Secret Snacks: Broccoli & Cheetos

I’ve recently been wondering if there are other moms like me who secretly buy something at the grocery store to hide/horde/chow down on themselves … am I alone on this one? (And did MY mom ever do this? Hmmmm …) For example, I have been known to buy hard salami and tortilla chips and make little hors d’oeuvres for myself in the car on the way home. And yes, I know this has all of the health benefits of a bacon-wrapped corn dog, but honestly I don’t even care! I love this secret snack, and I would never tell my daughter because I wouldn’t want her to eat it (even though I usually choose a whole wheat tortilla chip. Health food)! A classic case of do as I say, not as I do.

So when I saw Chef Craig Koketsu’s recipe for Broccoli & Cheetos, I knew I had to try it. How could I not? It’s broccoli and Cheetos! So I “Tastefully Simple-ized” the recipe and gave it a whirl. And guess what? It’s FABULOUS! Craig is smart! Check out the recipe below, and by all means let me know if YOU have any secret snacks you’d like to share. (Please! I don’t want to be the only one!)

j*a*N*e

Broccoli & Cheetos

Adapted from Craig Koketsu’s recipe

FOR THE BROCCOLI

• 3 large heads of broccoli, stems peeled and cut into 1/4-inch discs; florets cut into small pieces
• 3 Tbsp. Roasted Garlic Infused Oil
• 1 tsp. Fiesta Party Dip Mix^®
• 3 Tbsp. butter
• Seasoned Salt to taste

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE

• 1 quart heavy cream
• 1 tsp. Garlic Garlic™
• ½ tsp. Garlic Pepper Seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups aged Gouda cheese, grated
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Seasoned Salt to taste
• 1/2 (9 oz.) bag crunchy Cheetos

FOR THE BROCCOLI: Blanch florets and stems in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Remove and shock in ice water. Cool and drain. Place large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Heat Roasted Garlic Infused Oil, Fiesta Party Dip Mix and butter, being careful not to brown anything, until butter is fully melted into the oil. When the butter and oil begin to bubble, add broccoli and sauté until heated through. Adjust seasoning with salt and reserve broccoli on a paper-towel-lined plate.

FOR THE CHEESE SAUCE: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, reduce cream with Garlic Garlic, Garlic Pepper Seasoning and bay leaf until it thickly coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in cheeses until fully melted. Adjust seasoning with salt. Crush the Cheetos in the bag into pebble-sized bits with a rolling pin.

Pour warm sauce into a large serving dish. Arrange broccoli on top of sauce; top with crushed Cheetos. Serves 6-8.

Broccoli & Cheetos

Testing Notes

• OK, first off, you have to know that this cheese sauce is AMAZING!
• I found that I didn’t need much salt – the cheese and the Cheetos have just about all you’ll need.
• “Reducing the cream” isn’t difficult … just gently heat the cream to a full simmer/very low boil and let it cook a little while. Watch it carefully and whisk it often, as cream tends to scorch on the bottom of the pan, so it’s important to keep the liquid moving most of the time.
• If you don’t have a bay leaf, fuhgeddaboudit! It does add nice flavor, but the dish will still be excellent without the bay leaf.
• The sauce does not keep well, so plan to use all of it if you can. (It will separate when reheated … which is pretty yucky.)
• I used regular Cheetos (not crunchy) and this was a mistake … they turn to powder when you crush them, which wasn’t as good as having small chunks of Cheetos.
• Even with the “crunchy” variety of Cheetos, I will be careful next time to not over crush them.
• My tasters all thought this was FAB – including our very own Jill Blashack Strahan!

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