Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole for Two

 This cheesy, creamy broccoli and cauliflower casserole makes the perfect side dish for any meal and it is perfectly sized for just two people! What's more it uses no cream soup.
Instead the creamy cheesy sauce is made completely from scratch. You get crispy tender cauliflower and broccoli florets, in a rich, yet simple sauce, topped with a buttery cheesy crumb.
  Broccoli and Cauliflower are two of my favorite vegetables, making this one of my favorite vegetable casseroles!  Combine that with simple methods and ingredients, and you are on to a real winner here! 
In fact I love this so much, I often eat it as my main course.  Because, although it is sized for two people, they are very generous servings. 
 Broccoli and Cauliflower were not vegetables that we ever had in our home when we were growing up. Largely because my father was not overly fond of them, and also because they were not as readily available then as they are now.
I am sure I eat one or the other of them at least two or three times a week, usually broccoli. Over in the UK we had tender stem broccoli as well as purple sprouting broccoli. I have not seen those here yet, so I expect they are not available.
 I think I was rather spoilt in the UK as far as what was available to me to use food-wise. I sort of took it for granted I'm afraid. 
With the UK being the gateway to Europe we were blessed to have some of the  nicest produce, cheeses, and meats available to us. People like to complain about English food, but really, I never found there to be anything to complain about!
 I still have yet to find Parmesan cheese that I can grate myself.  Maybe I am not looking in the right places. I am sure it is much easier in larger urban centers.
I love in a very small somewhat rural area, with a small population.  The shops tend to get in only what sells. And obviously people are more than content to use already grated cheeses. 
 Thank goodness I do have more to use than the Parmesan in the green plastic container!  That is a blessing in and of itself. But I still have only ready grated to use.  Sigh  . . . 
Oh how I miss the smell of freshly grated Parmesan and having Parmesan rinds to add to my soups and sauces.  Oh well, such is life and there are a great many other blessings I do have to enjoy.

I am really enjoying fresh local vegetable season.  I frequent a farmer's market close to my home called Gouchers and they have beautiful fruits, vegetables and even eggs, jams, jellies, and frozen meats, etc. raised and produced by local farmers. 
I have never been disappointed.  I bought my bean bacon there the other week to make my homemade beans and it was lovely. Home smoked.
 This week I bought this broccoli and cauliflower to use in this tasty and easy cheesy broccoli cauliflower casserole.
You will need to steam your vegetables. This is very easily done in a steaming basket over boiling water.  It will take about 6 minutes to get the proper crispy tender.  
 
Alternately you can boil them, which won't take quite as long, but you will really have to drain them well so your casserole doesn't end up watery.  There is nothing more unpalatable than a watery vegetable casserole.
The creamy cheesy sauce is also very easy and quick to make. I have given instructions on how to make it in a saucepan, but truth be told, I normally do it in the microwave.
 In a saucepan, if you have the burner temperature turned too high, you can end up with a sauce that scorches on the bottom if you aren't careful. You need to be constantly stirring it or else it will catch.
In the microwave there is not that problem. First I melt the butter in a large glass beaker, and then whisk in the flour.  Microwave it again for 30 seconds, I then slowly whisk in the butter.
 Return to the microwave and cook for about 3 minutes on high, whisking the sauce every 30 seconds.  Cook only until the sauce bubbles and begins to thicken.
Do keep a close watch on it and make sure you use a large enough beaker to cook it in as milk doubles in size very quickly once it boils!
 
Once the sauce is thickened you can slowly whisk in the remaining ingredients. I add the cheddar a bit at a time, whisking it in with each addition until it melts into the sauce.  If you think your sauce is too thick, you can add a bit more milk, or cream if you want a really rich sauce.
Once you have your sauce cooked, you can fold it together with your vegetables, working gently until everything is combined and then pour the whole lot into a buttered baking dish.

That crispy topping is this tasty casserole's crowning glory!  Its crispy and buttery and cheesy. Nothing complicated about it. Its just panko, melted butter and grated parmesan.
You could also use regular dry bread crumbs or even cracker crumbs. I use panko because I always have it in my kitchen, but really, just use what you have. Cornflake crumbs also work.  
That's the fun thing about cooking. I like to use simple ingredients that can easily be switched out if need be.  
I pride myself on always cooking a delicious and edible meal and this tasty casserole can be just that or at the very least a part of that!  It goes really well with chicken, fish and pork. Heck, it goes really well with anything!
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Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole

Yield: 2Author: Marie RaynerPrep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 MinCheesy, creamy broccoli and cauliflower casserole, perfectly sized for two people. A crunchy butter topping adds extra texture!

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (226g) cauliflower florets
• 1/4 pound (113g) broccoli florets
• 1 TBS butter
• 1 TBS flour
• 1 cup (240ml) milk
• 2 TBS cream cheese
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• pinch black pepper
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup (60g) grated sharp cheddar cheese

For the topping:

• 30g (1/4 cup) panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 TBS butter, melted
• 2 TBS grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375*F/ 190*C/ gas mark 5.  Butter a small shallow casserole dish or a 9 inch glass pie plate. Set aside.
2. Mix all of the ingredients for the bread crumb topping together and set aside.
3. Steam the broccoli and cauliflower in the basket of a steamer until al dente, about 6 minutes.  Set aside.
4. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute.  Slowly whisk in the milk, whisking constantly. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens.  Whisk in the cream cheese,  onion and garlic powders and seasoning. Gradually add the cheddar, whisking well after each addition.
5. Remove from the heat. Fold in the vegetables and turn the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle the crumb evenly mixture over top.  
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and bubbly.  Let stand for five minutes then serve.

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