Beer Plus Cheese: Soup

DEAR SOS: I would be interested in obtaining a recipe for Beer Cheese Soup.

--EARLYMAE

DEAR EARLYMAE: Cheese soups made with beer are fairly standard. Here’s one in which the beer is added last, instead of with the milk or other liquid. A sprinkling of offbeat toppings, including popcorn, gives this soup extra color.

BEER CHEESE SOUP

2 tablespoons chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 chicken bouillon cubes

6 cups milk

1 1/4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Pinch dry mustard

Salt, pepper

Paprika

1 1/2 cups beer

Chopped green bell pepper, optional

Thin strips pimiento, optional

Toasted slivered almonds, optional

Crumbled crisp bacon, optional

Buttered popcorn, optional

Cook onion in butter in top of double boiler directly over burner until golden brown. Stir in flour and bouillon cubes. Blend in milk. Place over bottom of double boiler with 1 inch hot water and cook until slightly thickened. Add cheese and mustard and cook until cheese melts, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika. Add 1/4 cup beer to each serving and accompany with green pepper, pimiento, almonds, bacon and popcorn.

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving, without garnishes, contains about:

298 calories; 1,159 mg sodium; 53 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams protein; 0.04 gram fiber.

A San Diego Treat

DEAR SOS: We just vacationed in San Diego and enjoyed some heavenly scalloped potatoes at the Pier Cafe. Please, please, will you try to obtain the recipe?

--PAT

DEAR PAT: Pier Cafe’s Garlic Cream Breakfast Potatoes are, indeed, a big hit. And they’re so easy to prepare.

PIER CAFE GARLIC CREAM BREAKFAST POTATOES

3 cups whipping cream

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 teaspoons salt

6 large baking potatoes

In medium saucepan, bring whipping cream, garlic, pepper and salt to boil over medium heat. Simmer 20 minutes. Strain and discard garlic. Set sauce aside.

Peel and slice potatoes 1/16-inch thick. Place in greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Pour sauce over. Cover pan with foil and bake at 375 degrees until potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer until lightly browned. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

Serve with eggs or as a side dish to ham or any roasted meat.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Each serving contains about:

380 calories; 629 mg sodium; 123 mg cholesterol; 33 grams fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.41 gram fiber.

Bring On the Funnel

DEAR SOS: I have tried everywhere to find a recipe for funnel cakes. I would be grateful for your help.

--LILA

DEAR LILA: Early German immigrants settling in New York and Pennsylvania prepared funnel cakes to serve with breakfast ham, sausages and eggs or to eat as snacks. The batter is piped through a funnel (hence the name) to create a lacy fritter. You can dust them with powdered sugar or drizzle them with syrup or molasses.

FUNNEL CAKES

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups milk

2 to 2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Oil

Syrup or molasses, optional

Cooked sausage, optional

Beat eggs in mixing bowl, then mix in milk. In separate bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder and salt. Add dry ingredients to liquid and mix thoroughly. Test mixture to see whether it flows easily through funnel with 1/2-inch diameter opening. If too thin, add more flour.

Pour oil for deep-frying into heavy iron skillet or pan to depth of about 2 inches. Heat oil until very hot but not smoking. Ladle 1/2 cup batter into funnel, keeping spout closed with forefinger. Dribble batter directly into hot oil, moving funnel in circle to build snail-like coil, or in 3 or 4 rings about 6 inches in diameter. Fry about 2 minutes on each side, turning once with slotted spatula.

When cakes are brown, arrange side by side on wax paper-lined baking sheets and place in warm oven. Repeat procedures until batter is used. Serve cakes warm with syrup and sausage.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Each of 6 servings, without syrup or molasses, contains about:

235 calories; 319 mg sodium; 75 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams protein; 0.11 gram fiber.