Hearty Corn Cauliflower and Potato Chowder

This is a wonderful way to get your kids to eat cauliflower! It's also delicious served over rice, if you need to stretch the meal. ** This chowder could be served as a vegetarian meal if you substitute the chicken stock with water. For vegan, use non-dairy milk and nut butter. As for vegetarian and vegan topping options try vegan bacon bits/sesame crunches/sticks,

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 4-6 Bowls

Ingredients

• Chowder

• 1  onion (medium sized, chopped)
• 1  celery rib (chopped)
• 2  large potatoes (or 3-4 medium potatoes, diced)
• 1 1⁄2 cups cauliflower (broken into bite sized flourets)
• 2  cups frozen corn
• 1⁄4 cup  grated carrot
• 1⁄2 garlic clove (more or less to taste)
• 4  tablespoons butter (or margarine)
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄2 cup  chicken stock
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
• 2  teaspoons  hot sauce (Crystal, Louisiana or Texas Pete(to taste)

• Topping (Optional)

• 1  cup  shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1⁄2 cup green onion, sliced
• 4 -8  slices bacon, fried and crumbled

Directions

1. CHOWDER:
2. Begin by frying bacon and set aside for use as topping.
3. Use some of the bacon grease (enough to coat bottom of pan) to fry onion on medium heat until soft. 5-10 minutes depending how thick or finely you have chopped them.
4. Toss in the diced potatoes and half of the chicken stock (1/4 cup), cover pot with lid and cook until soft. Approximately 15 minutes, but could be more or less depending on diced size.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
6. Mash some of the potatoes with a fork (I usually mash about half of them).
7. Push the mashed and the whole potatoes to one side of the pan and drop in the butter to melt. Using your fork, blend in the corn starch while slowing adding the remaining chicken stock to make a gravy -- keep stirring until thickened.
8. Raise heat to medium high. Slowly add the milk while stirring contents. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce. Continue gently stirring contents to prevent scorching.
9. Once the liquid begins to simmer, add corn, cauliflower, celery and carrot to pot and reduce the heat to low and cover.
10. Allow to simmer, for about 1 hour or until cauliflower is soft. Do stir contents about every 15 to 20 minutes to prevent sticking and/or scorching.
11. OPTIONAL:
12. Serve topped with cheddar cheese, green onion and bacon crumbles. If you enjoy some heat (spiciness), try using Monterrey Jack cheese.