The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

I'm sure you have noticed, I don't have many vegetable recipes in my column. I have mentioned before, I prefer my vegetables plain with a little salt. Joe sneaks butter on them unless I catch him first. This may be because my mom was not an adventurous cook.

So I was pleased when Katie Leid shared this with me. Her husband, Wes, a supportive fan, lets me know when they have tried recipes and encourages me to do a cookbook.

INGREDIENTS:

4 Tbsp butter

4 Tbsp flour

1 (3 oz) cream cheese

1 ½ to 2 cups of Half & Half (she used fat free)

¼ to ½ cup Alouette (garlic and herb)

Splash of sherry (optional)

3 small heads broccoli, (cut into small pieces, cooked and drained) Can use 2 small packages of frozen broccoli

½ c. Ritz Crackers, crushed (about 15)

¼ c. butter, melted

DIRECTIONS:

Grease a 1 quart casserole dish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare broccoli and set aside. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in medium frying (or sauce) pan, take off burner and blend in 4 tablespoons of flour. Stir until well blended and place back on heat (mixture should be thick). Slowly stir in half & half and cheeses and heat until mixture boils. (A whisk works great.) Stir in broccoli and mix. Set aside.

Crush crackers and melt butter, add together. Transfer the broccoli mixture into the quart casserole dish and top with cracker mixture.

Option-she suggested one could crumble two Red Lobster biscuits on the bottom of the dish for a richer, thicker mixture

Bake for 30 minutes.

MY NOTES:

Not having made this yet, I can see cooked rice on the bottom of the dish or beside this dish, and served with a nice meat entrée.

I have not used Alouette so I asked. It's a creamy, spreadable cheese that comes in different flavors. I think it's pretty common and found in most stores.

Also, I have substituted Cheez-Its when a recipe has called for crushed crackers.

ENJOY and thanks for the share, Katie!