If my last post was about the best thing I’ve ever made, then this post is about the second best thing I’ve ever made. You’re getting back to back winners and if both of these dishes aren’t on your table sometime in the next month (…Thanksgiving, possibly?), you are m.i.s.s.i.n.g. o.u.t.
Before the food, I’m going to share an embarrassing story because I know that’s what keeps you friends coming back:
Let me first preface this by saying… I have the most tender heart. I cry during every Disney movie, I cry when I fight with my mom, I cry at weddings (and there will be flash floods when my brother gets married next weekend). I cried when a friend offered to take KitKat if I moved to a city and couldn’t bring her too.
Seriously, look at these two. How could I ever leave them behind?
So this little “episode” is not so out of the ordinary:
I listened to Adele’s new song yesterday.
…Can we just leave it at that? Now that you know how tender I am, can you just listen to it yourself and fill in the blanks?
Well here’s the play by play, in my car: I get 0.2 seconds in and the tears erupt. By the end of the first chorus, Adele has shattered my hard exterior. Then I’m laughing hysterically at myself because, my goodness, it’s just a song!, but the laughing doesn’t actually stop the crying, so now I’m craughing (crying + laughing) and vowing to never listen to it again.
So naturally, I put the song on repeat and have a nothing-held-back craughing session: “Whhaaaahahahahaha whaaa hahahaha.” (← that’s craughing in writing).
This is the mature approach to dealing with emotion.
Dear Adele, you and T. Swift will have to fight over maid of honor at my wedding one day.
Speaking of my wedding… When I get married, I want to hire someone to bake my cake, but I want to help. And I won’t settle for anything less than buttercream.
And just like that, we’re back to food! See how I manage to bring everything full circle?
And now for the second best thing I’ve ever made.
I’ve been seeing Cauliflower Rice and Cauliflower Risotto recipes popping up all over lately. Doesn’t sound particularly exciting or satisfying. I’ve felt very “meh” about it.
I. WAS. WRONG.
I could not stop eating this. I didn’t go overboard on cheese or cream like your typical risotto. Instead, I went overboard on the thyme. Warm, toasty thyme. And just enough bacon to give every bit that bacony umami flavor. I think I added the exact right amount of cheese to make it creamy and to give it those little cheesy strings when it’s hot and fresh (you know what I’m talking about) without making it heavy.
I ate this several mornings in a row with runny eggs on top. I’m seriously thinking about remaking this exact dish, nestling sunny side-up eggs on top of it and reposting. It deserves that much praise and devotion.
I had this in mind for Thanksgiving, but there’s no reason it can’t be on your table at Sunday brunch or reheated for workday lunch – during the holidays or any other time of the year!
Bacon Mushroom Cauliflower Risotto
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 1/2 head cauliflower chopped into florets
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan
Instructions
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In a large saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 2-3 minutes per side.
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Meanwhile, add cauliflower florets, onion, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until a rice-like consistency. Some of the cauliflower pieces will be stubborn. Just remove these from the mixture by hand, do not continue to pulse. Set aside. Chop the bacon once it has cooled.
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When the bacon is done cooking, remove from the saucepan and drain on a paper towel.
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Add the mushrooms, thyme, and chicken stock to the remaining bacon grease. Turn up the heat to medium-high and cook until mushrooms are soft, about 5 minutes.
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Add the cauliflower, cover and simmer about 5 minutes and remove from heat.
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Stir in the bacon and parmesan and serve hot.
