The holiday season is synonymous with warm, hearty meals that bring families together around the dining table. Among these meals, my personal favorite is the Holiday Broccoli. It’s a dish that is not only pleasing to the palate but also a feast for the eyes with its vibrant colors. The dish’s origins can be traced back to traditional holiday meals where greens played a significant role, symbolizing prosperity for the coming year. This recipe, with its easy preparation and flavorful outcome, has always been a hit in my family during the holiday season. What I love about this dish is its simplicity. The ingredients are straightforward – broccoli, chicken bouillon cubes, cream of celery soup, sharp cheese, and strips of pimento. But when these ingredients come together, they create a symphony of flavors that’s hard to resist. Plus, this dish is also incredibly versatile. You can serve it as a side dish with your main course or even enjoy it on its own if you’re opting for a light meal. And did I mention it’s a great way to incorporate greens into your holiday feast in a delicious way? So, if you’re looking for a recipe to add to your holiday menu, give this Holiday Broccoli a try. I’m sure it will become a holiday favorite in your family, just like it is in mine!
Ingredients
- 2 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen cut broccoli
- 1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 2 (10 1/2) cans condensed cream of celery soup
- 1/2 c. grated sharp cheese
- strips of pimento
Cooking Method
- Cook broccoli with bouillon cubes and water until just tender. Heat celery soup.
- Pour hot soup over broccoli.
- Garnish with cheese and pimento.
- Serve at once.
- Makes 6 servings.
Calorie: 200
Total cooking time: 30 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
The Saga of the Holiday Broccoli
Oh, the holidays. A time of joy, laughter, family, and…broccoli? Yes, you heard me right. I said broccoli. Who would have thought that this humble tree-like veggie could be the star of a holiday feast? But trust me, after you’ve tried my Holiday Broccoli, you’ll be decking your halls with boughs of broccoli. So, gather round, as I share with you my tale of culinary triumph, disaster, and redemption, all centered around this verdant vegetable.
The Heroic Ingredients
Our story begins in the frozen food aisle, where I procured not one, but two 10 oz. packages of frozen cut broccoli. Alongside them, I snagged a couple of chicken bouillon cubes. I had a hunch that these tiny cubes of flavor would be the secret weapon in my broccoli crusade. The next items on my list were two 10 1/2 cans of condensed cream of celery soup. Yes, condensed cream, my friends. We’re going all out here. To top it all off, I grabbed a half cup of grated sharp cheese and some strips of pimento. Little did I know, these seemingly innocent ingredients were about to take me on a wild culinary ride.
The Battle Begins
Back at home, I began the cooking process. The broccoli was tossed into a pot with water and the chicken bouillon cubes. It was cooked until just tender, a perfect balance of crisp and soft. Then, it was time to heat the celery soup. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? But let me tell you, there’s nothing quite as suspenseful as watching a can of condensed cream slowly heat up, wondering if it’s going to explode in a creamy apocalypse. Luckily, it didn’t, and my kitchen remained a disaster-free zone.
The Finishing Touches
With the soup successfully heated, I poured it hot and steaming over the broccoli. Now, things were starting to come together! As the soup cascaded over the vibrant green of the broccoli, it felt like I was creating my own culinary masterpiece. But it wasn’t done yet. No, the pièce de résistance was yet to come. Out came the cheese and pimento, adding color and flavor to the dish. It was like garnishing a Christmas tree, only this one you could eat!
The Final Verdict
And there it was, my Holiday Broccoli, ready to be served. The moment of truth had arrived. I served it up and waited with bated breath for the first bite. And the verdict? An absolute hit! Who knew that broccoli, chicken bouillon cubes, condensed cream, cheese, and pimento could create such a festive delight? It just goes to show, never underestimate the power of a good recipe.
The Moral of the Story
So there you have it, the story of my Holiday Broccoli. A tale of suspense, triumph, and most importantly, deliciousness. It just goes to show, even the humblest of ingredients can come together to create something truly magical. So next time you’re in the kitchen, don’t be afraid to take a risk, try something new, and most importantly, have fun. After all, isn’t that what cooking is all about?
