Florets

Cauliflower Soup

Around the same time that I came down with a cold, snow started falling last Thursday. It was perfect set-up to lounge around in pajamas and watch the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics, right? However our Optical Network Terminal shutdown, and as a result, our home phone, internet and television were dead, I just stare at the black television in astonishment, dang it! I suppose I could finish reading Catching Fire…nah – I didn’t want to do anything that requires thinking.

Luckily, my husband stayed home last Friday because of weather and fixed me a cauliflower soup with a recipe clipped from the newspaper and carrot bread of Five Euro Food. Although not roasting the cauliflower, so the flavor lacked some depth, it was a quick remedy and full of tenderness to heal my cold also cabin fever.

Ingredients and Instruction for 4 servings (Print recipe here)

Equipment – soup pot with lid, blender or hand-held immersion blender

• 4 leeks, trimmed and finely chopped (white part only)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
• 1/2  head cauliflower, finely chopped 2 to 3 cups
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock for vegetarian version
• 1 and 1/4 cup non fat milk heated Note;you may use unsweetened soy milk if you prefer.
• 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios or 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh chives for garnish

1. Put leeks, onion,cauliflower and bay leaves in the medium size soup pot.
   
2. Add chicken broth or vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, covered and cook until the cauliflower is tender about 10 minutes.
3. Remove and discard bay leaves. Add the hot milk, salt and pepper.
4. Carefully transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth or use a hand blender and puree the soup right in the pot (see below pic).
5. Serve hot with a chopped chives or pistachios.
   I prefer to eat this carrot bread warm. Stick it in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.

I felt better enough to go outside on Saturday and made (tried) a Snow Totoro. Oh! It’s a cat isn’t it? said my neighbor. Ah, right, absolutely…it’s a…it’s a fat one! Ha ha ha.. I should go inside now to stare at the still black television.

My neighbor made cool Wicked Snow Witch. Snow transformed us into kids.

I hear the joyful glee of (real) kids sledding on the slope just around the corner. I would love to join them if I hadn’t already sold my sleds at a garage sale last summer.

We were told by the dispatcher on Monday, ‘Cable technician may come by Wednesday but more than likely on Friday’ What!? I started to cry. My husband went out bought few electrical equipment to finally fix the ONT, whew! The money was well spent! With a cup of hot chocolate, I slouched down on the sofa and enjoyed watching the Olympics….with the still warm lemon cake my neighbor rushed to bring us in the heavy snow…so good!

For returning the favor, I made this strawberry short cake for my husband, one for my neighbor in a heart shaped ceramic pan a Valentine’s Day gift from a friend a few years back.

Happy Valentine’s Day!