Recipe Review: Whole Foods Broccoli, Rice & Cheese Casserole

Happy Sunday! I'm not watching Revenge, I don't really care about the SAG awards, or the Pro Bowl... and Downton Abbey is over. So here we are. Bridesmaids is on HBO and I'm blogging about food during that scene... you know the one. Maybe not the best for blogging about food. I'm a trooper though, and I had a great weekend, so let's do this.

This is what I say to myself when I try to budget.

 I have been craving broccoli, rice & cheese casserole, BUT almost every recipe you look for calls for processed cheese. Processed cheese is a cheese product made from regular cheese, and almost always with the addition of whey, emulsifiers, milk, salts, preservatives, and food coloring. We are all familiar with processed cheese (also called "Cheese Product", "Cheese Food", "Process Cheese", and "prepared cheese" since it can't legally be called "cheese".) I downed Kraft Singles as a kid and I'm not sure if I know of a way to make queso that doesn't involve velvetta. Both of these are "Cheese Food." Am I against cheese food? No. But if I can find an alternative to it, I prefer to use that. Then I'll save all of my processed cheese points for when someone wants to make crock pot queso. To be honest, the more processed something is, the less I want to eat it. If there is an alternative that is closer to the actual ingredients, go for that. For more info on the ingredient list for Kraft Singles, see this little blurb from Fooducate.

I did a little google search for "Broccoli cheese casserole without processed cheese" and a few different recipes popped up. One from Whole Foods seemed pretty easy to follow with ingredients I had on hand. As much as I tried not to, I made a few changes to the recipe as I went along. The Whole Foods recipe had 3/5 stars so I figured maybe I should see what could be done. 

The recipe started with toasting a cup of jasmine rice in a pot with a little bit of EV Olive Oil.Then you add in water & salt, bring it to a boil and let it do it's magical rice thing. I like to usually make my rice with chicken stock instead of water, but I didn't have any. After I added in the water I stirred in a teaspoon of better than bouillon chicken to give it a bit of flavor. Before I forget, preheat the oven to 350.

Rice Toasting

Bouillon Stirring

Ready Rice!

 Next I used my fancy little slap chop to make some finely chopped onions. L really enjoyed this whole process and asked for a repeat well after the onion was chopped. Kids. Then I sauteed the onions in a pan with EV Olive Oil.

Props to that Pampered Chef party in 2005. The Slap Chop is still going strong.

Sauteed

 I already had my broccoli prepped and my onions cooked much faster than I anticipated (thanks to all of that slap chopping) so I threw in the broccoli after only a couple of minutes.

2.5 C of Broccoli

Toss the Broccoli in with the onions.

 I looked and looked for a non condensed Cream of Mushroom soup. I found a "Semi Condensed" version and it was better than fully condensed so I went with it.

 I added the rice into the onion and broccoli mixture, followed by the soup, salt, fresh ground pepper, and a teaspoon of garlic powder. The garlic powder is not on the original recipe. 

Last I added the cheese. I probably did 3/4 cups instead of 1/2 cup. It's cheese. I was not having the processed version so I added a little in.

Extreme Close Up

 Because the soup was semi condensed, I added in about 2 tablespoons of water to the bottom of the pan. The casserole was supposed to be "Bubbly" when it was ready and there was not going to be any bubbly at this point. I poured the water in at the corners so it would seep underneath and not screw with the top of the casserole. Tips to live by. 

Casserole in pan

Sprinkled with cheese

In the oven at 350 for 25 minutes.

 Then it was done. We had it for dinner tonight with some rotisserie chicken. I thought it was really good. It definitely hit the spot where my craving was concerned, but was not the exact same flavor. Was it something that left me speechless? No. But I would say for a healthier version of a very sinful treat, it was really good. Probably a 4/5 stars. I used Sharp Cheddar instead of regular, because I prefer the extra bit of flavor. Here's an extreme cheese closeup of the finished product.

YUMMMMMM

Full pan casserole pornography.

