Potato and Cheddar Soup. Yes, With Beer.

This, by far, is one of the easiest and fastest dinners for the busy family such as ours :). The flavor is soooo good, and the soup is surprisingly light, yet satisfying.  Give it a try:

• 8 strips of bacon
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 baking potatoes, cubed
• 1 bottle of beer (I used pale ale)
• 4 cups water
• salt
• 2 cups shredded cheddar (I used sharp cheddar)
• fresh scallions for garnish, chopped

Fry bacon strips until crisp, set aside onto paper towels. Reserve about 2 TBS of bacon grease, and cook the onion until it's soft and golden (about 5 min.). Add potatoes, salt, beer, and water, and bring to boil. Now cover, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes are done, mash them (or puree in the blender for a smoother soup), and slowly add cheddar, while constantly stirring until the cheese melts. Remove from heat. Garnish the soup with crumbled bacon and scallions and serve immediately.
The flavor of this soup will largely depend on the quality and the kind of cheddar: use mild cheddar for a mellow cheesy flavor, or add bolder hint by using sharp cheddar variety. Experiment and enjoy! :)