Even though most of us have traditional dishes that we serve every year on Thanksgiving and through the holidays, it’s always fun to add a new dish or two to generate a little excitement. Not Your Grandmother’s Overcooked Cauliflower is one vegetable side dish that’s perfect for those of you who are busy, since it’s very quick to prepare and contains minimal ingredients.

Cauliflower is not the most popular vegetable out there, probably because it emits a strong odor while cooking, and the final product ends up being quite bland. Jenny Christy, a busy Mom, solves the problem of bland cauliflower by cooking it in chicken broth until soft, and mashing it with butter, salt, and pepper. It’s surprising that a few simple ingredients can change the taste so drastically, but this cauliflower is delicious. For an extra special presentation, you could sprinkle it with a few buttered, sautéed bread crumbs along with the parsley, or even add a few crumbled pieces of bacon.

Cauliflower is easy to prep; simply pull off the outside leaves, and, using a boning knife, cut up around the core and pull it out. Once the core is removed, the cauliflower can be broken into florets very quickly. If you plan to be busy on the day of your dinner, you can cook the cauliflower up to step 3 the night before; cover and refrigerate. A few minutes before serving time, microwave the cauliflower until it’s hot and proceed with the recipe as written.

Not your Grandmother's Overcooked Cauliflower

4 Servings

2 pounds cauliflower, broken into florets

4 teaspoons granular chicken bouillon, or 4 bouillon cubes
1 1/2 cups hottest tap water

1/4 cup butter
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

1. Place the cauliflower into a microwaveable dish; pour 3 tablespoons water over, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave 8 minutes.


2. Dissolve the chicken bouillon in the 1 1/2 cups hot water and pour over the cauliflower.>/li>
   
3. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave 8-10 minutes until very soft.


4. Let sit 5 minutes.


5. Drain well; add the butter, and mash with a fork.


6. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.


7. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Amount Per Serving
Calories 174 Calories from Fat 109
Percent Total Calories From: Fat 63% Protein 11% Carb. 26%

Nutrient Amount per Serving
Total Fat 12 g
Saturated Fat 7 g
Cholesterol 31 mg
Sodium 399 mg
Total Carbohydrate 11 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 5 g

Vitamin A 10% Vitamin C 271% Calcium 0% Iron 8%