Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Broccoli with a little Cheesiness on a Healthier Level

Ok, so many people love cheese with broccoli. I never fully cared for it myself. I guess because I knew I loved cheese but I hated broccoli and so I had a very serious love/hate thing going on for mixing two together. I disliked the combination so much, that when my mother made her Broccoli Chowder Soup I would take a strainer and place it over my bowl to catch all of the broccoli. 
As I have gotten older my taste buds have "matured" so to speak. Now that I can handle the combination of the two. I have come to notice that almost always the cheese used with broccoli (or any vegetable for that matter) is Velveeta, Cheese Whiz or american cheese. Always a processed product that actually has no real cheese in it. Just because it is yellow does not mean it is cheese. That said, I have been wanting to incorporate more vegetables in my meals for me and my husband. I grew up eating them, and I like most of them. 
I had a large package of fresh broccoli in the refrigerator that was starting (underlined so you understand that it was quite there yet) to lose its vibrant green color and take on a slightly pail limeier green color (obviously not have too much longer of a lifespan). I didn't want just steamed broccoli, it's just too boring. So, I did some quick research for a healthy cheese sauce. I found something rather quickly, once I sifted past the first  ten or so links that contained the processed recipes. So here it is. 
I paired it with Chicken Pot Pie and Mashed Potatoes
Steamed Broccoli with Cheddar Cheese Sauce
4 cups of broccoli florets
1 T butter
1 T flour
salt and pepper, to taste
1/8 to 1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other cheeses would be amazing too, basically whatever you have that is not processed)
Steam broccoli in about an inch of water for 4-5 minutes. Just until crisp/tender. Pour out the water immediately. 
In medium pan, melt butter. Whisk in flour and seasonings. Gradually add milk and stir till thickened. Add cheese, stir till melted. Immediately pour over the broccoli.
You can serve in the pot together, or you can leave the broccoli plain and let people pour however much cheese they want over the broccoli.


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