the piggy flu strikes back…

Well I have been diagnosed with the H1N1 flu.  I have not been feeling good for about 2 weeks now, but yesterday I just could not take it anymore, and the soon to be DH took me to the Urgent Care center.  They swabbed my nose and tested me for Mono, but low and behold I have the Swine flu.

I also have a touch of Bronchitis, which they have given me a Z-pack for.  It is the first time I have taken antibiotics since surgery.  I was a little nervous about taking them, and if they would even be absorbed.  I spoke to my primary care doctor and she said that I should be okay, but I think I am still going to check with the surgeon just to be sure.  I am pretty much over feeling like crappola!

Tonight, after I took a 2 hour nap, I decided to make some dinner.  I haven’t really been eating much, but I felt like such a sloth I figured I could at least make something for the man.  I decided to go with a casserole/faux mac and cheese.  Here is the run down:

Libby’s Faux “Mac and Cheese”

Head of cauliflower (chopped up into little pieces)  - steamed or blanched for about 6-8 minutes (depending on how you like it)

Saute the following in a pan coated with fat free cooking spray or olive oil on medium heat

4 slices of bacon – cut into 1” pieces

2 onions sliced

sweet peppers – I used red and orange – sliced

Saute till its all sweated out.  Add in fresh sliced basil and parsley.  Couple turns of salt and pepper.  About 10 minutes.

Add in 3 precooked chicken sausages, sliced on a diagonal to heat through.  About 3 minutes.

Meanwhile…

Heat 2 cups of fat free milk on low. 

Pour steamed cauliflower into a big bowl, and add in onion/bacon mixture.  Mix well.

In the same saute pan, add:

2 tbs. butter

1 clove garlic – chopped

dried oregano (about a 1/2 teaspoon)

dried basil (about a 1/2 teaspoon)

after butter is melted, add two tbs. of flour – to make a roux.

Cook roux for about 1 minute, and then add hot milk to pan.  Pour back into the saucepan (or whatever pan!) and turn heat up to high.  Sauce will thicken.  Add 2 cups of cheddar cheese (or any kind of cheese you like) (I use the real stuff), and whisk until combined.  

Pour Cauliflower mix into Pyrex, spread out, top with cheese sauce mix, top with more cheese, pop in over for 30 minutes or so  on 400 degrees till bubbly!

 

Whew!  Seems like a lot of steps but it really didn’t take more than 20 minutes of prep I promise!  Another fab substitution would be to use thawed out frozen cauliflower, which I have heard people do before.

When I cook I generally just through a bunch of stuff together, and the soon to be DH says its good.  He said, and I quote:  “You can make this one…ANYTIME".

Enjoy :)