Beer and Cheese Potato Soup with Sausage

Hearty and delicious. Perfect for a cold-weather dinner. Makes 12 servings.

18-20 oz. spicy pork sausage
2 lbs. potatoes, skinned and diced
6 tablespoons Country Cream Butter
1 white onion, diced
1 cup Longmont Dairy
1 cup chopped carrots
Whipping Cream
1 cup chopped celery
8 oz. shredded Tillamook Sharp Cheddar Cheese
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
Pinch of Kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of fresh cracked pepper
5 tablespoons flour
Sliced green onions or cheddar cheese for garnish
3 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
12 oz. can of dark ale

Brown and crumble sausage in a large pan. Remove from pan. Melt butter in same pan. Add carrots, celery and onions with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until just soft. Add garlic, oregano and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add flour, stirring well for 1 minute.

Stir in chicken broth, beer and diced potatoes. Cover and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Transfer half of the soup into a blender. Blend until smooth. Return to pot. Add whipping cream, shredded cheese, and cooked sausage to pot and heat until cheese is melted and sausage is reheated. Garnish with sliced green onions and cheddar cheese.