Cauliflower Soup

Comforting, hot, creamy soup. Yum!

I didn't have carrot or celery, but this was still yummy.

I did have both cauliflower and broccoli that both needed to be used up, so that's what I used.

Source: Annie's Eats
Image Source: Last Call for Corn

Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients:
7 tbsp. butter, divided
1/2 onion, chopped fine
1 carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 1/2 to 2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. salt, to taste
1 cup sour cream

Directions:
In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and stir them around for 2-3 minutes, until they begin to brown.  Add in the carrots and celery, stir, and cook for about 1 minute.   Add in the cauliflower and the fresh parsley and stir.  Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and let simmer 15 minutes, stirring once or twice.  Pour in the chicken broth, turn up the heat and bring to a boil.  Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.  Pour the whole milk into a separate bowl.  Add the flour to the bowl and whisk together.  As soon as the butter is melted, pour in the milk/flour mixture and whisk to combine.  The mixture should thicken into a white sauce.  Once thickened, whisk in the half-and-half.  Then pour the whole mixture into the simmering soup.  Add bay leaves to the pot, as well as the salt.  Let the mixture simmer 15-20 minutes.  

Just before serving, remove the soup from the heat.  Mix in sour cream and stir until completely incorporated.  Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast

We also make a quick gravy using some of the meat juice and mixing it with flour, salt and pepper.

Also I rarely have dry onion soup mix in the house, so I just caramelize some onions and toss them in there.


Source: All Recipes

INGREDIENTS 

• 4 pounds chuck roast
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 packet dry onion soup mix
• 1 cup water or beef broth
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 stalk celery

DIRECTIONS

1. Take the chuck roast and season with salt and pepper to taste. Brown on all sides in a large skillet over high heat.
2. Place in the slow cooker and add the soup mix and water. Then add carrots, onion, potatoes and celery half way through cook time.
3. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.