Home Cooking with Jess – Cauliflower Soup

No cooking for me this week, because I‘m doing the most exciting thing you can do as an adult that loves to cook.  I’m remodeling my kitchen! So this is the last time you will see this white stove and green counter top. (In the other pot on the stove is a cabbage roll soup that was also pretty good!)

In prepping for not having a kitchen for a week, I needed to have on hand some easily microwaveable meals.  While I plan on stimulating the economy this week by eating at some of our awesome local restaurants, I thought I should have SOMETHING on stand by.  Soups are easily the best leftovers because they get even better after being cooled and reheated.  Creamy soups are my favorite and I had a head of cauliflower that needed used. 

Creamy, cheesy and bacon-y is right up my alley.

Remember that since I eat low carb, instead of a rue, I thicken sauces with cream cheese.  You can always do a rue if you prefer.  Just make sure to have more broth available. Also, you can swap out the cauliflower for potatoes. 
This may have a couple more ingredients than I usually recipes I write about, but it’s still an easy one.  Your work is only in chopping the cauliflower and onion. The rest are “dump and stir” ingredients.  You can add carrots and celery to this recipe but I didn’t have any one hand. 

This is a crowd favorite and my daughters friend said it’s the best thing that I’ve ever made, so it’s also kid approved!

Ingredients:

• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp of minced garlic
• 1 brick of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 8 oz of shredded cheddar
• 1 cup of chopped bacon or
• real bacon bits
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pan sauté onion and garlic in butter until onions are translucent.
2. Add cream cheese and heavy cream until cream cheese is melted and creamy.
3. Add chicken broth, oregano, salt and pepper (to taste), and cauliflower and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in the shredded cheese a little at a time until it’s all incorporated.
5. Stir in the sour cream and bacon bits.

Enjoy!