Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Heat the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until melted. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and the chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for at least 20-25 minutes or until the cauliflower is quite tender. (If the cauliflower still has a bite to it, your soup will be grainy).

Working in small batches, transfer the mixture to a blender (see note), hold down the top of the blender with a kitchen towel, and whirl until smooth and creamy. After you are done, return all of the pureed soup to the pot over medium heat and stir in the cheddar cheese. If your soup is too thick at this stage, add more chicken broth or water to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve while quite hot with a pinch of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika, fresh chives and grated cheddar.

Notes: Always take great caution when blending hot liquids in a blender. If you add too much at once, the lid will fly off and you could get burned by the hot liquid splatter. So work in small batches.