Perfect veggies to roast together because they cook at the same rate and broccoli’s grassy, earthy and slight bitterness complements cauliflower’s sweet nutty flavor.
The same vegetable, however, they are not. For whatever reason, these two vegetables are often confused for one another, even though they are strikingly different in many ways.
Broccoli is green, except when it’s purple and its cauliflower. Cauliflower is usually white, except when it’s orange or green, and looks like broccoli, or when it’s purple, and it actually is broccoli.
The word ‘broccoli’ is derived from Italian and means, ‘flowering crest of a cabbage.’ The word ‘cauliflower,’ on the other hand, comes from Latin, and means, ‘the flowers of a cabbage’.
This is such a nice fall side dish. Broccoli and cauliflower coated with a rich, creamy, cheesy sauce, covered with Panko breadcrumbs, baked to perfection and garnished with bacon. How good is that!
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White Cheddar Broccoli/Cauliflower Gratin
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Instructions
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook florets until tender-firm, about 5-6 minutes. Drain well.
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add in onions & sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add in garlic & sauté 20 seconds longer. Add in flour & cook whisking constantly, 1 1/2 minutes.
While whisking, slowly pour in milk & add nutmeg. Whisk constantly until mixture reaches a boil, then remove from heat & stir in 1 1/4 cups cheddar cheese & the parmesan. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Pour & spread 1/3 of the cheese sauce into a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Top with drained broccoli/cauliflower combo then slowly & evenly pour remaining 2/3 of the cheese sauce over top.
Sprinkle over remaining 1/4 cup white cheddar then sprinkle evenly with panko crumbs. Spray panko with olive oil cooking spray to lightly coat.
Bake for 20 minutes, then broil for 1-2 minutes to help brown further as needed. Remove from oven, sprinkle with bacon & parsley & serve warm.
Named cannelloni in Italy, this tasty stuffed pasta dish is known in North America as manicotti. The word cannelloni literally means ‘a big pipe’ and manicotti loosely translates as ‘a big sleeve‘.
The origin of Cannelloni dates back to around 1907, when Nicola Federico, a well-known chef from Naples, Italy, invented this pasta. He created it while working at the La Favoria, a popular restaurant in Sorrento, Italy. Initially, this tubular pasta was called ‘strascinati’, which soon came to be known by the name that is popular today …. cannelloni. It gained popularity when the residents of Naples fled to Sorrento, during World War II, which is when they got introduced to this pasta. Although the origin of cannelloni is relatively recent, its enormous versatility and delicious flavor has quickly made it a classic in the kitchen worldwide.
Currently, between traditional recipes and modern and creative reinterpretations, in Italy it is possible to come across hundreds of variations that present sauces, flours and in general always different ingredients and characteristics.
Being pasta lovers, cannelloni definitely works for Brion & I.
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Bacon & Mushroom Cannelloni w/ Gorgonzola Sauce
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Filling
Chop washed leek, mushrooms & bacon. Fry all together with garlic in oil for a few minutes then place in a bowl with the parsley (if using) to cool.
Sauce
Melt butter in a saucepan, add the flour & mix for a few minutes until it forms a paste. Slowly pour in the milk a little at a time & stir as you cook it to the consistency of a thin custard. Simmer for 5 minutes, add crumbled gorgonzola & simmer until melted & incorporated. Add 1/2 cup to the filling, season with salt, pepper & smoky ranchero seasoning.
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Stuffing Cannelloni
Stuff the cannelloni with the filling. Spread a small amount of gorgonzola sauce in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place cannelloni on top. Pour the gorgonzola sauce over the top of the cannelloni.
Bake
Cover dish with foil & bake 60-65 minutes. Remove from oven & serve.
Recipe Notes
- If you wish, save a small amount of the gorgonzola to sprinkle on top after pouring the sauce over the cannelloni before baking it.
The art of casserole creation is a blend of inspiration and what’s on hand. The word casserole is used to refer both to an ovenproof baking dish as well as the baked, savory food item baked in it.
In North America, the Campbell’s Soup Company started publishing casserole recipes in the 1940’s as a way to promote sales for their cream soups. Casserole cooking goes back to slow-cooking dishes in earthenware containers. The ingredients are usually bound with some kind of sauce and often they are leftovers from a previous meal. It can be layered or all ingredients might be mixed together.
The height of the casserole era was during the 1950’s & 1960’s. This style of cooking was popular because it didn’t require a lot of constant watching and was hailed as the way forward for busy, efficient homemakers. By the 1970’s, quiche came to look down on the humble casserole.
Nevertheless, Brion and I really enjoy a casserole and this one ticks all the boxes for us.
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Shrimp, Mushroom & Artichoke Casseroles
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Ingredients
- 1 cup water, salted
- 1/2 cup Arborio rice, uncooked
- 1 Tbsp butter,
- 200 gm fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 284 ml cream of mushroom soup
- 205 ml Lite Alfredo sauce
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 170 ml marinated artichoke hearts, drained & halved Reserve 2 Tbsp marinate for sauce
- 300 gm WILD jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined & rinsed
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs, buttered
Ingredients
- 1 cup water, salted
- 1/2 cup Arborio rice, uncooked
- 1 Tbsp butter,
- 200 gm fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 284 ml cream of mushroom soup
- 205 ml Lite Alfredo sauce
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 170 ml marinated artichoke hearts, drained & halved Reserve 2 Tbsp marinate for sauce
- 300 gm WILD jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined & rinsed
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs, buttered
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Votes: 1
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Instructions
In a saucepan, combine 1 cup salted water with 1/2 cup rice; cover & bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer gently for 12-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed & rice is tender. Fluff with fork & remove to a dish; set aside. Add 1 Tbsp butter to saucepan & saute sliced mushrooms.
Preheat oven to 400 F. Butter either 2-3 individual casserole dishes or a 9 x 9-inch baking dish. Set aside. Drain marinated artichoke hearts (reserving 2 Tbsp) & halve each piece. In a large bowl, whisk together soup, Alfredo sauce, Worcestershire, artichoke marinade, salt & pepper until combined. Gently stir in cooked rice, mushrooms, artichokes, shrimp (cut each in thirds) & parsley.
Spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Combine Parmesan with buttered crumbs & sprinkle over casseroles. Bake until shrimp are cooked through, approximately 25 minutes.
