Cheesy Brussels Sprouts

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you have a wonderful day with family and friends.

I decided last minute to to see the Macy's Day Parade.  My friends and I are going to start waiting by the parade route at 5 am.  I was told not to expect bathroom facilities for the whole morning we are at the parade.  I'm going to start dehydrating myself tomorrow evening.

I believe our Thanksgiving meal will be at a fancy French restaurant.  It's untraditional, but I don't mind.  As I will not be spending the holiday with family, I don't feel pressured to eat the usual Thanksgiving fare.

I'm a little sad I won't have the opportunity to sample several slices of pie.  Dessert is always my favorite part of any meal.  This brussels spouts side dish would be appropriate for Thanksgiving.  It's so fattening and decadent, it should be reserved for the special occasions.  

I pretty much made marconi and cheese and subbed the noodles for brussels spouts.  The cheese to vegetable ratio is fantastic.  

The ingredients are 2 pounds cooked brussels spouts, 2 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons flour, 2 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, pinch of cayenne, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

I melted the butter over medium-high heat.  I added the flour and stirred for a few minutes.  The flour became a light golden brown.

I gradually added in the milk.  I added a little bit and then stirred until all the ingredients were well incorporated.  I repeated the process until all the milk was gone.

I continued to cook and stir the sauce until it had thickened.

I removed the sauce from the heat and added the mozzarella cheese, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

I stirred until the cheese had melted.

I added the cooked and halved brussels sprouts.  I poured the cheesy sprouts into a well greased casserole dish.

I grated parmesan cheese evenly over the brussels sprouts.

 I baked the casserole for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  The parmesan cheese melts and browns in the oven.

I let it cool a little so it wasn't molten goo.  It was gooey, cheesy, and delicious.

The brussels sprouts were swimming in a luscious cheese sauce.  The sauce was creamy and smooth.

The spouts were tender and fresh.  Having green vegetables instead of pasta lightened up a heavy dish.  It wasn't healthy by any means but "lighter."

It was a hearty and substantive vegetable dish.  This was scrumptious.  Cheese is a beautiful and delicious thing, and brussels sprouts are my favorite vegetable.