Tough Loss to the Detroit Refs

An overtime loss is always tough, but when you lose to a scrawny official, it's demoralizing.

There were terrible calls against both teams, but Chicago really took it in the protective gear. Fox announcers and their rules specialist were as frustrated as the fans. At one point, they suggested the refs were trying to make Detroit right after the bad call they received in Seattle. Hey dude, we're  not Seattle. How about officiating this game.

Lunch was disappointing as well. This cook went with the famous Cheddar Cheese Soup from Hudson's that sold at Ford Field. For non-Detroiters, Hudson's was the Detroit equivalent of Marshall Fields. Hudson's suffered the same fate - they are now part of Macy's. The soup is a thick, sharp cheddar variety that seems better suited as a base for Welsh Rarebit.

If you're looking for a wonderful cheesy soup on a cool day, my call would be to give the TD to Cheesehead Chowder, but then, today was all about bad calls.

Hudson's Cheddar Cheese Soup

Ingredients:
2 TB unsalted butter
3/4 Cup onions, finely chopped
3/4 Cup carrots, finely chopped
1/2 Cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 Cup flour
1/2 TB cornstarch
1/16 tsp paprika
1/16 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 Cups whole milk
1 1/2 Cups chicken stock (I added an additional cup at the end because it was too thick)
1 LB sharp aged cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Angostura bitters

Directions:
1.  Melt butter in heavy pan over medium high heat until foamy
2.  Add vegetables and saute until the onion is softened and translucent
3.  Combine flour, cornstarch, paprika and baking soda and sprinkle over the vegetables
4.  Cook, stirring constantly for at least 2 minutes
5.  Add milk and chicken stock and whisk until smooth
6.  Heat, stirring often to prevent milk from burning on bottom of the pan
7.  When the carrot is soft (about 15 minutes), remove pan from heat
8.  If you prefer a smooth soup, blend soup in small batches in a blender
9.  Add cheese, stirring to combine
10. Salt and pepper to taste
11.  Serve in bowls with a dash of bitters

Looking For A Repeat

The Bears regular season will end after Sunday's game against Green Bay. It was September when the Bears and Packers last met. And da Bears won. The team traveling to Green Bay for Sunday's game sits comfortably at the top of their division but don't expect them to take it easy. This is Green Bay - the ultimate rivalry.

Cheesehead Chowder was the winning recipe in September so it will be the recipe repeat on Sunday. Please join me in a bowl of Chowder, a bit of Mike Ditka's Hall of Fame Salsa and a Shout Out for our Bears as they end the regular season! What fun we're having.

Cheesehead Chowder

Ingredients:

3 cups peeled and diced potatoes

2 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup chopped onion

1 minced garlic clove

1/2 cup chopped celery

12 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

2 cups cauliflower, cut in small pieces

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

2 cups milk

1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cups Velveeta, cut into cubes

1/2 to 1 bottle of beer

16 ounces canned, diced tomatoes with juice

1/2 to 1 tsp Mike Ditka Hall of Fame Salsa

Directions:

Step 1. Place potatoes in a bowl with the water, set aside.

Step 2. Melt butter in a 5 quart Dutch over, saute onion, garlic, celery and mushrooms over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Step 3. Add potatoes, water and cauliflower to the pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 4. Remove pan from heat, add beer.

Step 5. In medium sauce pan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper. Cook 3 minutes stirring constantly until smooth and bubbly. Slowly stir in the milk and Worcestershire sauce. Cook until thickened. Add cheese, stir until melted. Add sauce to the potato mixture.

Step 6. Add tomatoes (with juice) and salsa to the potato mixture. Heat stirring frequently but do not boil.

Go Bears!