FFwD - Creamy Cauliflower Soups sans Cream

How is it possible for a few vegetables and chicken stock to produce something so creamy?  So velvety?  So smooth?  So delicious?

Creamy Cauliflower Soup

We love cauliflower.  We love it in a gratin, boiled, mashed, roasted or fried.  I can't believe it never occurred to me to blend it into a soup.  That's why I need French Fridays.  That's why I'm thankful for Dorie's cookbook Around My French Table.

I topped my soup with bacon, thanks to a heads up from Cher and some fried thyme leaves.  I'd never fried thyme before but it is actually quite good with a bit of salt.  Just be sure its really dry before dropping the leaves into hot oil!

I hope everyone is enjoying the Christmas season.  My out of country Christmas cards went out yesterday.  The rest will go today.  Thank you to everyone participating in the card exchange.  I LOVE Christmas cards:)

FFwD - Cauliflower-Bacon Gratin

This is the perfect dish for any occasion where you want to impress!  Serve it with a nice side salad as we did for dinner or Blackberry Farms Pickled Beets and Strawberries as we did for lunch the next day.  Our daughter-in-law gave my husband a jar of this deliciousness for Christmas and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves beets.  This is a great way to serve cauliflower when you want a treat but I've just discovered roasted cauliflower and love, love, love it!  20-30 minutes in a 375 degree oven and it needs nothing but olive oil and salt.  Its my new favorite veggie!

I didn't make last week's French Friday recipe, creme brulee, because I'd made it several months ago and   just didn't care for it.  The creme brulee recipe I usually use is The Barefoot Contessa's.  This is easy and works every time! I made it this week using fresh raspberries and Chambord instead of Grand Marnier. I liked Dorie's idea of using jam in the bottom of the ramekin but it didn't work that well for me.  The fresh raspberries are much nicer. Who doesn't love creme brulee?

Be sure and read what all the French Friday cooks think of the cauliflower-bacon gratin.