Cauliflower au Gratin

Got this recipe from my Mother who got it from Easy French Food. Added more to the butter, flour and milk, but the rest is the same. It was very good, served with fresh salmon sauteed in dill butter with a sliced of roasted cheese peppercorn bread from Trader Joe's. A great and quick meal. We were visiting my new and first Grandson today, had not eaten since breakfast so this really tasted great!

Cauliflower Au Gratin
Gratin de chou-fleur

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cup milk
6 ounces shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese
Grated nutmeg to taste
Pepper to taste

1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and steam until just fork tender (about five minutes in the microwave).
2. Prepare a bechamel sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook on low heat stirring for several minutes, or until the roux just starts to brown. Whisk in the milk gradually to form a smooth sauce. Warm until just simmering.
3. Remove the sauce from the heat and gradually stir in about half of the cheese, the pepper and the nutmeg.
4. Place the steamed cauliflower in a buttered baking dish or sprayed with non-fat spray and cover evenly with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 25 minutes at 350°F or until golden brown.

Makes 6 servings.

Bon Appetit!

Mexico - Spicy Black Beans, Bell Peppers & Rice

This dish is from bon appetit, Tastes of the World, a small paperback cookbook I received for renewing my annual magazine subscription. I modified it slightly but it is true to the original. My version is below. It is spicy, with a lot of flavor, this is a nice side dish or good vegetarian main course, it has just the right amount of "kick" Stays well in the fridge and can be served with a number of entrees or by itself.

Ingredients

Olive Oil

1 large chopped onion

1 each diced red & green bell pepper

3 large cloves garlic, minced or through garlic press

1 T Cumin

1 t Oregano

1 small can green chilies

2 15-16 oz black beans. ( I used 1 each of Trader Joe Organic and Cuban-style black beans)

2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes with juice

1/4 C Orange Juice

1 1/2 C cooked rice. (I used Trader Joe's pre-cooked brown rice)

1/ 1/2 t favorite hot sauce. (I used Sriracha Chili Sauce from Huy Fong Foods, Los Angeles, CA, $2.50 for a large bottle at Wal*Mart, look for the Rooster, there was a very nice article about this sauce in the New York Times 5/20/2009)

To prepare:

Add oil to large skillet, heat:add onion, peppers, chilies, garlic, cumin, and oregano, saute until soft, about 8 minutes. Mash 1/2 cup of the beans, use large spoon in a bowl. Add the mashed beans, remaining beans, tomatoes, OJ and hot pepper sauce, bring to a boil, stir frequently, reduce and simmer for 15 minutes, uncover to thicken sauce, serve on rice.

Bon Appetit!