Broccoli and Onions Au Gratin

Here’s a nice vegetable side dish that bakes while you tend to other last-minute duties before your meal.  It’s a good choice for an oven meal like Myrna’s meatloaf.   I baked some cod fillets alongside the casserole.  I think any favorite topping would be good – crushed buttered crackers, cornflakes, canned onion rings, etc - I used whole wheat bread crumbs.     

Broccoli and Onions Au Gratin

  2        cups  fresh Broccoli -- flowerets

  1        medium  Onion -- cut in eighths

                        Sauce

  2        tablespoons  Butter

  2        tablespoons  Flour, Self-rising

  1/2    teaspoon  Salt

  1/4    teaspoon  Rosemary -- crushed

  1 1/2 cups  Milk

  1        cup  Swiss Cheese -- shredded

                        Topping

  2        cups  Bread Crumbs -- freshly ground

  1/3    cup  Butter

  1/4    cup  Fresh Parsley

Heat oven to 350°.  In 1 quart saucepan, melt 2 tbsp butter; stir in flour and seasonings, cook over medium heat until smooth and bubbly, stirring constantly.  Stir in milk.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil, 4 -5 minutes.  Boil 1 minutes.  Remove from heat; stir in cheese until smooth.  Set aside.

In greased shallow 1 quart casserole or 9" square baking pan, place broccoli and onion.  Stir in  cheese sauce.

In small bowl, stir together all topping ingredients.  Sprinkle over broccoli mixture.

Bake for 25-35 minutes until top is golden brown and broccoli is crisply tender.
6 servings 
"Land O'Lakes Treasury of Country Recipes 1992"