This post is sponsored by Cabot.

I'm sharing with you three different cheese ball recipes including one for a bacon cheese ball. They are so easy to make and everyone, from your family to friends, will be wowed!

Recently, I shared with you how to build a meat and cheese board while working with Cabot Cheese and I'm back to share with you this wonderful recipe! Now you can add this cheese ball recipe to your meat and cheese board!

We are huge fans of Cabot cheeses in our house. We always have at least 2-3 blocks of Cabot cheese in our refrigerator and our grater gets a good workout!

First up, the bacon cheese ball is divine. I can't say I have a favorite among the three cheese ball recipes so I won't but you might be able to take a hint which one might be the most popular!

I love nuts and cheese together so this pecan covered cheese ball is really fun!

And last but not least, do you have a thing for sunflower seeds like I do? I love this cheese ball recipe with sunflower seeds. It has a nice texture and it's perfect!

What do you eat cheese balls with?

You can eat cheese balls with anything you like! I love eating them with different types of crackers! Put a little spreader on your plate so you can spread the cheese with.

What is a cheese ball made of?

• cream cheese
• ground cayenne pepper
• garlic powder
• black pepper
• soy sauce
• green onions
• Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese
• chopped pecans
• flat leaf parsley
• cooked bacon
• sunflower seeds

How long does a cheese ball last before it goes bad?

You can make your cheese ball recipe a day or two before you're going to serve it. Mine lasted about a week in the refrigerator and it tasted great. Once you refrigerate it, just let it sit on the counter for a few minutes and then it will be easier to spread on crackers.

I used Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese for this recipe, you can totally use any of your favorite Cabot Cheddar Cheeses!

First, grate your Cabot Cheddar Cheese.

Add softened cream cheese to a mixing bowl.

Add cayenne pepper, garlic powder, pepper, soy sauce and green onions.

And then mix with a rubber spatula.

Add the grated Cabot cheddar cheese to the bowl.

Mix together.

Then divide the cheese mixture into three. 

I put parsley and bacon into a smaller bowl and mix together.

Then, I added the chopped pecans into another bowl.

And then the sunflower seeds in another bowl.

Roll in each 1/3 of the cheese mixture into a ball.

Then, place in the bowls. And the cheese ball in sunflower seeds.

Roll another cheese ball in the bacon and parsley.

Looks so good, doesn't it?

And then roll the last cheese ball in chopped pecans.

I put them on squares of wax paper on a plate and then covered them. Place in the refrigerator at least one hour before serving.

This cheese ball recipe is so easy to make! I know you'll love it with Cabot Cheddar Cheese.

It's perfect for snacking or as an appetizer to serve your family before dinner. Or you can add it to a grazing table!

Looking for another wonderful recipe to add on to your list to make this summer? You should definitely try my beer cheese fondue, it's always a hit with my family as well!

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Cheese Ball Recipe

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 3 cheese ball appetizers

Ingredients

• 2 packages 8 ounces each cream cheese, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 green onions sliced
• 1 package 8 ounces Cabot Seriously Sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated

For the outside:

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 3 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
• 4 slices bacon cooked
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds I used salted ones

Instructions

• In a medium sized mixing bowl, add softened cream cheese, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, pepper and soy sauce. Mix thoroughly with a rubber spatula.
• Add green onions and the grated Cabot cheddar cheese and mix.
• Divide the cheese mixture into three.
• Roll each one into a ball.
• Roll one cheese ball in chopped pecans.
• Mix parsley and bacon in a small bowl. Roll the next cheese ball in parsley and bacon.
• Roll the last cheese ball in sunflower seeds.
• Cover and refrigerate at least one hour. (Can be made a few days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.)

Other recipes using cheddar cheese:

Cheddar Cheese Cloverleaf Rolls
Two Ingredient Cheese Crisps
Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Broccoli Cheddar Cheese Soup
Three Cheese Mac and Cheese

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Cabot. I only work with brands that I love and I always share with you my own opinions.

The post Cheese Ball Recipe appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This recipe for spicy chicken soup is one of my favorite chicken noodle soup recipes. I need to be honest and admit to you that it takes a little bit of time to prep because there are so many vegetables in it but it's well worth it.

This spicy chicken noodle soup brings back so many memories! First of all, I love ordering Mama Mandola’s Sicilian chicken soup at Carrabba's Italian Grill.

I have made this Carrabba's chicken soup recipe for years. I have a funny story about it below. But I did stop making it for a few years. Last December, something reminded me about this recipe so I made it again. I ended up eating it for days after we had to put our beloved dog, Charley, to sleep. I can't even tell you how much it brought me comfort.