Like I said, this was a great healthier version of one of my favorite casserole treats. I will definitely make it again. S really liked it too. It was quick, the ingredients are inexpensive, and it was easy. Next time I might try to see if I can do a version with brown rice and make it even a little bit more better for you (and me). I'll report back when I get motivated.

Dinner tomorrow: Rosemary Lobster Tails. We've been there before. I'm excited to go there again. Maybe a side of Broccoli, Rice & Cheese Casserole. The possibilities are endless!

- RT

Whole Foods Broccoli, Rice and Cheese Casserole
(can be made Gluten Free, Wheat Free, and Vegetarian) - I did none of that.This is the original recipe. I added in the Chicken Bouillon, Garlic Powder, and used Sharp Cheddar Cheese. All of that is included above.

Ingredients: 

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
• Salt to taste
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 cups small broccoli florets
• 1 (15 ounce) can regular or gluten-free ready-to-eat (not condensed) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste 

Method: 

Grease a 7- x 11-inch baking dish with olive oil cooking spray; set aside.

Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until translucent and toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water and salt and bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Set pot aside off of the heat for 5 minutes, then uncover, fluff with a fork and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add cooked rice, then stir in soup, 1/2 cup of the cheese, salt and pepper.

Transfer rice mixture to prepared baking dish and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over the top. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.

 

Nutritional Info: 

Per Serving:230 calories (120 from fat), 13g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 20mg cholesterol, 680mg sodium, 20g carbohydrate (1g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 8g protein

Special Diets: 

• Gluten Free
• Vegetarian
• Sugar Conscious
• Wheat Free

Hurricanes, Tropical Storms & Shrimp Stir Fry

Gulf Coast living is the hurricane life. Most of my hurricane seasons growing up were spent just 70 miles away from the Gulf of Mexico. Then I decided to go to college in New Orleans, located on the gulf AND below sea level. Maybe I just love a good Hurricane Party. Well, there is really no maybe about that.

My first hurricane party was actually a Tropical Storm party. It was pretty appropriate since I was only seven when Tropical Storm Allison came to Texas. This party involved a sleeping pallet in the closet under the stairs. Pretty much the coolest thing ever when you are 7. 

Hurricane Lili headed toward Louisiana in the fall of 2002 and we bought as much alcohol as we could find, stocked up at Whole Foods and had a giant sleepover at 900A. FANTASTIC. We watched the weather channel until the power went out and didn't go to sleep until the eye passed through. It was a cat one. Nothing to worry over. 

This is what a hangover looks like.

In 2005, one month after Katrina (a serious hurricane that is not to be made fun of), I was living in Texas with E (she's a BFC member) and Hurricane Rita was heading our way. Everyone lost their freaking MINDS. People in Houston kind of forgot that we weren't a city below sea level that was surrounded by levees that could breach. Subsequently, every single person in the fourth largest city in the United States, tried to GET OUT. JJ (who is the same person as E) and I just decided to make some Hurricanes with rum and everclear, take a little nap, and then head 40 miles north to my parent's house. Those 40 miles took about 4 hours. THEN we had another more formal hurricane party with Mexican Martinis and dinner at the dining room table. Our apartment in Houston never lost power. 

Best Friends' Club. BFC por vida

In aught 2008, the year of my marriage, Hurricane Ike was upon us. S & I hosted a hurricane party at our place. This was an amazing party.. we fired up the grill, had friends and neighbors empty their freezers and bars and head on over. And it was FANTASTIC. The next day at 7pm we lost power. Then the storm came through. THEN we didn't get power again for 9 days. So the party served its purpose since we had to empty out everything else that was left in the freezer and the refrigerator and migrate around town to different guest rooms and movie theaters to keep cool. Two trees fell on my parent's house (thankfully no one there was hurt) but we knew plenty of other people who were hurt. Having a hurricane party isn't making light of a hurricane and how dangerous it is, it's a way for people who are going to ride it out to come together and make the best of a serious situation. I'm not pro hurricane, but if there is going to be a hurricane anyway, why not have a party?

