Beer Brat Potato Cheese Soup

Lately, I've really been getting into the whole couponing scene.  I've been saving an average of 30-50%, which obviously totally rocks.  When I made my meal plan for the week, I scanned my pantry to see what I had on hand and decided to use up a couple of the items that I had stockpiled by using my super savvy couponing skills.  I saw that I had a ton of condensed soup and a couple of packages of brats in the freezer.

That, along with the recent drop in temperature (thank God!), was my inspiration for this comforting and hearty soup.  I love potatoes (pretty much my favorite food), I love cheese (a close second, for sure), and I love beer (for cooking and drinking!), so this soup completely hit the spot for me.  My husband's not the biggest fan of vegetarian dishes, so the brat's for him.  The bold, rich flavor of the brats suit this soup perfectly.  You could even use smoked sausage or kielbasa if that's what you've got on hand!

If you do prefer a vegetarian option, simply omit the brats and it'll be just as good. We even got the thumbs up from my two year old, which is always a bonus at dinner time!  Enjoy!



Ingredients

• 4 beer brats, cooked and sliced (I bought the fully cooked Johnsonville brats located in the grocery store near the hot dogs.  If you're using uncooked brats, cook according to package directions before moving on with the recipe.)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 stalk of celery including leafy top, finely chopped
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced into ½ inch chunks
• 2 10½ oz cans condensed potato soup (I use Campbell's)
• 3 cups milk
• ½ cup beer
• ½ tsp dry mustard
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 green onion, chopped

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat,  brown the cooked and sliced brats in olive oil until golden, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Add the chopped celery, onion and potato to the pot and cook until onions are translucent, about 4 more minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Add milk, beer, and condensed potato soup to the pot and stir, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Season with salt, pepper and dry mustard.
4. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 12-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Remove from heat and stir in the shredded cheese until fully melted.  Garnish with green onions.