Here's the skinny on vegetables that may blow off the top of your head. I bought a bag of Publix's "Alpine" frozen veggies - a simple blend of cauliflower and broccoli, two of my favorite vegetables in the world. I took my mother's recipe for Italian broccoli, raided the pantry for stuff that comes in a jar, and played loosey-goosey with the spices. Served this vegetarian wonder along side oven-barbecued ribs, not-so-spicy Buffalo chicken wings, and my home fried potatoes. I love fresh ingredients, don't get me wrong, but there is something so wonderfully retro about pulling cans and bottles out of the pantry and coming up with a winner.
1 lb. bag of mixed frozen cauliflower and broccoli
canola oil or garlic oil (I use Boyajian brand) to coat the bottom of the pan
5 or more really large cloves of garlic, chopped with abandon
kosher salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, and dried pepper flakes
1-10 oz. can of Ro-tel tomatoes, drained
1 jar of Ragu brand cheese sauce (available in the pasta sauce aisle)
Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with the oil. Add the garlic and the frozen vegetables. Season with the salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and dried pepper flakes, to taste. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. The vegetables are actually steaming in the water they give off as they defrost, while the garlic cooks in the oil. Weird, but it works. If the garlic starts to get too brown, add a few tablespoons of water. Forget tender-crisp or al dente, you want them nice and soft. Then add the tomatoes and the cheese sauce, stir, cover, and cook a few more minutes until hot.
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