Spicy Sausage and Cauliflower (and Broccoli) Soup

The November/December 2008 Cooking with Paula Deen is full of great-looking recipes. This is the first one we've tried, and the girls have said they like it almost as much as their favorite, Divine Potato Soup. This soup is super quick & easy to prepare, and we added broccoli since our whole family loves it.

Spicy Sausage and Cauliflower Soup
From Cooking with Paula Deen, Nov/Dec 2008

1 (16-ounce) package spicy pork sausage
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
2 (32-ounce) boxes chicken broth (I prefer Kitchen Basics brand.)
2 heads cauliflower, trimmed (we used a 1 lb bag of frozen florets)
(we also added a 1 lb bag of frozen broccoli florets)
1 cup half-and-half
Garnish: shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, sliced green onion

In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, or until sausage is browned and crumbles. Remove sausage, and reserve drippings in pan. (Drippings should equal about 1⁄4 cup.) Reduce heat to medium; add vegetable oil. Add flour, and cook, whisking to remove any lumps, until light brown. Stir in chicken broth, whisking to remove any lumps. Add cauliflower, and simmer until tender and begins to fall apart. Stir in half-and-half.
To serve, top each bowl with desired amount of crumbled sausage. Garnish with Cheddar cheese and green onion, if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 - 8 servings
Note: For a smoother soup, purée in a food processor before adding half-and-half.