Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

 

Broccoli is not a veggie my family usually dislikes.  However, when I found this recipe for a broccoli bake, and sat it before them, they loved it.  Broccoli is paired with bacon (everything is good with bacon), cheese, milk, eggs, salt, and pepper.  They are all combined together and baked at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes.  

You have a tasty side that goes great with any meal. 

 

Cheesy Broccoli Casserole

From Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds (900g) broccoli, stems removed (can use vegetable peeler to peel, then slice and eat like celery) and crowns cut into florets (about 8 cups of broccoli florets)

2 strips thick-cut bacon (about 2 ounces), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch wide strips

5 large eggs, beaten

1/3 cup (43g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream

1 cup (236 ml) whole milk

2 to 3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (1 to 2 teaspoons if using fine ground black pepper)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

8 ounces (225g) cheddar cheese, grated

METHOD

1 Blanch the broccoli florets: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 Tbsp salt for 2 quarts of water). Add the broccoli florets and boil for 3-5 minutes or until just tender enough so that a fork can easily pierce the floret, but still firm. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.

2 Cook the bacon: While the water in step one is coming to a boil, cook the bacon pieces on medium heat in a frying pan until lightly browned, but not crisp. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess fat. Set aside.

3 Make the egg mixture: Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Butter a 2 1/2 quart casserole dish. In a bowl, whisk the eggs into the flour, then whisk in the cream and milk. Add the black pepper (more or less to taste), salt, and mustard. Mix in about a third of the cheese.

4 Assemble the casserole: Place the blanched broccoli florets in the casserole dish, sprinkling about a third of the cheese over the broccoli florets as you lay them down. Sprinkle the bacon pieces over the broccoli.

Pour the egg, cream, milk, cheese mixture over the broccoli, moving the broccoli pieces a bit so that the mixture gets into all the nooks and crannies. Sprinkle the casserole with the remaining cheese.

5 Bake for 25 to 40 minutes, or until set. Once the top has browned, you may want to tent with aluminum foil to keep from burning.

Serves 6

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