I didn't have to cook dinner, I would just defrost the container from the freezer and just eat it. It had starch, protein and vegetables and while I was in the thickest part of my grieving, I was well nourished.

Years ago, when I made this chicken noodle soup for dinner, Curtis, my husband, refused to eat it. I probably shouldn't even tell you this story but we laugh about it now. After I finished making it, I put a lot of it away in the refrigerator and left just enough for the both of us to eat in the soup pot.

If you see other recipes online for this Sicilian chicken soup, they will tell you to cook the soup with the whole chicken in the pot for two hours+. The whole chicken falls apart and that's exactly what happened. Curtis went to make himself a bowl for dinner and in the ladle was a neck bone.

He freaked out and said, I'm not eating this! I was so upset, I had worked so hard on making this dinner. I packed it all up and brought all of the soup into work the next day. Everyone LOVED this chicken noodle soup.

One of my co-workers asked, “can Curtis refuse to eat more of your food so we can get more of your cooking, Julie?” LOL Take it from 18 of my former co-workers, this Sicilian chicken soup tastes good!

By the way, I'll show you how to make this spicy chicken noodle soup and you don't have to cook the entire soup for 2+ hours.

Why chicken noodle soup is the best

Chicken noodle soup is the best because it's pure comfort food. You can't go wrong with chicken noodle soup. Doesn't it bring back childhood memories for you? I love a good bowl of spicy chicken noodle soup any day of the year!

How chicken soup is made

Chicken noodle soup is usually made with a whole chicken. Most chicken soup recipes use a whole chicken and a few different vegetables. You'll want to add the chicken and vegetables to a large soup pot with water. Bring the soup to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. I let it simmer for 1.5 hours.

Can chicken soup be frozen?

Yes, I freeze the leftovers and when I'm craving some comfort food like chicken noodle soup, I defrost it in the microwave and then heat it up, add Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

When I freeze soup, I put one or two portions in each container so I only defrost what I need. Be sure to put the name of the recipe and the date (with the year!) on a label on all of your containers so you can easily identify each container. It usually keeps just fine in the freezer for a few months!

Which pasta for chicken soup?

You can use any pasta you like for chicken soup! I love curly egg noodles and even bow ties. For this spicy chicken soup recipe, I love to use the small tube shaped pasta also known as ditalini pasta.

How to make spicy chicken soup at home

How to make spicy chicken noodle soup

First, you do some prep work cutting up vegetables. The vegetables are:  onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes. Take the whole chicken and remove the giblets. Add the chicken, vegetables and water to a soup pot. Bring the pot to a boil and then skim the foam from the soup. I use a spoon to do that.

Add the parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to the soup. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. You'll want to remove the whole chicken from the spicy chicken noodle soup, I use turkey lifters to remove the chicken easily.

Allow the chicken to cool and then cut it up with a knife. While the soup is cooking, you'll want to use another pot to boil your favorite pasta noodles for the soup.

I'll share the instructions on how to make this Sicilian chicken soup again below with step by step photos:

Chop the onion.

Dice the celery.

Dice the carrots.

Dice the bell peppers. You can totally use red bell peppers if you like them better.

Chop the potatoes into cubes.

Chop the parsley and garlic.

Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.

Add the chopped vegetables: onion, celery, carrots and bell peppers.

Next, the potatoes.

Add the canned tomatoes along with the juices.

Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.

Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you’ll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).

Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.

Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through. (I usually flip the chicken over in the pot halfway through using big tongs.)

In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions.

Drain and set aside.

Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.

Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.

Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly. Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.

I can't even say enough…how luxuriously comforting this soup is. I love the spiciness from the black pepper and the crushed red pepper. (If you have little ones, you can totally omit the crushed red pepper and use less black pepper.) The cut up chicken stays intact and the pasta al dente when I keep the chicken and the pasta separate from the soup if I'm storing the leftovers in the refrigerator.

You have to make this soup!

And I have to mention, today, Curtis eats this soup!

Now tell me, have you made chicken noodle soup before? Are you going to make this recipe for spicy chicken soup?

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Sicilian-Style Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 3 celery diced
• 3 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 green bell peppers cored and diced
• 3 medium baking potatoes such as russet, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the juice
• 1 whole chicken about 4 to 4.5 pounds, giblets removed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 8 garlic cloves chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper optional
• 8 ounces ditalini pasta
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

• Prep the vegetables: the onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.
• Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.
• Add the chopped vegetables to the soup pot.
• Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.
• Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you’ll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).
• Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.
• Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through.
• In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.
• Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.
• Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly.
• Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you’re storing your leftovers in the fridge, I like to save the soup separate from the chicken and the pasta and when I go to reheat it, I add the chicken and pasta to the bowl.

