Cream of Cauliflower Soup

We made this soup in my foods class last Wednesday (7 days ago) and since then I have made or helped make 2 batches. This stuff is DELICIOUS! The recipe is alterable to use whatever vegetable you'd like (we did carrot, zucchini and cauliflower in class) and the Cauliflower was my favorite hands down! I've got a head of cauliflower in the fridge just waiting for me to make a batch of this-- then they'll be pictures.

Soup Base:
1/4 c+2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 c + 2 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp Chicken bullion granules
1/2 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
3 cups milk

1.Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat,
2. Blend in flour, salt and pepper bullion and other sauces
3. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
4. Remove from heat and wisk in the milk.
5. Return to heat and heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.
6. Let sit on warm heat in pan till veggies are ready to add

Vegetables (other veggie options listed below)
4 cups (about one head) of cauliflower
1 tsp curry powder (add with spices)
1/4 cup onion chopped fine, cooked with cauliflower.

7. Place cut veggies in a medium saucepan, add enough water to barely cover the vegetables.
8. Bring the vegetables to a boil on high heat. Cover the sauce pan with a lid and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook the veggies in the saucepan until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Don't let the water boil out.
9. before mixing the veggies into the cream base, puree part of the vegetables in a blender with some of the cooking water. (I used my food processor last time and the first time at home I used a potato masher, which also worked but made for a thinner soup)
10. Combine the remaining veggies, pureed veggies and white sauce together. Add enough veggie water to make the soup the desired consistency. Serve hot with rolls or french bread.


Other vegetable options:
**Cream of Potato**
4 diced spuds, washed and peeled
2 stalks diced celery
1/4 cup onion
**Cream of Asparagus** (which I want to try when asparagus is cheep)
4 cups asparagus
2 tbsp lemon juice
dash of nutmeg or mace
**Cream of Green Bean**
3 cups green beans
1 tsp crushed savory
** Cream of Broccoli**
4 cups broccoli
1/2 tsp dry leaf thyme
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 bay leaves-- add to white sauce and remove prior to serving
**Cream of Carrot**
2 cups carrots (about 6 large)
1 Tbsp dry parsley
1/2 tsp dry basil
**Cream of Zucchini**
3 cups zucchini
1/8 tsp nutmeg
**Cream of Mushroom**
3 cups mushrooms
1/8 tsp nutmeg