Wisconsin Cheese Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces processed cheese product, such as Velveeta, cubed
• 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated (do not use bagged shredded cheese, grate from a block)
• crumbled bacon, fresh parsley, homemade croutons, sour cream, shredded cheese, scallions and fried onions, to serve