Drunken Potato Soup

~8oz beer (lager)

3 cups half and half

2-3 cups water

10 med potatoes

12-16 oz frozen broccoli florets

2 carrots

2 celery sticks

1 med onion

4-8oz bacon (preference)

16oz cheddar

1 tsp ground mustard

2 tbs worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp thyme

5 tsp chicken boullion

½ stick butter

pepper to taste

BLENDER

dice bacon and fry with ½ onion; ~2 tbs grease will go into soup pot, rest to be drained off. reserve bacon and onions

dice vegetables and cook (use only HALF potatoes and HALF broccoli) for a few minutes in butter. add wet ingredients (except for cheese and cream) and spices. allow to simmer for ~1 hr.

When veggies are soft, remove from heat then add cheese and cream and stir until cheese is melted. begin another pot of water boiling. boil potatoes (not broccoli) until soft.

While waiting, puree cooked soup with immersion blender. Make sure well emulsified. when potatoes are done fold gently into soup. Chop broccoli finely and add as-is. serve with crusty bread.