Beer Cheese & Broccoli Soup: The perfect winter/TMJ dinner

As you may know by now, I have TMJ -- super intense jaw pain and clicking/cracking noises every time I eat, talk and sing. Basically, my jaw is popping out of the joint socket whenever I do any of the aforementioned actions. It's getting so painful, I can't really eat much. Though, it may be due to the frigid weather we've had in Arizona.

To say I've had a craving for soups lately, then, would be a gross understatement. Soup fits the bill as the perfect non-chewing, cold weather pick-me-up food. After my dental appointment this morning, J.D. found me the following recipe, for beer cheese soup from an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives that features Otto's Sausage Kitchen in Portland, Ore. I promised myself I wasn't going to drink for a looooong time after the New Year's Eve I had -- I'm sure you know the feeling -- but beer in soup was quite a surprise. It mixed well with the thick cheesy texture and the caramelized onions to create a flavor I wouldn't mind having again, even amidst the world's worst hangover!

With slight modification, I bring you Beer Cheese & Broccoli Soup:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c butter
• 1 chopped medium sized yellow onion
• 1/2 c chopped broccoli florets
• 1/2 c chopped carrots
• 1/2 c chopped celery
• 1/3 c all-purpose flour (modified from original 1 c)
• 2 c chicken broth
• 1 (12-oz) beer of choice (we went with a Pilsner Urquell)
• 7 oz extra-sharp shredded cheddar
• 7 oz shredded Gruyère
• 2 c half-and-half
• 1/2 t garlic salt
• 1/2 lb smoked sausage (J.D. had it in his soup bowl, I opted out)

Directions:

Melt butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, broccoli, carrots and celery. Sautée until softened.

Add flour. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add chicken broth and beer.

Heat until it comes to a boil. Slowly add cheese while stirring until just boiling and smooth.

Add half-and-half and garlic salt. Reduce heat to low and cook until soup has thickened.

Cut smoked sausage into 1/2-inch pieces and place in a saucepan. Sautée sausage over medium heat until heated through. It will probably take about 5 to 7 minutes. Add sausage to the soup, transfer to a large serving bowl and serve hot.