Loaded Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

As my time with Allied is drawing to an end, I wanted to share a recipe that not only warms my belly, but also warms my heart. You see my daughter is a master chef (in my mind) and anything she cooks for me is amazing.  This special dish must be one of my favourites and often my choice when asked for a request. You can’t beat crock pot meals during busy times.  You can think of me while enjoying a bowl of this delectable creamy soup recipe.   Bon appetit.   😊

RECIPE NOTES:

We used many ingredients that you may or may not be familiar with so here are a few notes to help you make this dish yours at home.

•  If you cannot find leeks in your grocery store, you can substitute 1 large onion. If you want to use leeks but you are unfamiliar with them, the look like large green onions at the grocery store. When you get them home you should rinse them off and slice them up. Then you should put the slices in a bowl of water to soak to get any grit off the slices. Drain and pat dry before using.
• We used crimini mushrooms which are marketed as baby bellas in some grocery stores. You can use regular white button mushrooms if you’d like, but if you find the darker crimini mushrooms they will add a lot more flavor.
• Use 2 Tablespoons of flour for a thinner soup or 3 - 4 Tablespoons for a thicker soup.
• We used a 6 qt slow cooker to make this dish.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 leeks sliced and rinsed well.
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 8 oz mushrooms I used crimini mushrooms for added flavor
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth divided
• 3 cups chopped cauliflower
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese plus extra for serving
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Garnish- Sargento Fine Cut Shredded Cheddar Cheese bacon crumbles, green onion

Instructions

1. In a skillet melt the butter and then add cauliflower and leeks and cook for 5 min over medium heat.
2. Stir in mushroom and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.
4. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits from skillet, then transfer to slow cooker.
5. Stir in remaining broth.
6. Cover and cook until cauliflower is tender (4-6 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high)
7. Stir in cheddar cheese gradually until melted
8. Stir in cream and let sit until heated (5 minutes)
9. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste and serve topped with cheese, bacon and green onions