Potato Beer Cheese Soup with Sausage

I am a tad late being on the tail end of Oktoberfest with the rest of my Bavarian recipes but once you taste them all the wait will be worth it.

Potato Beer Cheese Soup with Sausage 

Potatoes and beer, two German favorites, create a perfect pair in this traditional soup. It's a soup that's hearty, quite flavorful and tastes even better on the second day. Use chicken broth to thin soup if too thick. Pair the soup with a slice of cranberry orange bread or pretzel rolls and a fruit side. This soup makes for a wonderful lunch or supper to warm you up on those chilly autumn days. We are looking at freeze warnings tonight. Prep ingredients ahead so the soup process goes smoothly. Recipe serves 6. Rejoice it's a one-pot meal!

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Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups Kielbasa sausage, diced (fully cooked with no fillers) 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• (6 medium) yellow or gold potatoes, peeled, chopped (6 cups)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup onions, diced
• 1/2 cup celery, diced
• 1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon each thyme and chives
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cans (14.5 oz) low-sodium chicken stock
• 3/4 -1 cup light beer such as a Pilsner
• 6 oz. (2 cups) sharp Cheddar cheese or white cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or 2% milk

Directions:

• In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat and stir fry meat until warmed. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. 
• In the same pot wipe it clean and melt butter.  Add in carrots, onion, garlic, and celery. Sauté 5-8 minutes. Cover the pot using a "sweat" mode to soften veggies.  
• Add in chopped potatoes, chicken stock, mustard, Worcestershire, and spices. Stir to combine. Simmer for 30 minutes, covered or until potatoes are tender.
• Remove bay leaves and put soup in a blender or a food processor. An immersion blender works well for this step. this step. Process until smooth. Add the soup mixture back to the pot. 
• Mix flour with milk or cream and whisk into the soup mixture. Stir in beer and cheese, and whisk to combine.
• Add in cooked sausage and cook soup on low heat for 20 minutes, uncovered.

Pigs in the Blanket 

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2021/10/oktoberfest-pigs-in-blanket.html

Applesauce Spice Cake

https://sockfairies.blogspot.com/2022/09/seasonal-plate-food-column.html