Cauliflower Cheese Casserole

I love all kinds of food, but Thanksgiving dinner is my all-time favorite. I’m not sure if it’s the food itself or spending time with family and friends, but I just love it. It’s probably a mix of both. I particularly love to host and have amassed quite a collection of great recipes over the years. I just discovered this Cauliflower Cheese Casserole a couple months ago from Louanne’s Kitchen. It’s now on my list of must-make Thanksgiving recipes. Though I’m not hosting this year, I’m definitely making this to share!

If you’re looking to add something a little healthier to complement you meal, this Cauliflower rice casserole is the perfect side for you. But don’t worry, it’s not so healthy that it doesn’t have bacon and cheese! And don’t let the cauliflower scare you off… it’s a great alternative to potatoes. EVEN MY KIDS LIKE IT!

The only thing that I will add here is that if you follow this recipe exactly, you get a reeeaaaaalllly cheesy casserole. Though many of you may love that, it was a bit too cheesy for me. Now when I make this, I either double the amount of cauliflower used or I just half the amount of cheese.

Update 6/4/2015: Reducing the cream cheese and each of the shredded cheeses to 6 oz is just perfect for us! But really, any way you make it, it’s a keeper!

I’ve been informed that the link to the recipe is no longer working, so I removed the broken link and added the original recipe here:

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Louanne’s Kitchen’s Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

brought to you by: happyvballgirl @ My Epicurean Adventures

Ingredients

• 2 lbs cauliflower florets
• 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
• 8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese divided
• 8 oz block cream cheese softened
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 bunches green onions sliced (1 1/2 cups)
• 6 sliced bacon cooked and crumbled
• 1 clove garlic grated
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Steam cauliflower florets until tender.
3. While cauliflower steams, cream together 6 oz of the shredded cheddar, 6 oz of the Monterey Jack, cream cheese and heavy cream.
4. Stir in sliced green onions, chopped bacon and garlic and set aside.
5. Drain any liquid from steamed cauliflower and add hot cauliflower to cheese mixture.
6. Stir cauliflower and cheese mixture together.
7. Taste for seasoning and add as necessary.
8. If you want a finer texture, give a few mashes with a potato masher.
9. Pour into a 2-3 quart casserole and sprinkle on remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.

10. Cover dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is brown and bubbly.

11. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

If you follow this recipe exactly, you get a reeealllly cheesy casserole. Though many of you may love that, it was a bit too cheesy for me, so when I make this, I either double the amount of cauliflower used (ie 2 heads instead of 1) or I just half the amount of cheese for 1 head of cauliflower.

Actually, I’ve found that reducing the cream cheese to 6 oz and each of the shredded cheeses to 6 oz is just perfect for us! But really, any way you make it, it’s a keeper!

Here is a pre-oven picture. Looks good enough to eat as is, if you ask me!

Forgot the right-out-of-the-oven pic, but I was able to snap this up!! Doesn’t it look just perfect against these cloth napkins I just made for a craft show I took part in?

Come visit my Facebook page where, over the next couple weeks, I’ll be posting my favorite Thanksgiving recipes that I’ve been making over the past many many years. 🙂 or find some them here on my blog by clicking here: More Thanksgiving Recipes from My Epicurean Adventures. Happy cooking (and eating)!!! 🙂

Thanks so much for stopping by! Feel free to make my day by leaving me a comment, following my blog via email, Facebook or Instagram. The more the merrier, of course!

Christine, aka happyvballgirl : )

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