If you’re storing your leftovers in the freezer, add the chicken and the pasta to the soup and then portion into containers. Label the containers with the date and the recipe name. I use the defrost function on my microwave and then heat on 100% power. (Sometimes after defrosting, I will add additional water to the soup before heating on 100%.) Add parmesan cheese and enjoy when you’re craving soup!

Other Chicken Soup Recipes

Homemade Chicken and Noodles 
Chicken Tortilla Soup

Other Soup Recipes

Panera Garden Vegetable Soup
Pork and Shrimp Wonton Soup

Other Whole Chicken Recipes

Crockpot Whole Chicken
Homemade Chicken Stock
Crispy Roasted Garlic Chicken

The post Sicilian-Style Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This post is sponsored by Green Giant.

Chicken parmesan has to be one of my favorite meals. I have fond memories of Curtis making me chicken parm one time when I came home from work really late. He had even had candles lit for me when I came home. Which he had never done before! I guess you can say it’s a meal that’s in my top ten favorites!

I'm excited to work with Green Giant to bring you this recipe. Instead of pasta, we are making it today with zucchini noodles! I love how convenient using the Green Giant Zucchini Veggie Noodles to make zucchini noodles to pair with this chicken parmesan recipe. It's so easy, I know YOU'LL LOVE IT!

I'm telling you, it's soooo easy to make!

Let's make this chicken parmesan recipe!

First, we'll prep the chicken. Then, make the breading.

Coat the chicken in the egg and then in the breading.

Place on a clean plate.

Cook in olive oil and butter.

Almost done! Then, place on another clean plate that's lined with paper towels.

Add to a baking dish and then add sauce on the chicken.

Then, add the mozzarella cheese on top. This is how we make our chicken parmesan recipe in our house!

While the chicken is in the oven, cook the zucchini noodles.

Place into a skillet and cover it.

You'll notice some water, you'll want to drain it.

Then, add olive oil and sautee it and cook a little longer. I also added salt and pepper.

That's how the chicken looks right out of the oven!!

This meal is super convenient to make. The chicken parm recipe is soooo easy to make and the Green Giant Zucchini Noodles so easy to prep. I really like how this meal came out. We have made it a few times before you're seeing it here!

We bought the butternut squash veggie Noodles too and can't wait to try it! I'm totally going to try it with

Be sure to visit Green Giant to learn about the other Veggie Noodles they make and to get a coupon!

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Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Noodles

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into cutlets, cut length-wise in half and then in half, makes about 8 pieces
• 1 large eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs store bought
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese grated
• 2 Tablespoons fresh Italian parsley chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• approx. 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided for frying
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• marinara sauce store bought or homemade (for baking and for serving)
• 8 ounce package fresh mozzarella cheese sliced into 8 slices
• 12- ounce package Green Giant Zucchini Veggie Spirals
• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• salt & pepper

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Prep the chicken.
• Beat one egg in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, add breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, garlic powder, pepper and salt to make the breading.
• Dip each piece of chicken into the beaten egg and using a fork or spoon, add the chicken to the shallow dish with the breading. Make sure each side of all of the chicken is coated with the breading. Place on a clean plate.
• Heat 1.5 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a nonstick skillet for 3 to 4 minutes on medium high heat. Add half the chicken to the skillet and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel lined clean plate.
• Clean skillet with a paper towel and add 1.5 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Once the butter melts, add the rest of the chicken and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Wipe skillet clean again.
• Add chicken to a baking dish and on each piece of chicken, spoon about 1 tablespoon of marinara and add one slice of fresh mozzarella cheese. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the oven, until the cheese melts. Then, turn the broiler on and broil so the cheese browns a little for 2 to 3 minutes (be sure to watch carefully so it doesn’t burn).

Cook the Zucchini Noodles

• While the chicken is in the coven, cook the zucchini veggie spirals. Add the zucchini spirals to the the nonstick skillet and cover. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every so often with a rubber spatula. Drain the water. Add olive oil and sautée the zucchini for 2 to 3 minutes before flipping and cooking for another couple of minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove from skillet and serve on a plate with more marinara topped with the baked chicken.

Notes

Note:  This recipe reheats really well. I store the chicken and the zucchini noodles in separate containers in the refrigerator.

