Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole a terrific make-ahead side dish

This was one of the greatest veggie casseroles we can remember having. The title says Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole, but I fudged a little and also added green peas and carrots into this veggie mélange. Honestly, you could toss any just about any fresh or frozen veggie; it would turn out just great.

A delicious cream sauce prepared with low-fat cream cheese and a flavorful, crisp topping help make this recipe a wonderful side dish. Hubby and I enjoyed our favorite meat loaf as an entrée; this veggie casserole just made the meal.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole can be prepared a day ahead, refrigerated, and then baked just before dinner.

Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, divided

1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed

1 (16-ounce) package frozen cauliflower florets, thawed

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon garlic salt (I used garlic powder)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/4 cups milk

4 ounces (1/2 packages) cream cheese, cubed (I used low-fat)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl mix bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Set aside; cut into bite-sized pieces any large broccoli or cauliflower florets. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in flour, remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and pepper. Add milk; cook and stir until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Add cream cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese; cook and stir until cream cheese is melted. Add vegetables; toss gently to coat. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with crumb mixture. Bake 40 minutes or until casserole is heated through and top is browned. Makes 10 servings. (Source: www.mccormick.com)

Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake a jewel among new casserole recipes

Sometimes the ole casserole recipe file just needs a little inspiration. I was happy to find this new idea, which used 4 cups of healthy chopped broccoli and turned out just delicious. 

The addition of chopped red bell pepper, plus the spinach tortellini, made this dish oh-so-colorful. Chopped pecans in the topping, along with crushed crackers, gave some additional crunch.

This was designed to be baked in a long oblong baking dish, but I divided it into two smaller ones, so we had one to eat and one to freeze for later. 

The recipe billed it as kid-friendly—an added plus. We look forward to pulling the next round from the freezer. This dish was truly yummy.

Pasta-Chicken-Broccoli Bake

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups chicken broth (I used the lower-sodium variety)

1 1/2 cups half-and-half (I used skim milk)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 cup (4 ounces) freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt (or salt substitute)

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 (20-ounce) package refrigerated cheese-and-spinach tortellini

4 cups chopped broccoli

4 cups chopped cooked chicken

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

15 round buttery crackers, crushed (I used Ritz hint-of-salt)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onion and next 2 ingredients. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until tender. Add flour and stir until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in broth, half-and-half, and white wine. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly for 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; add 1 cup cheese and next 2 ingredients. Stir until cheese melts. Stir in tortellini and next 2 ingredients. Spoon into a lightly greased 13-inch-by-9-inch baking dish. Stir together 1/2 cup grated cheese and next 3 ingredients. Sprinkle over casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 6 to 8 servings. (Source: Southern Living, December 2012)

Slight drop in temps summons Soup Night and Slow Cooker Broccoli-Cheddar

Soup Night in the middle of August? Yes ma’am/sir, we had one of those. A few days ago we experienced a brief break from our outdoor ovenlike temps, with a slight nip of fall in the air—a promise that we won’t always be roasting. Seemed like a good prompt for some slow-cooker soup.

I got a great recipe from a magazine ad by cabotcheese.coop; it featured the most gorgeous photo of Slow Cooker Broccoli-Cheddar Soup. I grabbed some fresh broccoli from the grocery and got these ingredients stuffed into my crockpot in a flash.

The outcome was major-delicious. A few days ago soup would have just added to the misery everyone felt from the sweatbox outdoors, but on this little jewel of a cooler day, dropped into the middle of a heatwave, it was a perfect dinner item.

Back-to-school’s on Monday; can a little bit of autumn be very far away?

Slow Cooker Broccoli-Cheddar Soup

2 tablespoons salted butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth (or homemade chicken broth)

2 cups peeled and diced boiling potatoes

3 cups broccoli (chopped florets and thinly sliced stems)

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk

12 ounces sharp cheddar, grated (about 3 cups)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

ground black pepper to taste 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat melt butter. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds longer. Gradually whisk in 1 can broth and stir until mixture is simmering and thickened. Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker. Add potatoes and remaining can of broth; stir to combine. Cover and cook on high setting for 2 hours or until mixture starts to simmer. Stir in broccoli and evaporated milk. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer or until broccoli is tender. Add cheese and stir until it is melted. Stir in lemon juice; season with pepper. Makes 6 servings. (Source: Southern Living January 2012 advertisement—in the recipe, Cabot brands are recommended)