Cheesy Vegetable Bake - Special Occasion or Brunch Vegetables
Cheesy Vegetable Casserole Bake
This is a terrific recipe for special occasions, brunch or to contribute to a potluck as a side dish. I've never had such a satisfying and tasty vegetable dish. It could become a main one-dish meal simply by dicing up some ham or other meat and adding that to the casserole before popping it into the oven. Either way, my guess is that once you try it, this will become a go-to recipe for your special meals.
Serves: 6-8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Suggested Tools:
· 2 ½ to 3-quart casserole dish (no lid needed)
. 9 x 14-inch baking pan
(used for water bath)
. Cutting board
. Large skillet
· Large bowl
. Measuring cups
. Measuring spoons
· Stir spoon
· Paring knife
. Sharp large knife
. Vegetable peeler
. Whisk or fork
· Spatula
Ingredients:
. 3 cups (about ½ pound) broccoli flowerets, cut to 1- inch pieces or less
. 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced to bite-size or ½ inch pieces or less
. ½ cup yellow or white onion, peeled and chopped well
. 1 cup red pepper (optional) – cut to ½ inch bite size pieces or less
. 7 eggs
. ½ pound cheddar cheese, shredded
. ½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
. 1 ¼ cup milk or half-n-half (I used half-n-half in this version, though I’ve used regular milk in the past).
. 2 tablespoons butter
. 2 tablespoons olive oil
. 2 tablespoons Worchester sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, finely minced
. ½ teaspoons dill, crushed a bit in your hands or mortar and pestle
. 1 teaspoon celery salt
. salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
1. Begin by chopping all the vegetables and set them aside separately. Then, melt the butter and oil in a medium skillet on medium-low heat.
2. Add the broccoli and sauté briefly. Add the carrots and sauté briefly. Continue cooking and stirring the vegetables another five minutes. [You do this step because these vegetables take longer to cook than the others that follow].
3. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper (if any) and stir.
4. Add to the vegetables, the Worchester sauce, celery salt, dill and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the skillet with a lid, Keep the stove heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. Turn the heat off and set the skillet aside to allow the vegetables to cool somewhat. [You need the vegetables to cool somewhat before you add the eggs so that the eggs don't begin cooking in the vegetables just yet].
5. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and milk with a whisk or fork to combine well. Add the cheese and vegetables to the eggs and milk mixture; then stir to combine all.
6. Prepare the casserole dish by spraying non-stick spray or wipe with oil or butter.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and level out the top of the mixture. Then in a 9x14 size (or similar size) baking pan, add hot water to a depth of about an inch. Place the casserole dish into the water bath pan.
8. Bake at a 350-degree pre-heated oven for 60 minutes or until a skewer or knife is inserted in the center and it comes out clean.
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