This soup came about, as usual, from my quick sale produce. I bought two 10 pound bags of russet potatoes for $1.00 each and a head of cauliflower for $2.00. The cauliflower was a bit more expensive than usual but I bought it anyway. I cooked and mashed the cauliflower as a side for some mini meatloaves several days ago. I used the leftover mash in the soup.  I had a gallon bag of chicken bones and skin in my freezer that I would simmer to make a chicken stock as the soup base. Yesterday was a little cool. A perfect day for a big pot of soup.  

• 6 cups Chicken Stock, store bought or homemade
• 6 ozs Bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1 large Onion, chopped
• 3 ribs Celery, diced
• 5 cups peeled, cubed Potatoes
• ½ head Cauliflower broken into bite size florets
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 8 ozs softened Cream Cheese
• 1 cup Whole Milk, Half and Half or Heavy Cream
• ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
• Shredded Cheese, chives or sliced Green Onions to garnish

In a Dutch Oven or heavy bottom soup pot cook the bacon until well crisped. Remove from pot and crumble. Set aside in a large bowl.  In the same pot add onions and celery and sauté over medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Allow the mix to slightly brown. Remove from pot and add to the bowl with the bacon.

Add the chicken stock to the pot. Leave any fond in the pot. It will dissolve in the chicken stock and add more flavor. Season with salt and add potatoes and cauliflower. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.  When the potatoes are fork tender add the onion celery and bacon mixture, cream cheese and milk. Stir to melt the cream cheese.

Put the AP flour into a soup bowl and  add ½ cup soup liquid  to the bowl. Whisk the flour into the soup liquid. Set aside.  When the cream cheese is melted add the flour mixture to the soup pot. Simmer for 10 minutes to cook the flour and thicken soup. Season to taste.

Serve and garnish with cheese, chives or green onions.