Cauliflower Soup

I wanted to try this Cauliflower Soup when I saw it posted on the Pioneer woman.  It looked like a cozy creamy soup - similar to cream of broccoli or something.  It was good, and made A LOT, but it probably would have been a bit thicker if I had used whole milk as directed instead of skim.  It was time consuming and definitely NOT a weeknight type of soup but the actual work of doing it was not difficult.  It is definitely good for a cold fall/winter weekend.

Cauliflower Soup
From: Pioneer Woman
Prep Time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min

Ingredients:
1 Stick Butter, divided
1/2 Onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced (I did a bunch of small carrots instead of one large)
1 - 1/2 Cauliflower Heads (roughly chopped)
2 Tbsp Parsley chopped (fresh or dried)
2 quarts chicken broth
6 Tbsp flour
2 cups Whole Milk (I used Skim because that's what we had)
1 cup half & half
2 - 4 tsp salt, to taste
1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot or dutch oven, melt 4 Tbsp butter.  Add the onion and cook for a few minutes, or until it starts to turn brown.

2. Add carrots and celery and cook an additional couple minutes. Add cauliflower and parsley and stir to combine.

3. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, pour in chicken broth.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer

4. In a medium saucepan, melt 4 Tbsp butter.  Mix the flour with the milk and whisk to combine.  Add flour-milk mixture slowly to the butter, whisking constantly.

5. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup half and half.  Add mixture to the simmering soup.  allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Check seasoning and add more salt or pepper if necessary.

5.  Just before serving place the sour cream in a serving bowl or soup tureen.  Add two to three ladles of hot soup into the tureen and stir to combine with the sour cream.  Pour in remaining soup and stir.  Serve immediately.