Crock Pot Ham & Cauliflower Chowder

Total Time: 6 hrs 45 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 6 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 large cauliflower
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 6 medium fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of celery soup
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 -3 cups cooked ham, cubed
• 1/4-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
• tabasco sauce (optional)

Recipe

• 1 steam trimmed whole head of cauliflower with stalk down for about 6 minutes.
• 2 remove and cool to handle.
• 3 break off florets and finely dice stalk.
• 4 in cast iron skillet, sauté onion and celery in butter or oil over medium-high heat until softened.
• 5 add diced ham and saute 1 minutes.
• 6 place all ingredients except half and half and cheddar cheese in crock pot.
• 7 stir to blend.
• 8 cook on low for 6 hours; extract 2 cups of chowder and add 3 tablespoons potato flakes and puree in blender until smooth; return to crock pot.
• 9 add half and half; and cook 30 mins.to 1 hour.
• 10 sprinkle individual servings with cheddar cheese, if desired.