Byerly's Famous Beer Cheese Soup

Photo Credit Parsley at Food.com

BaconSlut is at it again.  Chilly fall evenings usher in thoughts of (local grocery) Byerly's famous beer cheese soup for those living in these parts.  It is both comfort and joy in a bowl.  Add a crisp green side salad and some crusty bread, and a delicious dinner is done! Make 8 cups. 

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup minced onion

2/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 (10 3/4 oz. can) chicken broth

4 cups whole milk

1 (12 oz.) can of beer  (Byerly's uses local Summit Pilsner)

3 cups freshly and finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese  (Byerly's uses local Land O' Lakes)

popcorn (for garnish)

Melt butter in large kettle; saute onion until soft.

Blend in flour and seasonings, and gradually stir in broth, milk, and beer.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir one minute.

Stir in cheese (do this slowly, in small batches, making sure all of the cheese is melted before adding additional  cheese).  Heat and stir until smooth.  Garnish with popcorn.

Cajun Mac and Cheese

It's almost tailgating season at the Ray household, so I've been trying out some new recipes.  This one comes from Louisiana Cookin magazine.  My mom is too ill to cook (or even read for that matter) so every month dad just hands them off to me.  This is a definite keeper for the LSU game.






14 oz Andouille sausage, cut into chunks
1 cup chopped red pepper
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teasp Cajun seasoning
1 quart whole milk
16 oz American Cheese (I get the Kraft brand and peel the plastic off each slice)
3 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
16 oz elbow pasta, cooked.

In a large skillet, brown the sausage over medium heat.  Add red and green peppers and cook until tender.  Sprikle the flour and cajun seasoning and stir constantly.  (this makes a Roux for you non-cajun cooks).

Gradually add milk while still stirring.  Add the cheeses letting them melt before adding more.  Dump in the pasta and stir till all mixed and creamy.  Serve immediately.

Cannelloni with Bechamel Sauce

This recipe is a summer meal for me once the garden comes in.  I use fresh oregano (and basil).  This goes well with sliced tomatoes and cucumber salad with mozzarella with fresh herbs and red wine vinegar.  If you don't want to  go to the trouble of making the bechamel sauce, just use half a jar of plain spaghetti sauce with fresh herbs added.  Yes, another recipe I wing.  I hate measuring.

1/2  package(19 ounce) Hot or Sweet JOHNSONVILLE® Italian Sausage Links (2 or 3 links)
1/2 lb. of ground round
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
12 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
2 egg yolks
6 tablespoons butter 
6 tablespoons flour

3 cups milk (not skim)

12 Cannelloni pasta shells
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 teaspoon dried oregano


1.  Make the filling: In a large skillet over medium heat add olive oil, onion and mushroom cook for 5 minutes allowing the onion to soften and the mushrooms to release liquid.

2 .  Once most of the liquid has dissipated, add sausage and beef crumbling it with a wooden spoon into small pieces as it cooks. Stir and cook all ingredients until the onion is softened and the sausage is no longer pink and is starting to brown. Set aside.

3.  To make a béchamel sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until well incorporated. Slowly, add milk and whisk together until smooth. Continue whisking until sauce comes to a slow boil and starts to thicken. Stir half this sauce into the sausage mixture. (Reserve the other half to pour on top of the cannelloni.) Add cubed mozzarella to the sausage and sauce mixture and continue stirring while slowly whisking in the egg yolks; mix to combine cover and set aside.

4.  Cook pasta according to package directions, rinse under cold water and reserve being careful to keep the pasta from breaking.

5.  Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread 3/4 cup of the reserved béchamel sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 inch oiled baking dish. Spoon filling into each pasta tube. Start from one end and using your finger to push the filling all the way through.

6.  Nestle the cannelloni in the sauce and cover with remaining béchamel sauce.

7.  Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of oregano.

8.  Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until heated through; and cheese starts to turn golden. Remove from oven, let stand for 5 minutes then serve.

Queenie's Mac and Cheese

8 ounces macaroni or similar pasta concoction (I use gemelli or small shells to switch things up)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
8 ounces heavy cream, room temperature
¼ cup milk, room temperature
Splash of white wine (optional)
At least 1 ½ cups shredded/cubed cheese, as you prefer (I usually use sharp cheddar and blue cheese crumbles, but tonight it’s cheddar, blue cheese and Italian 6 cheese Sargento shred)
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
Salt and pepper to taste
(Optional for panko crust: 1 cup panko crumbs, additional 2 tablespoons butter)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare an ice bath to shock the pasta. Cook
pasta 2 minutes less than al dente instructions on package. Drain in colander and place the colander in the ice bath just long enough to chill it (if you leave it in too long the cheese sauce won’t stick). Drain again and set aside in the fridge.
Grease medium-sized casserole dish.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour till smooth (don’t overcook), then whisk in the heavy cream, milk, and wine. Stir this till mixture is smooth and slightly thickened. Add shredded/cubed cheese and cream cheese, and stir till melted. Add salt and pepper. Stir in chilled pasta, then dump mixture into prepared casserole dish.
(Optional: Melt additional 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Add panko and stir till toasted, approximately 5 minutes. Sprinkle crumb mixture atop pasta and cheese mixture in casserole dish.)
Cover casserole and place in oven for 30 minutes, then remove cover and bake for 10 additional minutes.

Submitted by QueenieBK