Pimento Cheese & Beer Cheese Soup

I love cheese. I love beer. They pair great together! A couple of weeks ago I was craving the pimento cheese recipe that used to be served at O'Henry's Coffees in Homewood, AL. It is super simple, but super yummy. So, I decided to make it and take a stab at making my first Beer Cheese Soup; a favorite from childhood. I remember going to Bennigan's back in the day and always insisting on having the Beer Cheese Soup with a Monte Cristo sandwich.

Ok, so this pimento cheese is great on sandwiches, with crackers, or just on a spoon!

Pimento Cheese

Ingredients:

-2 cups shredded sharp cheddar

-1 cup mayo

-1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimentos

-garlic powder to taste

Directions:

1. Mix everything together.

2. Taste, add more garlic powder if needed.

3. Spread onto bread.

4. Grill it

5. Eat it!

Beer Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

-1 Tablespoon butter

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1/2 onion, finely chopped

-1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

-1 can light beer (I used PBR)

-1 can chicken stock

-3 tablespoons cornstarch

-2 cups fat free half & half

-2-3 cups shredded cheeses

Directions:

1. Melt butter in dutch oven, add onion, garlic, and worcesteshire. Saute.

2. Add beer, boil 3 minutes.

3. Add chicken stock, bring back to boil. Lower to simmer.

4. Mix cornstarch with 3 Tablespoons water and set aside.

5. Add half & half and cheese. Stir constantly until cheese melts.

6. Stir in cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly until soup thickens.

7. Eat!