Cheese Sauce for Broccoli

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a large bowl of bright green steamed broccoli topped with cheddar cheese sauce and salt and pepper

This easy 7 Ingredient Cheese Sauce for Broccoli recipe is the recipe that will help picky eaters like vegetables! It is so simple to make and one secret tip keeps the cheese sauce smooth and never clumpy! It goes wonderfully with freshly steamed broccoli for that classic side dish everyone loves.

Broccoli Recipes for Picky Eaters

Do you remember years and years ago on that Broccoli Salad post where I chatted about Cade surprising me by cooking a delicious steak dinner and how that was the first time I ate and enjoyed broccoli? Ever since posting about that broccoli he made me, I have received a crazy amount of emails asking for the recipe for his broccoli cheese sauce.

I feel really guilty about taking so long to write about it but Cade never measures so it took some time to figure out exactly what the recipe was. So, without any further babbling, here it is. From the man who didn’t even eat it that first night because it wasn’t healthy and he didn’t eat junk. (I’ve since cured him of that. You’re welcome.)

Ingredients for Cheese Sauce with Broccoli

This is a no roux cheese sauce meaning we aren’t using flour or butter. Here is everything you’ll need:

  • Sharp Cheddar Cheese: The star of the sauce! Sharp cheddar will give the most bold cheesy flavor. Buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself for the best meltiness.
  • Cornstarch: Toss the grated cheese in cornstarch to help thicken the cheese sauce as the cheese melts. Cornstarch also helps with the emulsion of the cheese and milk. Flour can also be used, but by using cornstarch, you keep the sauce gluten free.
  • Evaporated Milk: Acts as the base for the creamy cheese sauce and doesn’t have the heaviness or high fat of cream. It has less water than regular milk which helps the sauce be extra creamy.
  • Salt and Black Pepper: Adds flavor and hint of warmth.
  • Ground Mustard: Adds flavor that enhances the flavor the cheese. Mustard is also a great emulsifier which helps keep the sauce smooth.
  • Broccoli: Using fresh broccoli florets is preferred. Frozen broccoli ends up soggy and don’t hold up to the cheese sauce very well.

How to Make Homemade Cheese Sauce

  1. Toss: Add the grated cheese and cornstarch to a large bowl and toss together. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
  2. Combine: Add all the ingredients for the sauce over medium-low heat and stir to combine. Whisk until the cheese is melting and it comes to a soft boil. Then whisk constantly for 2 minutes until slightly thickened.
  3. Serve: Pour over cooked broccoli with fresh cracked pepper.

The secret for smooth chees

Harvest House Chop Salad

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I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve gone out for lunch just because I was craving this salad. Inspired by my deep love for the simple house chop served at Harvest Pizza, it was way past time for me to figure out how to make their salad at home.

Crunchy greens, tangy pepperoncini, and hearty chickpeas are tossed with a sweet Italian dressing and then sprinkled with crumbles of creamy cheese to recreate Harvest’s House Chop Salad.

colorful salad on pottery plate on wooden table

Sweet Italian Dressing

The base flavor for this salad is the sweet Italian dressing. It’s a smooth, sweet cousin to the zesty Italian dressing that is a staple in my kitchen. It’s bright, sweet, and tangy with lemon, Dijon, and garlic flavors in each bite and just a tiny hint of heat from the red pepper.

Salad Happiness

I’m thrilled to tell you that this salad is a spot-on match for the salad we enjoy so much at Harvest Pizza. And I’m able to make it every day at home now. It feels a bit like my salad-loving heart has found an early Christmas present.

overhead shot of chopped salad in mixing bowl with wooden utensils

What is a Chopped Salad?

The idea behind the popular chopped salads is that each bite will include a little bit of everything, with no need to cut anything further while eating. The key to a great chopped salad is to cut, slice, or chop every ingredient roughly the same size. The greens are usually cut to approxim

Creamy Garlic Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower with Bacon

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Creamy Garlic Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower with Bacon

a photo of someone scooping out a bite of creamy garlic parmesan broccoli and cauliflower

This indulgent Creamy Garlic Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower with Bacon makes the most amazing side dish. It’s a one skillet recipe filled with tender cauliflower and vibrant broccoli simmering in a creamy garlic sauce topped off with gooey cheese and crispy bacon! I can’t wait for dinner!

Upgrade your vegetable game with this delicious and easy recipe for creamy garlic parmesan broccoli and cauliflower topped with crispy bacon. Perfect for an easy side dish or even as a meal on its own.

