Mac n' Cheese Soup

I've had this recipe dog-eared for months. The photograph in the magazine, Cuisine at Home, is a cheese-lovers, i.e me, dream. Filled to the rim with noddles in a cheddar bath and topped with crumbled bleu cheese (I can't have any bleu cheese right now, so sad). I die. If only I could make my bowl of soup look that good.

It's good enough though, right? I love that it has some crunch to it with bites of celery (also making it "healthy") and that it is super easy to make. Have it for lunch or dinner. With a grilled cheese on the side? Or would that be too much?

I'd love to experiment with different kinds of cheeses in the near future. The recipe calls for sharp cheddar, which is perfect, and fitting. How fun would it be to mix it up though and use different flavors? Let me know what you come up with.

Source: Cuisine at Home
Servings: 7 cups

1 1/2 cups dry elbow macaroni
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced celery
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (I used regular pepper)
2 cups whole milk
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
1/4 cup crumbled bleu cheese (optional)
2 tbsp. minced fresh chives

Cook macaroni in large pot of salted water according to package direction; drain and set aside.

Sweat onion and celery in butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour to coat and cook 1 minute. Deglaze with wine and simmer until nearly evaporated. Stir in broth, mustard, nutmeg, and cayenne. Simmer until slightly thickened, 5 minutes, then whisk and warm through. Do not let boil or base may become grainy.

Add cheddar, 1 cup at a time, allowing it to melt completely before adding the next cup. Stir in macaroni, lemon juice, and salt; remove from heat.

Combine bleu cheese and chives in a small bowl. Garnish each serving with bleu cheese mixture. 

What soups are you loving lately?