How to Prepare Broccoli Casserole

One of the great sides for a Thanksgiving dinner is a casserole and there is an excellent side – the broccoli casserole. This particular one contains cheddar cheese with a Ritz cracker topping. French fried onions can be purchased but it is also possible to make them successfully. If you have broccoli from the garden then I would always recommend homegrown where possible. The same goes for the onions. An alternative side dish is to prepare a broccoli gratin.

Broccoli Casserole ingredients:

• Fresh or frozen broccoli florets (thawed) 16 ounces
• 1 pack (6 ounces) french-fried onions, divided. These can also be prepared beforehand.
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted. The classic product is to use Campbells soup for this.
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Other hard cheeses can be used like Caerphilly and Double Gloucester.
• 1 cup of Ritz crackers, broken up into crumbs and no large pieces (optional)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. In a large saucepan, combine the sour cream, soup,  1 cup of cheddar cheese and 1-1/4 cups onions.
2. Heat the whole mixture on a medium heat, stirring until fully mixed and blended in. This should be about  4-5 minutes.
3. Add the broccoli. Transfer to a greased reasonably large (2-qt.) open baking dish.
4. Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes. It should start to bubble. 
5. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and onions, then add the Ritz cracker base on top to obtain a crunchy topping. Bake until the cheese is melted. It should take 10-15 minutes.