Seriously good stuff!!! If you’re looking for something to make with that leftover holiday ham….boy did YOU just land in the right place! Who doesn’t love a luscious, sexy soup this time of year, right? And believe me, this is one sexy hot mama soup!! Decadently rich and cheesy with tender florets of cauliflower, sweet melt-in-your-mouth chunks of ham, and succulent green beans all relaxing in a hot tub of silky smooth and sultry broth so obscenely delicious, you won’t be able to resist sopping up every last drop!

I’m so not kidding!

This simple, but elegant soup truly is all that and more. The proof is in the pot! Ok, that was bad. I know. But here’s something funny! My neighbors are hearty breakfast eaters, skip eating lunch, and then have supper only. So when I sent over two bowls of soup, she was just going to try “a small taste” to let me know how it is, as I asked her to critique it for me so I could make any adjustments before sharing with you all. Well, that bowl didn’t stand a chance! That “one little taste” turned into that bowl getting wiped out! She said that she couldn’t stop eating it! So there you have it!

I know you’re going to love this, and it’s all made in one pot, too! That alone is definitely sexy! 😉 Though this soup has humble ingredients, they all come together playfully, and the creamy white cheddar broth is to die for. I know that phrase is ridiculously overused, but seriously, it really is, and I’ll say it again. I don’t care. I’m a rebel like that. To. Die. For! 🙂

On a more serious note, I honestly and truly do hope that you make this soup soon this season! It’s such a wonderful and welcome treat! Like a warm flannel blanket that warms you up on the inside from heart to toe! Enjoy, relax with a piping hot bowl of this dreamy White Cheddar Cauliflower and Ham Soup with Green Beans, and get some rest after the crazy rushing around from the holidays! Let’s make 2017 the best year ever!

6 - 8 servings

White Cheddar Cauliflower & Ham Soup with Green Beans

Ingredients

6 Tbl. real butter, salted or unsalted
1 medium onion, chopped medium-sized
2 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 1/4 cups milk
1 medium-large head cauliflower, florets cut into large bite-sized pieces (about 1 lb. florets)
1 large bay leaf or 2 small
4 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken base
1/2 tsp. herbs de provence with lavender
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/8 tsp. onion powder
3 cups fully-cooked ham, diced into small bite-sized pieces, (or as much as you'd like)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 tsp. regular yellow table mustard
1 tsp. regular table salt
1 (12 oz.) block extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, grated (3 cups grated)
1 (14 oz.) can cut green beans, well drained

Instructions

In large stock pot, add butter and melt, add onions and sauté over medium-low heat until crisp tender. (About 3 - 4 minutes). Add minced garlic and sauté 1 more minute. Add flour and stir to mix. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring, for 5 minutes to cook out flour taste. Cook but do not brown.

Slowly add chicken broth, stirring in until mixed and smooth, and scrape bottom of pot. Add milk and stir until all is blended. Remove from heat to catch up. Add and stir in cauliflower, bay leaf, chicken base, thyme, white pepper, and onion powder. Return to heat.

Cover pot with tight-fitting lid, and bring just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring now and then so that it doesn't stick on the bottom. Turn down to LOW, and simmer (covered) until cauliflower is fork tender. (About 13 -15 minutes). Stir occasionally, every 5 minutes, scraping bottom and sides of pot. Keep an eye on it making sure nothing is sticking on the bottom.

Stir in ham, cream, mustard, salt and cheese. Stir gently until cheese has melted and soup is rich and creamy. Fold in well-drained green beans.

Remove from heat, keep covered, and let sit for at least 15 minutes so ham and green beans can fully heat through. Serve with saltines or oyster crackers, or warm crusty bread for sopping!