Child of the Wild Blue Yonder: broccoli cheddar

Cheddar Broccoli Potatoes au Gratin

Some days aren't perfect; everyone gets bummed out every once in a while. It might be work, or the weather, or maybe your apartment gets little to no natural light. Whatever the reason, sometimes life gets you down, and all you want is a little comfort... food. Luckily for me, searching through my cabinets, I stumbled upon a can of cream of broccoli. Instantly, I felt inspiration.
Broccoli Cheddar Soup, to me, is the most comforting meal I can think of. As good as broccoli cheddar soup is, this recipe is not that... this recipe is more comforting, and hearty than that!

What You'll Need:

-3 Cloves Garlic, minced

-1 Large Head of Broccoli, cut into florets

-6 Large Red Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" rounds

-10 1/2 oz Can Cream of Broccoli

-1/4 Cup Milk

-1/4 tsp Salt

-Pinch Black Pepper

-1.5 Cups Sharp Cheddar

-Paprika, for garnish (optional)

1. After the veggies are prepped, pre-heat the oven to 375º F. In a bowl, mix together the minced garlic, salt, pepper, milk and cream of broccoli.

2. In a 2.2 QT casserole dish, arrange the potatoes in a single layer, overlapping ever so slightly. Use half of the cream of broccoli mixture, and spread it evenly over the potatoes. Add half of the cheddar cheese, and half of the broccoli.

3. Add one more layer of potatoes, cream of broccoli, broccoli, and the cheddar cheese. Make sure that the broccoli is even with the layer of potatoes and the cheese covers the top layer almost completely.

4. Bake in the oven for about 40-50 minutes. Rotating the dish at least once to ensure that it cooks evenly. Garnish with paprika for a pretty red tint. :)