, just for fun. i still have half of it in the freezer, not sure what i will do with it. any ideas? it's very concentrated.

Paula · Post by **Paula** » Sat Feb 05, 2005 2:18 pm

Recipes by Womans Circle. :yh_femfig Please be sure you have the "Right" cheese in mind when preparing this soup. I can't believe using (old) cheese?

LoveMama · Post by **LoveMama** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 8:18 am

Paula wrote: Recipes by Womans Circle. :yh_femfig Please be sure you have the "Right" cheese in mind when preparing this soup. I can't believe using (old) cheese?

Paula.......I think this means "aged" cheese. You know, the expensive kind .

I'm making this soup tonite Cassie......yum!

xxxxxooooo

mama

capt_buzzard · Post by **capt_buzzard** » Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:42 am

Good to see the 'Kitchen' open again. Hey Gals in the US, we have pancakes tomorrow night. You call them (I think) Flapjacks. Any recipes?:-2

LoveMama · Post by **LoveMama** » Tue Feb 08, 2005 8:31 am

capt_buzzard wrote: Good to see the 'Kitchen' open again. Hey Gals in the US, we have pancakes tomorrow night. You call them (I think) Flapjacks. Any recipes?:-2

Yummie. I love pancakes for dinner rather than breakfast.

Capt. I think they call them 'flap jacks' in the Southern part or the US..

Here in the Westcoast we call them pancakes.

Even though I cook alot from scratch I just buy a box of ready made

pancake dough. I can't think of the name but it's a Jewish brand and very good.

Cassie

I made your soup last nite and it was wonderful. Really good.The beer does give it a different flavor and I loved it. It's all gone cause my son was here and

two of his friends. It's a nice hearty soup and I served it with a real nice crunchy bread and a side salad with blue cheese dressing.....which I think was a little over-kill on the cheese.....oh well! LOL

xxxxxxxxxxooo

mama :-6