Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Soup

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 8 ounces smoked beef sausage or kielbasa , quartered lenghwise and sliced crosswise
• 2 medium onions , chopped
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds , crushed
•  2 lbs russet potatoes , peeled, sliced
• 4 (14 1/2 ounce) cans low sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups bite size broccoli florets
• 3 cups bite size cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese , grated
• crushed caraway seeds

Directions
Melt butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add sausage and saute until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove sausage from pan. Add onions and 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds. Sprinkle with pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix in potatoes. Add broth and bay leaf.
Simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally and breaking up potatoes with spoon, about 25 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate sausage and soup separately. Bring soup to simmer over medium heat before continuing.) Add broccoli and cauliflower to soup and simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in cream and sausage, simmer until heated through. Add cheese and mix until melted.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. Sprinkle with caraway seeds and serve.