First off, my apologies for the string of holiday dishes that will be coming your way over the next two weeks! After Thanksgiving, that’s probably the last thing you want to see!
But, being a first-time blogger, I don’t really have much of a choice. So I hope at least a few of these might be helpful for an upcoming Christmas dinner, New Year’s Eve bash, or a special occasion such as a Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or even a birthday dinner!
Secondly, during the mad rush, or “organized chaos” as I enjoy calling it, the photos – – sadly – – are not very good! I dropped ‘n plopped them one by one as they came out of the oven and snapped away quickly!
I don’t normally take photos of holiday food when having company, but since it was just Tom and I, I was able to get in a few quick shots of each!
But I hope that they’re good enough for you to at least get a sense of what they look like. We do eat with our eyes first and photos are important to most of us when cooking and deciding on a menu!
So, I’m starting the ball rolling with something that would go nicely with a Christmas Ham or New Year’s Prime Rib Dinner and is one of my personal favorite indulgences during the holiday season! Be it for the cheesy creamy sauce, the tender fresh veggies, or maybe it’s the “fancy mustard” that I love so much, but this rich dish is a nice change of pace from the regular cheese cauliflower or broccoli casserole!
Since “Mr. Picky Pants” hates cauliflower, but will eat broccoli, I decided to revamp my cauliflower recipe so that it would be pleasing to us both!
I made it about half and half (cauliflower and broccoli), and added extra cheese and some of my mesquite stout ale whole grain mustard to the sauce just for extra fun!
I added a bit of crisp lean bacon and topped it with the last of the block of cheese…
…and added a wonderful, buttery, fresh bread crumb topping that has such a nice delicate crunch for on top!
It turned out so delicious, that I truly wanted to lick my plate clean! (I know I at least got in a finger swipe or two when he wasn’t looking, though!) 😉
All ooey-gooey rich ‘n cheesy and loaded with fresh veggies, cheese and even a bit of bacon! What’s not to love?! And the topping is truly to die for! It has a nice delicate crunch, not teeth-shatteringly hard, and a nice change from just a plain dried bread crumb or panko topping.
I think my compromise was a huge success, and even I enjoyed it that much more than just making it with all cauliflower or all broccoli. The variety of the two of course went extremely well together, and the added bacon took it over the top! *You can still make this with all of one or the other, though, if preferred.
So, I hope this comforting dish makes an appearance on your next holiday table! It goes beautifully with ham, roast beef, crown roast (or leg) of lamb, or prime rib, as well as pairing perfectly with roast chicken and turkey as well! Hope your holidays are merry and bright, and the only thing lacking is family drama! Have a wonderful day all! Enjoy!! 🙂
CHEESY CAULIFLOWER & BROCCOLI with BACON, WHOLE GRAIN MESQUITE STOUT MUSTARD & FRESH BREAD CRUMB TOPPING
Serves 6 – 8
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 head fresh cauliflower, cut florets only with a little bit of tiny stems into bite-sized pieces, *save rest of stems for soup, anther use, or pitch
2 heads fresh broccoli, *cut the same as the cauliflower
1 small onion, diced into 1/2″ or larger pieces
4 strips quality lean bacon cooked crisp and broken into small pieces
1/4 of an 8 oz. block extra-sharp cheddar cheese (2 oz.), grated
For Cheese Sauce:
1/2 stick (4 Tbl.) real butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 cup half and half, *can sub milk or heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 – 2 Tbl. whole grain mustard, to taste, *can sub spicy brown, or use 1/2 – 1 Tbl. regular table mustard or dijon or to taste (*they are stronger in flavor so start with less and add as much as desired a little at a time)
1/2 tsp. minced garlic, I used the jarred which is stronger than fresh – – add more if using fresh
3/4 of an 8 oz. block (6 oz.) extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 Tbl. parmesan cheese
For Topping:
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs, I use a slightly thick-cut bread and it takes 2 slices (so 2-3 slices), de-crusted
2 Tbl. real butter, melted
1 Tbl. fresh chopped parsley or 1 1/2 tsp. dried
1/8 tsp. paprika, any kind
1/8 – 1/4 tsp. salt to taste
DIRECTIONS:
Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil, add chopped vegetables and cook until just tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain into colander. (*Steam or oven-roast veggies if preferred.)
Spray a 1 1/2 – 2 quart baking dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In large saucepan or medium deep frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, stirring, and cook over medium to med-low heat for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly. Do not brown. Slowly whisk in milk and whisk until no lumps. Bring to a low boil, stirring, and cook until thickened. Stir in salt, pepper, mustard, and garlic. Taste and adjust seasonings to your own personal taste. Stir in 3/4 of an 8 oz. block of cheddar until melted. (*I just cut the block in half, then cut one of the halves in half. Grate one of the small pieces and set aside wrapped in plastic. Grate rest and that’s what gets added to the sauce.) Just eyeball it. Stir in parmesan.
Fold in veggies and bacon. Pour into prepared casserole dish, sprinkle with reserved grated cheddar cheese.
Make topping. Tear crusts from 2 – 3 slices of bread. (2 if thicker slices, 3 if thinner sliced.) Tear bread into very small pieces. In small bowl, melt butter in microwave. Stir in seasonings, add bread pieces and toss until all are coated with a little butter. Evenly sprinkle over casserole.
Pop into lower half of oven so topping doesn’t over-brown and bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and topping is lightly browned. Watch so it doesn’t over-brown or worse, burn.
Tip: *Minus the topping and baking, this can be made ahead of time and refrigerated. Before baking, set on counter and let come to room temp. Make topping and top evenly, then bake for 5 minutes longer than specified above if needed. *If top starts to brown too much, tent with foil is all. (But don’t cover with a lid or the topping may get soggy.)
