Bake Broccoli Paremesan Dip

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup Panko*
• 8 ounces PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Creole Seasoning is:
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9-inch baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add Panko and cook, stirring, until browned and toasted, about 3 minutes; set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, broccoli, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, sour cream, Parmesan, milk, Emeril's Essence, garlic powder and onion powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Spread broccoli mixture into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese. Place into oven and bake until bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.
• Serve immediately, sprinkled with Panko, if desired.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp butter, diced in cubes
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 large clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup + 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 1/4 cups milk (anything but skim), then more to thin if desired
• 1 (14.5 oz can) chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups finely chopped, fresh broccoli florets*
• 8 oz. (2 cups) freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for serving
• 1 oz. (1/3 cup) freshly, finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp of each, but this will vary depending on the brand of cheeses and your salt/pepper preference).

Directions

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add in onions and cook, stirring frequently until soft, about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and flour, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. While whisking, slowly pour in milk, chicken broth and broccoli. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture begins to gently boil and thicken, then reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook, stirring very frequently, until broccoli is tender, about 5 - 7 minutes. Stir in cream. Remove from heat, stir in cheddar and parmesan cheese, mixing until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with more cheddar if desired.

• Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Notes

*From about 2 heads of broccoli, use floret portion only. I began with about 1 lb broccoli crowns, chopped off majority of the stems, then chopped the florets into very small pieces about 1/4 - 1/2 inch.