Creamy Cauliflower & Cheddar Soup

 

Updated: October 25, 2011

 

Mmmmm. Nothin' says fall like soup! Thick or thin, full of meat or vegetarian, broth or creamy. So many ways to make soup!!

This weekend we celebrated Missy Moo's 7th birthday so I let her choose what I'd make for dinner. What did she pick? My Creamy Cauliflower and Cheddar Soup with homemade bread and Caesar salad. Her brothers were shocked that she didn't use this golden opportunity to ask for homemade pizza or hamburgers or pancakes ...... Nope. The girl wanted to dip homemade bread into this thick and cheesy soup! That's my girl!

This is a recipe that I found years ago (I'm talking 1995) in the Milk Calendar. It's easy to make and tastes wonderful alongside some thick slices of bread and a salad. The original recipe calls for homemade croutons to be placed on top of each bowl of soup. I tend to skip that step because, quite frankly, a few croutons on each bowl isn't enough carb for our carb addicted family. We love to dip chunks of bread into our soup. Go big or go home!

You can also easily switch things up and use broccoli instead of the cauliflower. Last night I didn't have enough broccoli so I used 3 carrots from my garden and chopped them really fine and it worked like a charm ... and looked really pretty with orange and green flecks in the soup.

2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/2 cup onion, chopped finely
3 cups cauliflower, coarsely chopped
1 (10oz) can chicken broth
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated (I use old cheddar)
Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in large saucepan; saute onion until tender. Stir in cauliflower and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.

Smoothly combine flour and milk with a small whisk. Add to saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Add cheese and stir until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Optional Step: In order to minimize the groans from the people under 4 feet tall at my table, I usually blend the soup with my electric hand blender to make the veggies 'disappear'. If you prefer a chunkier soup omit this step.

Garlic Croutons
3 slices of bread
butter
garlic powder

While the cauliflower is cooking in the chicken broth, heat a medium-sized skillet.  Meanwhile, butter both sides of each slice of bread.  With a knife, cut each piece of bread into 1-inch cubes.  Spray the skillet lightly with oil.  Fry the bread cubes in the skillet until one side is browned.  Sprinkle bread cubes with garlic powder, if desired.  Flip bread cubes and toast the other side.  Top each bowl of soup with several croutons.