Meal Planning 2014 -- Creamy Cauliflower Soup

Happy New Year!   Here's to Meal Planning in 2014!!

I love slow cooker meals in the fall and winter.  They are easy, and bring delicious comfort to any meal.  My daughter gave me this book for my birthday this year, and I finally tried a recipe from it tonight.   It was "soup and sandwich night" for us, nothing fancy, just good old fashioned comfort.

The meal choice was based on what I had on hand:  1 head of cauliflower in my fridge, celery, fresh garlic, potato, and the kicker...I had made and frozen some chicken soup broth last month and had it ready to go in the deep freeze. All the makings of my cream of cauliflower soup.

It has no dairy, but what makes it creamy is that after it has cooked all day, you blend it (note if using a blender, make sure you vent it, or she's gonna blow!).  I have a little hand blender (one of those old Braun ones) and just put it right in the slow cooker and it worked like a charm.   The result was absolutely delicious for three out of four of us at the table tonight, which is pretty good.

 And not to worry, the boy didn't starve...he just opted for the sandwich part of the meal (he did try it though!).  




Creamy Cauliflower Soup

1 head of cauliflower
4 cloves of minced garlic
2 chopped and peeled baking potatoes (I used the red russets)
4 ribs of celery with leaves, chopped
3- 4 cups of  chicken broth (make batches of this way ahead of schedule and you are all set!)
2 tsp lemon juice

Chop up cauliflower, potato, celery and add minced garlic.  Put in slow cooker and cover with broth.  I used 3 cups, but probably should have put 1 more cup.   Add some salt and pepper (just a bit) and cook on low for 7 hours.  Mine cooked longer, as I left at 8 am and was home by 6:30...so a bit longer but still was yummy.   

Once you are home, it may not look the best in the crockpot (I honestly thought I had ruined it!).  But when you blend it up, it is amazing.   Once blended, add the 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.  No need for heavy cream to make it creamy...it is simply delish!  Top with aged shredded cheddar (cheese fixes everything) and serve with sandwiches...which was tuna tonight for us.

We were home at 6:30 and were eating well before 7!