Creamy Cauliflower Soup

We have an annual soup night with all of our ASL friends after finals in December. For the last two years one of our friends has been bringing this too.die.for cauliflower soup. Problem? No recipe. He just knows the ingredients. So, I finally got a list of his ingredients, and added some of mine and came up with this. Of course, it is not his soup, but it is really good, and was perfect for the cauliflower in my fridge that was getting those icky brown spots on it. My husband said it was a little more chunky then his (probably because I added potatoes), but the flavor is there. Anyway... give it a go. You wont regret it!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 lb. bacon, crumbled (I used Hormel's Real Crumbled Bacon, but I would have used real bacon if I had it!)
3 small potatoes, peeled and chopped
4 c. chicken broth (or water with 4 bouillon cubes)
1 head cauliflower
2 c. half and half
1/4 c. butter or margerine
1/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. milk
1 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
1 tsp. pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 c. cheese, or to taste (use whatever cheese you have. I used a blend of provolone, mozzarella, and cheddar.)

In a dutch oven, cook onion in oil on medium heat, about 2 mins. Add crumbled bacon. (Note: if you are using raw bacon, no need to cook it beforehand then crumble it. Just chop it up in small pieces and add it here. Cook until the bacon is done, then continue.) Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil over hi heat. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are al dente, or give just a little pressure when poked with a fork. Add the cauliflower. Bring to a boil again. Turn temp to med heat, and simmer for another 5 mins or until cauliflower is cooked through.

Meanwhile (while the soup is simmering), in a separate sauce pan, over med-hi heat melt butter. Add flour and whisk (like crazy) to combine. Add the milk small amounts at a time so that you can maintain a smooth consistency. Boil until nice and thick.

With a potato masher, give a few good mashes to the soup, (if you like a chunkier soup, only a few, if you like a smoother soup you will need to mash it quite a bit) Add half and half and salt and pepper to the soup. Bring back to a boil. Add roux to the soup (the butter, flour, milk mixture). Bring back to a boil and let simmer until soup has reached desired consistency. Remove from heat and add cheese. Stir well to combine. Serve.