Friday, November 18, 2011

A Possible Side Dish for Thanksgiving . . .

This is a good way to get some vegetables into your family and have them enjoy the encounter, too. Personally, I like my cauliflower raw for a snack but you can't walk away from a cheesy dish with a crumb crust! Not sure if it would work as a side dish for Thanksgiving. If you are having a large party, more side dishes are always welcome and the baking dish may be cleaned out along with the turkey and/or ham.

Cauliflower Casserole

Approximately 2 pounds of cauliflower, cut into florets
½ stick butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
1 ½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup Panko crumbs or toasted bread crumbs
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tablespoons melted butter

Steam the cauliflower until it is almost tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt the butter until bubbling and stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring until it thickens a bit. Add the mustard and stir to combine. Add the grated cheese and continue cooking and stirring until smooth.

Topping:Combine your choice of crumbs with the melted butter and the rest of the ingredients, mixing well.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Gently combine the cooked cauliflower with the cheese sauce and spoon into a greased baking dish. Vegetable oil spray works fine for this. Sprinkle the topping over the cauliflower and bake for approximately 45-60 minutes our until golden brown on top and bubbling.

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