gorgonzola broccoli casserole

prep time:  tbd
cook time:  20 - 30 minutes
servings:  12 - 14

ingredients:
3 pounds broccoli
1/4 cup butter + 1 tablespoon - melted
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 3-ounce packages cream cheese - cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola or other blue cheese
2 cups 1/2-inch cubes french or other firm white bread

steps:
1.  preheat oven to 350 degrees.  in a 5 - 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 3 quarts water to a boil.  rinse broccoli and trim off and discard tough stem ends; if skin on stalks is tough, peel stalks.  cut broccoli into 1-inch pieces.  add to boiling water and cook just until barely tender when pierced, 3 - 5 minutes.  drain.

2.  rinse and dry pan.  add 1/4 cup butter to pan and melt over medium heat.  stir in flour and salt until smoothly blended; cook until bubbly, about 1 minute.  add milk and stir over medium-high heat until mixture is boiling and thickened, about 3 minutes.  add cream cheese and gorgonzola, whisk until smoothly blended.  stir in broccoli.  pour into a shallow 2 1/2 - 3-quart casserole dish.

3.  in a blender or food processor, whirl bread cubes into coarse crumbs; you should have about 1 1/3 cups.  in a small bowl, mix crumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter.  sprinkle evenly over broccoli mixture.

4.  bake until casserole is hot in the center and crumbs are golden, 20 - 30 minutes.

- my recipes