In the Kitchen: Cauliflower Gratin

In December, my in-laws came from Boston to visit us and help us celebrate our first Christmas in Chicago.  We laughed, played Catchphrase about a hundred times (us girls kept winning!), and ate a delicious Christmas dinner courtesy of Katie, my brother-in-law's lovely lady.  She made a spiral ham, yams with a hint of orange, and green beans, but my favorite part of the meal was the cauliflower.  It was AMAZING!  So amazing, in fact, that I actually went to Katie's recipe blog, The Gypsy Kitchen, and MADE the cauliflower gratin myself.  If you know me, you know I hate cooking so the fact that I even looked at the recipe is a miracle in and of itself.

both Katie and I forgot to take pics so this one is from another food blog

Cauliflower is a great substitute for mashed potatoes and can be spiced up a variety of ways.  Though I've had mashed cauliflower before, cauliflower gratin is definitely my fave.  Check out Katie's recipe below (see my notes in red) or head over to The Gypsy Kitchen to see more jaw-dropping recipes.


Cauliflower Gratin 
*serves 6

Whatcha Need:

• 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into large florets
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup shredded white cheddar *we used colby jack and yellow cheddar since that's what we had in the fridge. tasted the same
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

How to Make it Happen:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 6 minutes and drain. Cauliflower should still be firm. 

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. (it took about 10 minutes for mine to boil.  don't know if I was doing it wrong or if this is normal) Boil, whisking constantly, for about 1 minute, or until thickened. Turn off the heat and add add salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the cheddar, and all of the Parmesan.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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I'm not a good cook but thanks to Purpose Design, I could be!  Purpose Design makes spice kits and rubs guaranteed to add zest and flavor to any meal.  Each spice comes in a cute, magnetic container that can easily stick to any metal surface.  There are several options to choose from including an everyday spice kit great for newlyweds and beginning cooks (like myself), Thai and Indian spice kits for those into ethnic cousine, and BBQ rubs for summer cookouts.  You can even give a 6-month subscription to your favorite friends - each month they'll get a gift box set of 8 spices.  Yum!

If you're not into cooking, try a chai tea kit or a set of coasters.  Or better yet, head over to Purpose Design's Spice Lab where they have great recipes for you to try using their spices.  The Indian Butter Chicken is calling my name!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know you've already made (or defrosted!) your Thanksgiving dessert but I just HAD to share this with you...

I was browsing Flickr for Thanksgiving inspiration when I came across what could be the most delicious dessert EVER!! This pumpkind gingerbread trifle was made by Jade19721 as an alternative to pumpkin pie. It definitely works for me!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

• 2 (14-ounce) packages gingerbread mix
• 1 (5.1-ounce) package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (30-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping
• 1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Bake the gingerbread according to the package directions; cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamom into the pudding.

Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping.

Sprinkle the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be layered in a punch bowl.