Ingredients for Creamy Garlic Parmesan Broccoli and Cauliflower

There is so much flavor and creaminess packed into this dish, it almost seems like you aren’t even eating vegetables! Haha! Not that eating vegetables is bad! I love vegetables! But load them up with bacon and garlic and all sorts of cheese and even my picky kiddos eat them! Here is everything you need:

  • Bacon: I found thick bacon worked the best, but it adds a lot of grease so make sure you follow the recipe and remove some before adding the butter.
  • Butter: I prefer unsalted so that I can control the saltiness a little more.
  • Onions: Regular yellow onion is great.
  • Broccoli and Cauliflower Florets: The stars of the dish!
  • Garlic: adds flavor
  • Kosher Salt: adds flavor
  • Aleppo Pepper: Aleppo Pepper is a must on top. That tiny fleck of sweet heat takes this dish to a whole new level. It’s not spicy, but it adds that wonderful flavor like a spice would.
  • Heavy Cream: adds all the rich creaminess to the sauce
  • Lemon Juice: adds a pop of freshness that takes this dish to a new level
  • Mozzarella Cheese and Parmesan Cheese: We tried other cheeses like monterey jack and cheddar but the flavor was off with the garlic.

How to Make Creamy Broccoli and Cauliflower

Let’s walk through each step of making this indulgent vegetables dish

  1. Cook: Fry the bacon until crispy in an oven safe pan over medium heat. Once cooked, remove the bacon from the pan to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain most of the bacon grease.
  2. Preheat: start the broiler
  3. Sauté: Melt the butter in the skillet and add the onions. Cook it until transparent stirring occasionally.
  4. Add: Place the broccoli, cauliflower and garlic and season with salt and pepper and toss everything together. Cook until the broccoli is bright green and fork tender.
  5. Simmer: Pour the cream in and then reduce the heat to medium low and let it summer until the sauce thickens.
    • N

Easy Ground Beef Vegetable Soup

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Easy Ground Beef Vegetable Soup

a large bot of ground beef vegetable soup topped with minced fresh parsley with a wooden spoon in the bowl

This Easy Ground Beef Vegetable Soup, or commonly called Hamburger Soup, is the perfect easy soup recipe for a busy day. Our 30 minute soup recipe is a flavorful ground beef based soup loaded with vegetables, lean ground beef, diced tomatoes and potatoes. It’s a one-pot dinner that makes it an easy cozy soup recipe!

Hamburger Soup is a quick and easy ground beef recipe, but don’t worry, as simple as it is to make, it’s still packed with flavor. And best of all, it hits 5 major wins:

  1. It’s great made ahead of time
  2. Totally budget friendly
  3. A one pot meal
  4. Reheats well, even better than day 1
  5. AND freezes perfectly!

Mom’s Wisdom

One of the first things I learned when I got married was that my mom’s budget-food recipes she sent me off to college with were exactly what I needed as a busy newlywed as well. Easy beef vegetable soup is a filling and inexpensive recipe that makes life so much easier when you’re trying to get dinner on the table.

Mom taught me that homemade soups are super easy to throw together and they’re much tastier than store-bought canned soup, plus healthier too. I like to make a double batch so I can eat one and freeze one!

Carrian’s Tips

If you’re not in a hurry, reduce the broth. Letting the broth simmer and reduce for 30-35 minutes or even all afternoon will concentrate the flavors and slightly thicken the soup.

Taste for seasoning OFTEN. Taste the broth as some broths are extra salty. After adding all of the ingredients, taste it again before serving. This is where you can bring a little personality with smoked paprika, extra salt, hot sauce etc. to make it to your liking.

Ingredients for Ground Beef and Vegetable Soup

  • Olive Oil: Used to sauté the onion, garlic, and veggies. It adds flavor and helps everything soften before the broth goes in.
  • White Onion: Builds the savory flavor base for the soup. Onions add natural sweetness and depth.
  • Ground Beef: The hearty protein that makes this soup filling and comforting. Browning it first adds rich flavor. We use 90/10.
  • Garlic: Adds aromatic depth and classic savory notes that round out the broth.
  • Carrots: Add sweetness, color, and texture while bringing natural balance to the savory beef.
  • Celery: Contributes a mild, earthy flavor that pairs with onion and

Sriracha Honey Roasted Green Beans

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Fresh green beans are tossed with Sriracha, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil and then roasted to hot, crisp perfection to create these immensely snackable spicy green beans.

photo of sriracha green beans in serving dish

Spicy Green Beans

This green beans inspired by one of our long-time favorite broccoli recipes, and this was an excellent idea, let me tell you. If you’re bored with the usual green beans you make, give these a try!

The awesomeness of these spicy green beans is in the glaze. It’s a simple combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, and of course, a squeeze of Sriracha. If you aren’t a fan of much heat, go easy on the hot sauce. If you’re like my boys, make it a generous squeeze and enjoy the sweet-heat.

roasted green beans on metal pan

The glaze here hits every note: salty, savory, sweet, and spicy. As the beans roast, they’ll develop a little char on their edges while soaking up all that sauce, making them impossible to resist.

They’re bold enough to stand out next to the main dish, but I’m telling you from personal experience, they’re irresistible on their own, straight off the pan. I have to practice some serious restraint to make sure there will be enough left to serve with our meal whenever I make these.

Sweet and Spicy Green Beans

I have served these green beans with pan fried chicken and roasted sweet potato bites. I’ve also served them with these garlic mashed potatoes and the barbecue bacon meatloaf that my kids adore.

There just isn’t a wrong way to serve these sweet and spicy green beans. And I need to make another batch soon, since

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