I'm sure you'll want seconds and thirds when you make this! I'm totally going to try it with my recipe for slow cooker whole chicken too!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Green Giant. I always share with you my own opinions and I only work with brands that I love.

The post Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Noodles appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This slow cooker lasagna soup is so wonderful and perfect for fall and winter, as the weather is getting cooler, I will be making this recipe a bunch of times!

My friend, Gina's new cookbook was recently released called Skinnytaste Fast and Slow: Knockout Quick-Fix and Slow Cooker Recipes.

It's gorgeous!! It's a great resource: Gina shares 140 recipes that are quick and easy to make as well as slow cooker meals. I love slow cooker meals!

She has tons of tips on how to stock your pantry for fast and slow cooking as well as secrets for using your slow cooker!

Recipes in the Skinnytaste Fast and Slow cookbook that I want to make: Avocado Toast: 5 Ways, Pasta E Fagiloi, Cold Peanut-Sesame Chicken & Sprialized Cucumber Noodle Salad, Egg Roll Bowls (an egg roll in a bowl!), Pizza-Stuffed Chicken Roll-Ups, Perfect Medium-Rare Roast Beef in the Slow Cooker, Baked Fish and Chips, Banana Pudding Cups and Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Shooters. (Yes, this list is huge!)

Cook the chicken sausage along with onion and garlic.

Add the chicken, broth, water, marinara (I used store bought so I could make prep super easy), parsley, bay leaves and pepper.

Mix up ricotta and parmesan cheeses and the fresh parsley.

Refrigerate and this will be the topping for your soup!

Once the soup is mostly cooked up, you're going to add the spinach and the broken up lasagna noodles.

Let it cook for another 30 minutes.

Top with the cheese topping, more mozzarella cheese and freshly chopped basil!

This soup is soooo good! You will love it. It's so easy to make and the flavor, it's loaded. One of my new favorite soups, you guys!!!

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Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup

Servings 6

Ingredients

Topping

• 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 3 Tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Soup

• Cooking spray or oil mister
• 14 ounces sweet Italian chicken sausage casings removed
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups marinara sauce homemade (see Skinny Scoop) or store-bought
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups baby spinach chopped
• 6 ounces lasagna noodles broken into small pieces
• 6 Tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the topping:

• In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Parmesan, and parsley. Refrigerate until the soup is ready.

For the Soup:

• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and coat with cooking spray. Add the sausage and cook, using a wooden spoon to bread the meat into small pieces as it browns, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a slow cooker and add the broth, 2 1/4 cups water, the marinara sauce, parsley, bay leaves, and pepper to taste.
• Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
• About 30 minutes before the soup is ready, remove the bay leaves and add the spinach and broken pasta. Cover and cook on high until the pasta is cooked, about 30 minutes.
• Divide the soup among 6 bowls and top each with 2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture, and sprinkle with the mozzarella, basil, and pepper to taste.

Notes

 Time-Saving Tip: Using a mini chopper or food processor saves time in the kitchen. I keep mine on my counter to slice and dice all my vegetables.

 

 

from Skinnytaste Fast and Slow: Knockout Quick-Fix and Slow Cooker Recipes by Gina Homolka with Heather K. Jones, R.D.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the cookbook from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The post Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

Things have been really stressful at home lately and honestly, quick and easy meals have done the trick. Are you like me and are always looking for easy meals? I'm a huge fan of easy meals and love sharing them with you!

I'm excited to be working with The National Shrimp Council this year and creating recipes with shrimp to share with you! Shrimp is so easy to cook and with pasta, I can't think of a better combination!

This is how I quickly defrost shrimp. Place the shrimp in a glass mixing bowl and fill it up with cold water. Let it sit for a few minutes. Drain the water and fill it up again with cold water. After sitting for a few minutes, the shrimp is usually defrosted. Just drain the water and peel and devein the shrimp!

After peeling them, dry them with a paper towel. This ensures you get a nice sear on your shrimp when you cook them otherwise you'll just steam them.

Dice the peppers and mince the garlic.

It only takes 1 to 2 minutes on each side to cook the shrimp.

Remove the shrimp and set aside. Add butter to your cast iron skillet.

Cook the red peppers in the butter.

Then, add the garlic.

It's so lovely! I then add the shrimp back into coat.

I served this shrimp with Barilla Collezione Bucatini pasta which I loved! It's such an easy and comforting meal…this recipe is perfect for meatless Mondays and on Fridays for Lent!

