Roasted Parsnip and Cauliflower Soup

Having never cooked with parsnips, I spontaneously bought some at the grocery store and thought they would work well with cauliflower for a soup.  This turned out better than I could have imagined.  Since I had to fight the desire to eat this whole recipe, I think I did well on this one!  This makes two servings, but feel free to double it up to serve more.  


Ingredients:

• 2 medium/large parsnips (peeled and cut into chunks)
• 1/2 lb cauliflower, cut into florets
• 3 small scallions (white and green parts), chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and cut up the parsnips and cauliflower.  Toss them the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread evenly onto a cookie sheet.  Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes until they are starting to brown.  I recommend stirring them 1 or 2 times during the 30 minutes.  After removing them from the oven, put a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the butter.  Then add the scallions and garlic, stirring so the garlic doesn't burn for about 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the milk to the pan and scrape any browned bits off.  Also add the roasted vegetables and the broth.  Using either a food processor or immersion blender, puree the soup to your desired thickness/chunkiness.  I like chunks in my soup for texture, so I didn't puree it completely.  Taste the soup to see if it needs more salt or pepper, and then bring to a simmer for 5 minutes.  Serve with a sprinkle of your favorite shredded cheese.  Enjoy!