Now here comes Isaac, but he's not going to be a Texas mother.. shut yo mouth! Hopefully he will be kind to my dearest Big Easy, but he is not so tough and I know NOLA can handle that. I think back on all of the Hurricane/Tropical Storm Parties in all of the different stages of my life and I'm pretty sure if I had one now it would look a lot different. Hurricane supplies now include things like powdered milk and toddler appropriate food. If we stay up all night grilling venison and drinking wine, Landon won't get the memo. She doesn't like sleeping in.

So if anyone is over in NOLA (and I know they are) waiting on Isaac today, grilling up some freezer goods and drinking bloody mary's, just know that I'm a little jealous of the good times had before the storm. I am not at all jealous of the after storm experience. Don't be idiots and you should be just fine.

In honor of the gulf coast and swirling winds, I'm going to talk Shrimp Stir Fry.

I had about a pound of 20 count shrimp. I took it out and brought it to room temp in a bowl while marinating it in  the juice of 1.5 lemons, and the zest of one lemon, plus some soy sauce, fresh ground pepper and kosher sea salt.

Shrimp Marinade Items

Marinade and Shrimp Combined in the bowl.

 I let the shrimp sit out in the marinade for about 30 minutes while I prepped the rest of the items for dinner.

Vegetable are good for you

I washed the broccoli and cut off the florets. Then I put the stir fry pan on the stove over medium heat to warm it up. Since the broccoli takes longer than the shrimp to cook, it went in first. I sliced a few cloves of garlic and chopped half an onion and threw it in with some grape seed oil. After about a minute we added the broccoli with some sesame oil and oyster sauce.

Action shot

While the broccoli was cooking I put some Japanese buckwheat noodles (soba) in to boil. When the broccoli started to get the bright green color, we added in the shrimp and covered the pan. 

Yamaimo Soba

These noodles take just a few minutes to cook.

Bright green - ready for shrimp.

Shrimp and broccoli, stirring and happy together.

 The shrimp just takes a few minutes. You can tell my the consistency when it is ready. The tails will become more pink and curl. Then you'll want to pull it off the head so they don't get too tough. Overcooked shrimp = tough and chewy. Noodles in the bowl, shrimp and broccoli on top. It's just that easy.

Here is the way I do it.

Ingredients:

2 head of broccoli

1 lb of shrimp

3 cloves of garlic (sliced)

1/2 small white onion, chopped

2 lemons

soy sauce

oyster sauce

sesame oil

grapeseed oil or EV Olive Oil

Soba Noodles or brown rice

 Remove shells, tails, etc from the shrimp and marinade them in two tablespoons on lemon juice, the grated rind of one lemon, pinch of sea salt and a small pinch of fresh ground pepper. Let sit and come to room temp or if already at room temp, marinate for 10 - 15 minutes. 

Put your stir fry pan on the oven to warm up. Wash your broccoli heads and cut the florets off. Make sure the broccoli is dry before you use it. Put a couple of teaspoons of oil in the pan to coat the bottom. Next add in the garlic and the onions and cook for 1- 2 minutes over medium heat. Add broccoli and oyster sauce and sesame oil to taste. Cover and let cook, stirring every so often. 

Once the broccoli begins to turn bright green, add in the shrimp and stir together. Then cover for about a minute following by stirring until the shrimp is ready to come off. 

Cook and prepare noodles or rice according to package instructions and put the stir fry on top.

This is a very simple and straight forward meal. Once you learn how to tell when ingredients are cooked and what they look like when they are in the different stage of cooking, it's much easier to cook at home. You can time the food with your eyes. It takes some trial and error, but that is the only way you will really learn. 

For all of you party animals, here is a recipe that makes 10 - 12 servings of Rum Based Hurricanes. Share with your friends. Then you can all feel awful together the next day. 

 Good luck to everyone riding out the storm. Especially my beautiful sister K and all of my wonderful friends. Love y'all! 

-RT