Crock Pot Ham & Cauliflower Chowder - cooking recipe

Ingredients

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
3 tablespoons potato flakes
1/4 - 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
Tabasco sauce (optional)

Preparation

Steam trimmed whole head of cauliflower with stalk down for about 6 minutes.
Remove and cool to handle.
Break off florets and finely dice stalk.
In cast iron skillet, saute onion and celery in butter or oil over Medium-High heat until softened.
Add diced ham and saute 1 minutes.
Place all ingredients EXCEPT Half and Half and cheddar cheese in crock pot.
Stir to blend.
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.
Add Half and Half; and cook 30 mins.to 1 hour.
Sprinkle individual servings with cheddar cheese, if desired.