Creating different sides for a meal can be fun. You can be very creative with different vegetables and toppings. Luckily my kids love pretty much anything, so it makes my life easier when creating a side. Cauliflower was the vegetable of choice this week, and I wanted it to be creamy like a potato au gratin. This is a super easy side that you can add to any dinner or dinner party. For one of the toppings I had to use bacon, and you can never go wrong with bacon. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar, or cheese of choice
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup crumbled cooked bacon, optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven 375 F degrees.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets to water. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, remove and place in ice cold bowl of water (this will stop the cooking process). Set aside.

In another large bowl whisk together heavy cream, cheese, S&P and flour until well incorporated. Next drain cauliflower from cold water and place into the cream mixer. Toss everything together. Pour into baking dish. Top with Panko. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven, top with bacon and server.

Check out the other great dishes from this week’s Food Network Blog #fallfest below:

Feed Me Phoebe: Paleo Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Pumpkin Seed Scallion Pesto
The Heritage Cook: Easy Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Sriracha Butter (Gluten-Free)
Dishin & Dishes: Cauliflower Steaks with Curried Coconut Puree
Homemade Delish: Cauliflower Au Gratin
Healthy Eats: 6 Classic Comfort Foods with a Cauliflower Twist
Creative Culinary: Roasted Cauliflower with a Parmesan and Cheddar Cheese Frosting
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Six Recipes To Make You Fall In Love With Cauliflower
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Cauliflower Patties
Taste with the Eyes: Grilled Eggplant Pizza with Low-Carb Cauliflower Crust
FN Dish: 6 Ways Cauliflower Can Stand In for Other Favorite Foods