For more great shrimp recipes, be sure to check out the Council's facebook and pinterest pages!

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Red Pepper and Garlic Shrimp Pasta Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound shrimp if frozen then defrosted, peeled, deveined and washed
• salt and pepper
• 1-12 ounce package of Barilla Collezione Bucatini pasta cooked according to package instructions
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 4 Tablespoons salted butter
• 8 garlic cloves peeled and minced
• 1 red pepper cored and diced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
• grated parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

• If your shrimp is frozen, add the shrimp to a large mixing bowl and fill with cold water. Let sit for a few minutes. Then, drain the water and add more cold water. Shrimp should defrost in just a few minutes. Prep shrimp and dry with a paper towel. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
• Bring water to a boil in a large pot for the pasta. Follow instructions on the package.
• Heat a cast iron skillet on medium high for 3 minutes. Add shrimp to skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until cooked through and browned. Remove shrimp and place on a clean plate. Set aside.
• Add olive oil and butter to the skillet on medium heat. When the butter melts, add the red pepper and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp back in for 30 seconds and toss to coat.
• Serve the shrimp with pasta topped with fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The National Shrimp Council. I always share with you my own opinions and only work with brands that I love. Thank you for supporting the brands that I work with so I can continue to share with you recipes like these!

The post Red Pepper and Garlic Shrimp Pasta appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

I love cauliflower so much…I'm so obsessed with it. But I haven't blogged many cauliflower recipes…not sure why! At parties, when there's a vegetable tray, I eat all of the cauliflower. I love to roast it and I love to have it in stir fries. Curtis on the other hand, he kind of turns his nose up at it. I don't know why…I can't understand it. He LOVES vegetables but he doesn't get my obsession with cauliflower!

I was so excited to receive a copy of Ree's cookbook…The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper. I actually contribute to her blog too…check out my posts here.

But she didn't ask me to review the cookbook, I requested a copy from her publisher and was thrilled to start making recipes from it!

skillet lasagna for dinner tonite! From Ree's @thepioneerwoman cooks dinnertime (latest cookbook!) ???????? #thepioneerwoman #dinner #instagood

A photo posted by Julie Deily (@thelittlekitchn) on Oct 15, 2015 at 7:19pm PDT

Back to this soup…with tons of cauliflower in it!

First cook some bacon!

Then, the onions.

Add the cauliflower.

In a separate pot, melt butter.

Make a roux.

Then add in milk, here's where I changed it up a little bit. I used almond milk instead.

Back in the other pot with the cauliflower.

Use an immersion blender to blend the soup.

Be careful and don't get soup all over your kitchen!

It's just the two of us so whenever I make soup, we have a ton leftover, I always freeze it for quick lunches and dinners!

And guess what? I couldn't get over how much Curtis loved this soup! I think he was as surprised as I was! I loved it too. And I love that almond milk works in this soup! I'm going to keep trying to cook and bake more and more with it!

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Cheesy Cauliflower Soup Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 55 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 4 thin slices bacon cut into small pieces
• 1 large onion finely diced
• 1 cauliflower head cut into small florets
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun spice more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper more to taste
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 Tablespoons 1/2 stick butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups whole milk I used almond milk!
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese more to taste
• 2 Tablespoons minced parsley
• kosher salt to taste optional

Instructions

• In a large pot, fry the bacon pieces over medium-high heat until crisp.
• Remove the bits from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Pour off the grease and return the pot to the stove, leaving the bacon bits to the side for now.
• Add the onion to the pot and cook over medium-high heat, stirring continuously, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until translucent.
• Add the cauliflower, sprinkle with the Cajun spice and pepper...
• And cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, or until the cauliflower starts turning golden brown.
• Pour in the broth, stir, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes.
• Next, use an immersion blender...
• To puree the soup slightly, or all the way, if you prefer. (Or use a regular blender and puree the soup in batches; don't fill more than halfway when the soup is hot!)
• In a separate saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour...
• And whisk to form a roux for about 2 minutes...
• Then pour in the milk. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture becomes thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the half-and-half.
• Pour the white sauce into the partially pureed soup.
• Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the soup back to a boil for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken it.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the sour cream and cheese. Stir until fully melted.
• Finally, stir in the parsley. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt if desired.
• And serve it piping hot in a bowl!

Notes

from The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper! by Ree Drummond

Disclosure: I was sent a review copy of Ree's cookbook for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own and I only share with you what I love. There are affiliate links in this post.

The post Cheesy Cauliflower Soup appeared first on The Little Kitchen.