Delicious Blue Cheese Broccoli Casserole

Kittencalskitchen's Note:

This dish has been served every year at my holiday dinner table, I double the recipe and sometimes even triple depending on how many people I have at my table, there is never anything left and I always receive rave reviews all around! --- two small cloves fresh minced garlic may also be added in and sauteed for one minute in butter before adding in the flour--- you will also find this recipe on my food blog http://kittencalskitchen.com/2009/09/15/blue-cheese-broccoli-bake/

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 4 cups fresh broccoli florets , chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• ½ cup blue cheese , crumbled (for a milder blue cheese flavor reduce to 1/4 cup)
• 1 cup milk or 1 cup half-and-half
• fresh ground black pepper (optional and to taste)
• 1 ½ cups Ritz cracker crumbs
• 6 tablespoons butter , melted

Directions:

1. Set oven to 350°F.
2. Grease a medium casserole dish.
3. Steam broccoli florets until firm-tender (about 2-3 minutes) drain well then pat dry with paper towels.
4. In a large saucepan melt 2 tbsp butter over med-low heat; add in flour and stir for 1 minute.
5. Add cream cheese, blue cheese and milk; stir over low heat until melted and smooth, then add/stir in broccoli.
6. Mix 6 tbsp melted butter with the cracker crumbs until well combined.
7. Stir in 1 cup cracker mixture into the broccoli mixture.
8. Season with black pepper if desired.
9. Pour mixture into a casserole dish.
10. Cover with foil or a lid and bake for 15 minutes.
11. Remove from oven then sprinkle the top with remaining cracker crumbs.
12. Return to oven and bake uncovered for another 15 minutes.
13. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Reviews

[Rock Star Mama]

this was seriously AMAZING. my 5-year old son who I have a hard time feeding veggies said "Mommy, can you make like 10 batches of this next week!" I thought that was so cute. & my husband said wow, this is seriously "happy" food. we served with Broiled salmon, delish

[Shaggy Red Chef]

Amazing! I doubled the blue cheese because I like it extra blue-cheesy, but once again, Kittencal has posted a winner! Funny thing is, when I first talked about making this as a side, my wife was reluctant (she's not the biggest blue cheese fan), but when I mentioned it was a KittenCal Recipezaar classic, she agreed to try it. Well, I think it is a testament to how great this recipe is that my wife will FINALLY eat something with blue cheese in it! Yummy! As a random side note, it also reheated really well, which meant tasty leftovers for work the next day. Thanks!

[Chef #1116113]

This is totally delicious! I'm not a blue cheese fan but when made according to directions, the flavor blends wonderfully. In fact, I've started adding more blue cheese just to get more of the flavor. Great recipe!! It's definitely a keeper and I'll be making this regularly!!!