I'm combining Kathy's Food Wednesday, where we share anything food related, with Rain's TAD. Rain has now allowed us to choose our themes OR follow the ones she has provided. I decided to combine the two, since a portion of Rain's posts deal with food. Did you know she makes her own cheese? Check out her cheese blog.
As I'm sure many of you know, I am a vegetarian. However, I could never, ever be a vegan. That's fairly obvious because I am not about to give up cheese, butter, or my half and half I use in my coffee. Of course, unlike Rain, I have to buy commercial cheeses and Colby-Jack is my favorite.
Begin by removing the outer leaves of the cauliflower. Save these for your compost pile. If you don't have a compost pile, either start one, or leave the greens like those in the bucket for the birds. Right now, they might want to use them to feed their young. Be sure to cut them finer if you are feeding them to the birds. These went to my current compost pile (I have three and I rotate them every three years).
Next, separate the cauliflower into individual cauliflower florets. That
makes it much easier to clean. To do this, quarter the cauliflower
using a sharp knife, then cut away the center stem
and use the knife or your hands to break the remaining cauliflower into
florets. I only cut away as much as I will use and return the rest to the refrigerator. Transfer the cauliflower pieces to a colander and place them under running water to eliminate bugs and pieces of dirt. Briefly boil the cauliflower in saltwater (blanch) to kill bacteria and parasites. Boil the cauliflower florets for about two minutes to ensure you’ve killed any parasites. Remove the florets from the hot water and immediately plunge them into an ice bath. The cold water will stop the cooking process and
ensure your cauliflower stays crisp. Drain well and return to the microwave safe bowl.
To clean broccoli, simply submerge it in cold water for at least 15 minutes. Swirl the florets, every few minutes, then rinse them under cold water. Pat dry to ensure all dirt has been removed.
Combine the cauliflower and broccoli, along with a small amount of butter, then cook in a microwave safe dish uncovered for three minutes. Be careful. There will be lots of steam if you are taking a photo (grin).
It looks like I overcooked them, but that is really an optical illusion.
Use a cheese slicer and slice cheese over the top of these hot veggies. Add dill or other fresh herbs, along with your favorite seasonings at this time, too.
Cook only until cheese is melted, about one to 1 1/2 minutes in the microwave.
Remove veggies and cheese to serving dish and refrigerate any uneaten portion. Enjoy!!Rain's challenge this week is Planting Seeds.
While buying plants last week, I purchased these broccoli seeds. I've never tried to grow broccoli from seed before, so I guess I'll find out how easy it is to grow these. At least my pot is ready to accept them. Now if it would just stop raining.Thanks go to Kathy and Rain for hosting these events. I hope by combining these two challenge blogs, I will be able to finally catch up to everyone. That is, if blogger would just play nice. Thanks, too for stopping by today to visit both Bleubeard and me. He really just wants to eat the cheese, but I want to thank you for your continued support of my art. Believe me, I'm not a cook, so this is truly art to me.
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22 thoughtful remarks:
Veggies with cheese over them, delicious. I like to bake mine in the oven so the cheese gets crusty, yum! I am not going to try planting seeds and growing veggies on my balcony, I'm happy if I manage to buy a few pot plants this year. Have a great day, take care, hugs, Vaerie
I did know that Rain makes her own cheese and the food segments of her post usually make me drool.
As did yours. I am also a vegetarian, and would also find cheese very, very hard to give up.
I’m surprised that you fear so many micro-organisms in cauliflower. While I do wash it before I cook it, I am not as worried as you are. I agree with you that it shouldn’t be cooked too long. I like it with a cheese sauce, similar to your preparation, but the sauce is a litttle more complicated.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Adding cheese to a dish makes it fantastic. I think your veggies and cheese look yummy. I've been trying to get my husband to eat more veggie meals (I couldn't be vegan either), but he's a meat and potatoes kind of guy. But I'm not complaining too much because I have gotten him to eat fish, kale, spinach and several other things he would never eat before. I hope your broccoli grows. I've never tried it either. Have a great Wednesday. Hugs-Erika (Oh my the pot in my post actually cleaned up really well after I left it to soak overnight.)
Good morning Elizabeth, awesome tutorial-I agree with you these types of veggies especially homegrown will hide many little bugs and the broccoli from the garden always has little green worms too.
we love a little cheese as well on veggies. thank you so much for sharing with us on Food Wednesedays
I love your steamy photo!!! ☺☺ The combination of Colby and Monterey Jack!!! That sounds yummy! You've reminded me I need to make some more Colby! Thanks for your sweet words Elizabeth! You just posted what I ate for lunch pretty much every day during the decade of the 1990's! Seriously! And there are NO uneaten portions when cheese is involved! Good luck with your broccoli seeds. Mine have all popped up! This will be my first year growing them as well, so I'm hoping they will enjoy my raised beds at the end of the month! ☺
Hmmm, this dish wouldn't fly here. Himself won't eat cauliflower, and I don't like cheese. We're sort of the reverse of the nursery rhyme couple Jack Sprat and his wife. 😸
You reminded me of Jinx... any time we were eating cheese he would sit on our shoulders like a vulture wanting a piece...lol Love your recipe and good luck with your broccoli seeds! Happy Food Wednesday! Hugs! deb
I enjoyed seeing the way you make your perfect broccoli and cauliflower with cheese! Hope youbwill share your progress with the broccoli seeds sounds exciting to me!
You've got my taste buds humming, dear Elizabeth. I'd have a problem going vegan too, though I admire those who are.
Take special care.
same here Elizabeth; but not vegan either. If I had to give up my mozzarella cheese ya might as well put me to my grave !!! oh, and homemade buttermilk ranch dressing !!! it's a staple :) ♥♥
what's not to love about melted cheese on veggies:). Colby jack is a fave in our house too:) Thanks also for telling me about Rain's link up on Thursdays. Much appreciated.
Cauliflower and broccoli with melted cheese on top just sounds delicious. And so easy to make.
Woah, you have the same plastic problem we have. Yours is even worse, sometimes I get cauliflower I can actually see cause there is no plastic.
Isn´t it sad?! All that plastic and you wash the stuff later anyways!
Birds eat leaves? I´ll take care of that, thank you for the info!
The city here provides bins for this, otherwise.
Hmmmm, the cheese, YUM, this looks like a great meal - good luck with the Broccoli!
Healthy post ..xx
Broccli, califlower and cheese. Heaven 😊
Much💛love
I like both broccoli and cauliflower, but I eat them raw or steam them without cheese. I do like cheese, though. yummy :)
I am on my way over to have dinner with you. This is my kind of food. Yummmm have a great day.
I never been a fan of broccoli, but I find them quite beautiful to look at. :)
delicious looking post! My friend is growing purple sprouting broccoli on her allotment and it has been devoured by bunnies - so if you grow it I hope you can keep them away! Broccoli is delicious - I like it in stir frys :)
This looks delicious.
What? Bleubeard doesn't like veggies? I have a kitty (Buffy) who will steal salad right off of my plate if I don't watch her. She was dumped as a kitten and I think she must have supplemented her food with greens outside just to survive. But some canned variety of cat food include greens. He doesn't know what he is missing. So Cauliflower and Broccoli are a favorite of mine ... I usually stir fry it in olive oil with orange or lemon tofu. There's my protein and my veggie, then all I need is a carb ... This was a fun post and I am sure joining two challenge blogs together is totally acceptable and you really pulled it off. I hope you will keep us posted on growing broccoli from seed ... fingers crossed :)Good to see you, Elizabeth!
Andrea @ From the Sol
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