Cauliflower Gratin

For a while now, I've been wanting to try Cauliflower Mac n' Cheese. I finally gave this a go last night, but turned it into more of a gratin. This was quite tasty and you don't even miss the pasta! This makes a great side for the pulled pork I made in the slow cooker, and I am pretty sure the leftovers will be very tasty today. Enjoy!

Note: For the cheese, choose whichever is your favorite, but make sure it melts well!

Ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower (or 2 10 oz. bags), cut into florets

3/4 cup smoked gouda, shredded

3/4 cup cheddar, shredded

dash of ground mustard

1/4 cup skim milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

dash of salt and pepper

1 tb butter (I used the olive oil butter)

~ 2 tb olive oil

~1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (you'll want enough to cover the casserole dish)

dash of italian seasoning (you'll want enough to season the top of the casserole)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the cauliflower out. Roast for 10-15 minutes, depending on how you like them. I did 12 minutes and they were perfect.

While the cauliflower is roasting, stir together the milk, cream, mustard, salt, pepper, and cheeses over medium heat. You'll get the best results using a double boiler, but if you don't have the option to do that, boiling it in a non-stick pot will be fine over lower heat. Stir until well combined. Once the cauliflower is ready, spray a 9x9 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, transfer the cauliflower to that dish, and pour the cheese sauce over top. Top with the panko and Italian seasoning and bake for about 10 minutes until the panko is crispy.