Cheesy Vegetable Surprise

Tonight’s Dinner: Grilled Sirloin Steak, Hearty Mashed Potatoes and Cheesy Veggie Surprise (pardon the overcooked steak!)

I finally got to try the recipe I found while browsing the FullTime Moms Facebook Page.  The recipe created by Chef Ed Quimson was a perfect way to get my toddlers to finish their vegetables without much whining.  Although the tots do love to eat vegetables, they sometimes get tired of the usual menu in our house.  This cheesy vegetable surprise is something I haven’t tried before but I was confident they would eat their meal with gusto because of the cheese.

BROCCOLI, CARROTS and QUICKMELT CHEESE

CARROT SAUCE

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup butter

200 grams white onions, chopped

dash salt

1 piece laurel leaf

1 kilo carrots, shredded

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup milk

PROCEDURE

In a sauce pan, heat olive oil and butter.

Sauté onions until translucent then add laurel.

Put in the chicken broth and milk.  Stir over low heat until smooth and bubbly.

Add the carrots, simmer while stirring constantly until cooked.

Puree the sauce in a blender until smooth.

Heat until thickened or reduced.

PROCEDURE:

Blanch broccoli and cauliflower in boiling water.

In a mold, layer broccoli and cauliflower.

Pour in carrot sauce.

Top with quickmelt cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes at 350F.

broccoli and cauliflower – the nutritious surprise

carrot sauce seems to be lacking in carrots

yummy quickmelt cheese!!!

I’m sure Chef Ed’s finished product was utterly delicious ’cause mine didn’t turn out that bad. Considering that I’m a novice in the kitchen, my version of it still turned out quite edible – yummy even, for my 4-year-old niece.  Mine ended up watery, so I guess I should have drained the vegetables well after blanching.  Or maybe this could be because I baked it in an oven toaster as I had no conventional oven.

My toddlers finished their meal so I surmise that it tastes good enough for them, too.  My husband found it too rich and said that it was a meal for kids.  I found the carrot sauce really delicious.  It could even be eaten all on its own – like soup.  This recipe is something I would be working on hoping that I could cook it perfectly someday.  I think that squash could even be substituted for the carrots and other vegetables added too.  But experimenting on the recipe would have to wait until I’m able to make that perfect Broccoli, Carrots and Quickmelt.