Mac and Cheese Style Cauliflower

You're going to have to trust me on this one.

You should watch as my toddler son and I demolish an entire pan of this within a few hours.

Cauliflower is in season right now, which makes it a great time to try cooking this deliciousness.

Here is the original recipe on Vegetarian Times (I've found some great recipes on this site):

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/mac-and-cheese-style-cauliflower/
                                               

                                                                                                              

My remarks in aqua:     

***The most important thing you must know about this recipe: As the reviews say, it is twice as good reheated. So much better, in fact, I make it in the morning so it can refrigerate all day and we can have it reheated for dinner. It makes a big difference. It is most divine in leftover form.

Ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower (1 1/2 lb), cut into medium florets (8 cups) If you're not sure the cauliflower you're purchasing is big enough, grab two. If it's too much, freeze the rest.

2 TBS butter or margarine I do butter.

3 TBS all-purpose flour

2 cups low-fat milk I do skim

1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp)

2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese I used to go off-brand, and my husband thought this meal was all right, but when I switched to Tillamook, he suddenly loved it. So go Tillamook from the start and thank me later.

1/2 cup nutritional yeast Don't balk when you see the price (around $8.42/lb in the bulk section at Winco). Just get the 1/2 cup and you won't regret it. (Don't balk in bulk. Har.)

1 pinch cayenne pepper

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs The original recipe says to make fresh breadcrumbs in your blender, but I skip that and just use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, also found in the Winco bulk section (and for cheap). I've done plain and I've done Italian and the latter is the way to go. And don't be stingy. Go all out sprinkling (okay dumping) them on. Let your toddler do it. The more the merrier. You can't have too many breadcrumbs in this recipe. They add a lot of yum to the experience.

***I add steamed peas at the very end, after baking, just to my individual portion. Just take 'em out of the freezer, heat 'em in a bowl in the microwave, and stir in with the stuff on your plate. But don't bake with the peas. Don't do it.

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 F. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets, and boil 5-7 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid, and set aside. Don't forget to reserve that liquid! I usually see that instruction in a recipe too late. Also, I cook the cauliflower for longer: more like 10-12 minutes. If the cauliflower is too firm it ruins the fun. I know because there was a general grumbling that one time I only cooked the cauliflower for 5-7 minutes. You want it soft.

2.  Melt butter in same pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Whisk in milk, garlic, and reserved cooking liquid, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until sauce is thickened, whisking constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, and egg yolks until cheese is melted. Fold in cauliflower.

3.  Coat 13-x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread cauliflower mixture in baking dish, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Spray breadcrumbs with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes, or until casserole is hot and bubbly and breadcrumbs are crisp and brown.

My son has loved this since infancy. He thinks this is what mac and cheese is, so he refuses the Kraft stuff. I don't want to tell you it tastes just like mac and cheese, because I'm not that krafty (har). Think of it as its own meal with its own identity, rather than a healthy imitation of mac and cheese. And tell me if you love it as much as I do.

It's fun to watch my two-year-old shovel cauliflower and peas in his mouth while saying, "Mmm" on repeat. And remember: Tillamook cheese, and don't skimp on the Italian breadcrumbs.

Most importantly: I know it's repeated, but it's better reheated.

That rhyme was just for you.

Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

Some of my friends (mostly male) give me the queer-eye when I mention dinner without meat. Thus, for my first recipe on this new blog, I wanted to post something empirically agreeable. I chose it because my friend's husband, who doesn't like dinner without meat, really liked it. My toddler also liked it, and that's kind of a big deal.

It won't break my heart if you never refer back to this blog, but I didn't want to choose something too obscure and have you write me off completely. I have plenty of friends who have mentioned going without meat in their dinners a few times a week, and have asked for recipes. This is simply a place for me to post some of my favorites, so I can refer those friends here. I want to be of help because if there is one thing I'm good at, it's variety. We rarely have the same thing twice in six months - and we don't eat meat. :-)

So go ahead and give this Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake a try. Original recipe at Two Peas and Their Pod: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/black-bean-and-quinoa-enchilada-bake/

(You should probably go ahead and click that link just to let your eyes feast. That is one pretty dinner.)

Note: Quinoa has a nutty taste that bothers some people, and bothered me at first, too. Recently I have found several recipes with lots of flavor that drown out the taste so that I can just enjoy the delightful texture of quinoa. Quinoa's a superfood and an excellent source of protein, so if you can find a recipe you like it in, you're eating that much healthier. If you live near a Winco, they have it in their bulk section, so you can get the exact amount you need. It's much less expensive that way.

I copied and pasted the original recipe below, but first I add my notes:

1. Ignore the prep time. It always takes me longer.

2. Don't rinse your quinoa. Why do recipes always say to do that? If you try, you might end up like me, rinsing quinoa in a colander and facepalming it because all that precious quinoa went out the little holes.

3. Watch your quinoa so it doesn't burn. Mine didn't take nearly the full fifteen minutes to cook.

4. All those fresh ingredients were gorgeous while cooking, so I was expecting a fresher taste at the end of it all. Don't get me wrong - it was still delicious - but I just thought it would taste a bit fresher after staring at them while I prepared it. If you find yourself in this position (you may not; like I said, it was delicious), just add fresh cilantro as a topper to your individual serving, after it's all cooked and dished up. Totally did the trick for me.

(And I know you will have leftover cilantro to top it with, because they sell them in those giant bunches for about 48 cents and the recipe only calls for 1/3 cup. Now you have a way to use all that leftover cilantro you had all those good intentions to make salsa with but in all reality were never going to get around to before it went bad. I'm just keeping you honest here.)

5. We topped this with avocado slices and while it was good, avocados can be expensive (unless you get them on sale at a Mexican market) so don't feel you have to use them. They're a nice touch. The cilantro on top was the best part for me. We also had tortilla chips but they weren't necessary - it's good enough on its own.

Your home is going to smell AMAZING with onion, garlic, peppers, jalapeno, lime, and cilantro sizzling on the stove. My nose was happy, my eyes were happy, my taste buds were happy, my husband and son were happy. If you're cooking this right now, I'm happy for you.

There's a terrible photo for you. Go look at the original blogger's page.

Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

Yield: Serves 8-10

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes-includes churning time

ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed,diced
1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 orange pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 cup corn frozen kernels
Juice of 1 small lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Toppings: Sliced green onions, avocado slices, sour cream, optional

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peppers and corn. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4. In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and black beans. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Pour in the enchilada sauce and stir. Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

5.Pour the black bean and quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with toppings, if desired. Serve warm.

Note-this recipe freezes well!