Chop the prepared homemade bacon into roughly one-inch pieces. Cook it in a stockpot over medium heat until cooked through and as crisp as you like. Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion and peel and crush the garlic.

Lift out the bacon, leaving its rendered fat in the pot. Keep the bacon separately covered in the refrigerator while the soup base cooks and cools.

Add the onion and garlic to the bacon fat. Cook for about twenty minutes, stirring as needed, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown and the garlic smells fragrant. Reduce the heat if the garlic begins scorching.

Add the cauliflower, measured finished meat stock, salt, pepper and dried chives. Cook over medium-high heat, covered, for about twenty minutes until the cauliflower is completely soft and easily mashed with a fork. Shred the cheddar and slice the green onions and optional jalapeño while the vegetables cook.

Take the base off the heat. Transfer it to shallow heat-safe containers and cool it rapidly, using an ice-water bath around the container if helpful. Keep that cooling water out of the soup. For the Ninja BN801 route, wait until the mixture is completely at room temperature before blending.

Divide the cooled soup base and drained yogurt cheese among blender batches as needed. Secure the Ninja BN801 pitcher and lid, keep every portion below its marked 64-fluid-ounce maximum liquid line, and blend until the cauliflower and soft cheese are evenly smooth. Stop before opening. Return all the blended soup to the pot.

Warm gently over medium-low heat. Stir in the shredded cheddar and continue stirring until it melts and the soup is hot throughout. Keep the heat gentle rather than boiling the cheese mixture hard. Taste before adding any extra salt.

Serve in eight portions, topping with the reserved cooked bacon and sliced green onions. Add optional jalapeño and homemade cultured sour cream at the table. Keep toppings separate from any soup you plan to store.