Just a Hankerin'

The other day I had a hankerin’ for some Cauliflower Cheese Soup. I had a head of cauliflower in my frig, and what better meal for a cool, crisp fall day? And it’s so nutrituous. Cauliflower, a cuciferous vegetable, contains vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber, and it may help lower the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. And cheddar cheese? Cheese is good on everything! Well, maybe not chocolate!

When the kids were growing up, I would occasionally make Cauliflower Cheese Soup. But if I used a recipe, I’d change it so much that we couldn’t refer back to the original recipe. Sometimes we made up the recipe, and I’d either not write it down, or I’d scribble it on a scrap of paper. And you know what happens to scraps of paper.

The other day when I had that hankerin’, I found a recipe from Taste of Home online. It came out really well. Delicious! I was going to post it for you, but when I looked back, I realized that, once again, I had changed the recipe so much that it was no longer recognizable. So here’s the recipe. One time I topped Cauliflower Cheese Soup with shreds of bacon and green onion. They made a great garnish. I also tried sour cream. That did not. It looked pretty, but it took away from the taste.

Cauliflower Cheese Soup

1 medium head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup fresh spinach leaves (or 1/2 package frozen)
2 very large or 4 medium cloves garlic, pressed
2 cup water
1 tablespoon Better than Boullion chicken base
1/2 - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (You can use a bit more if you like it spicy. Lonnie would have liked that addition!)
3 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk (I used whole milk because that’s what I had.)
3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

In large saucepan (I used my ...), combine the cauliflower, onion, bell peppers, spinach, garlic, water, chicken base, and pepper flakes. Cover and cook over medium heat until the veggies are tender. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk. Cook and stir until bubbly. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes longer until thickened. Reduce heat. Add cheese and seasonings. Pour into cauliflower mixture. Simmer slowly for 30 minutes. DO NOT BOIL. Add more salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

 The recipe says it yields 6-8 servings or 2 quarts. With the extra ingredients, it’s a bit more.

If you’re interested in the original recipe, you can find it at tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Cauliflower-Cheddar-Soup. You’ll notice that I used her method.