Broccoli & Cheese? Yes Please.

Good Evening Ladies & Gents!  This here is the kick off for my Thanksgiving recipe series - I do hope you enjoy them and dare I say, try them out this upcoming turkey day!  The first star to enter the spotlight is the daring and rather, unusual Broccoli Vee Casserole.  Now - know this, I don't eat broccoli any other day of the year but this recipe makes me want to swim in it - props to my Mom as she is the brilliant mastermind behind hiding good things is bad food (that will make more sense once you see the recipe). Now before you jump all over my velveeta, yes, you use velveeta in this recipe, you have to try it.  It doesn't taste like velveeta when used in this recipe because all you can taste is buttery ritz cracker goodness.  Here we go!


Randall Scale:
Grocery......................$12.00
Skill Rating..................Kindergarten Friendly
Serving Size................10-12 peeps
Prep Time...................30-40 minutes tops


Ingredients:

• 1 large bag frozen broccoli florets 
• 1 medium brick Velveeta Cheese
• 1/2 stick-a-butta
• 1-2 sleeves Ritz Crackers
• 1 casserole dish (somewhere around 12 by 12)

Prepare:

1. Open cheese. Now, again, I know Velveeta is the king of all kings of processed cheese - heck you get it OFF THE SHELF next to the pasta sauce.  If you just can't bear to use dear old V then substitute this with a nice melty cheese like gouda or gruyere.
2. Cube into small 1/2 inch bites - pop a few if you are so inclined.
3. Remove Ritz sleeve numero uno and empty contents into gallon sized ziplock.  Bang bang bang til its nice and crumbly, but not too fine - a good time for the kids to help.
4. Take broccoli out of freezer and pour into greased casserole dish or corning wear.
5. Cover broccoli with cubed cheese like it's your number one job. Mmm mmm good.  
6. Cover cheese with Ritzy ditzy crumbs, if you run out of crumbs enlist the kid's help again and proceed to cover completely.
7. Remove half stick of butter from fridge.  Melt in microwave and pour over crackers - this keeps getting better and better, my mouth is watering!
8. Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees.  Cook for 15-18 minutes.  Watch.  When finished, the crackers should be golden brown and crispy and the cheese yummily melted.  If not put back into oven until crispiness and meltiness is achieved.
9. ENJOY & HAVE SECONDS!