Wisconsin Cheese Soup

OH MY!  About all I have to say about this soup!  DEFINITELY going to be a regular on our menu!  LET FALL EATING BEGIN!!! :)

1 1/2 cups diced carrots

1 1/2 cups diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t hot pepper sauce

1/2 t salt

4 c chicken broth

12 oz beer

1/2 c butter

1/2 c flour

4 c half and half

8 c SHARP Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1/4 c cornstarch

1/2 c half and half

bread bowls, optional

Shred carrots and cook in microwave for 5 minutes with a little water.  Drain water and add to a medium saucepan.  Add onions, garlic, hot pepper sauce and salt. Mix so everything is coated with hot pepper sauce.  Saute just slightly.  Add chicken broth and beer to the vegetable mixture and boil for 15 minutes.  In a large stock pot, melt butter.  Add flour all at once and whisk into the butter until it gets a little thick, this is making "roo" if you've heard this and wondered what that meant! :)  SLOWLY add the half and half, about 1 c at a time and the flour mixture will be come very thick and pasty.  This is what you want it to do.  By the last cup of half and half, it will be a bit thinner, but still thick.  Add the shredded SHARP (has to be sharp for this recipe to turn out right) 1 cup at a time until melted over medium heat.  Once it's all melted, add the Dijon and worcestershire sauce and mix.  Add the already boiled chicken broth mixture then into the cheese mixture and stir continuously over medium heat.  Don't leave for long as it will start to scorch on the bottom.  In a small bowl mix 1/4 c cornstarch with 1/2 c half and half until it's smooth and pour into the soup quickly continuing to stir.  This will thicken your soup!

While I didn't have bread bowls, this soup would be heavenly served in a bread bowl!