Cauliflower “Mac n Cheese”

Cauliflower Mac n Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into smaller pieces
• 2 slices of bacon, chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup of heavy whipped cream (maybe more, I used more)
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste
• Extra Topping:
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Pork rinds, crushed
• Cookware:
  • Skillet/wok to cook cauliflower
  • Sauce pan to cook cheese
  • 8 x 8 pan to bake

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Get out a skillet (I used a wok) and toss in the chopped bacon and let it start rendering some of it’s oils, then toss in the cauliflower
3. Cook that for a bit until the bacon is cooked (not yet crispy), then add in the garlic.
4. While all that is cooking down get started on your cheese sauce. Get a small sauce pan and add the butter, the cheddar cheese, the cream, and the spices to it and cook it until it melds together to form a thick sauce. If the sauce is TOO thick, add more heavy cream, which I did have to do. Keep watch on your cauliflower as you do this and continue to stir it so it doesn’t burn
5. The cauliflower should be fairly soft, not fall apart softer, but not really hard. Pour the cheese into the pan with the cauliflower and mix it to coat it. Now…you can stop here, or you can bake it. If you choose to stop here, after you’ve put it on your plate, top it off with some of the pork rind to get a crunchy texture and turn off the oven, else go to step 6
6. Pour the cauliflower and cheese mixture into the 8 x 8 pan. Top it of with some more cheese and the crushed pork rinds then pop it into the oven
7. Bake for 12 minutes then turn it to broil for 3 minutes to let it get golden brown. Be careful to not burn the pork rinds. You can see that in my picture.

Notes

• Best…side dish…ever