Beer Mac 'n' Cheese Soup

I hadn't made beer cheese soups in a long, long time when I ran across this interesting recipe.  And if you are a beer cheese soup/mac 'n' cheese fan, you must try this.  It is so full of flavor and texture.  The creaminess of the cheese, the slight crunch of crisp-tender onions, celery, and carrots, and the comfort of pasta is a perfect combination.

See more photos at the link below.

BEER MAC 'N' CHEESE SOUP (4 servings)

6 strips bacon, cut into 1" slices
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 bottle beer (or another cup broth)
1 pinch nutmeg
1 to 1 1/2 cups elbow macaroni, about 6 oz
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
cayenne to taste
S&P to taste

Cook the bacon in a pan over medium heat and set aside on paper towels to drain, reserving 2 Tbsp of the grease in the pan.

Add the onion, celery, carrot, and jalapeno and cook until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.

Mix in the flour and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the broth, beer, nutmeg, bacon (reserve some to fry for garnish, if desired) and macaroni and let cook until the pasta is al-dente, about 7-8 minutes.

Add the cream, mustard, and cheese and cook until the cheese has melted but do not bring to a boil.

Season with cayenne and S&P.  Garnish with fried bacon, if using.

Recipe Source: http://www.closetcooking.com/2012/10/beer-mac-n-cheese-soup.html