Roasted Cauliflower and Aged White Cheddar Dip

Game Day Food

Roasted Cauliflower and Aged White Cheddar with Parmesan Cheese Dip

Cook's notes: A warm and creamy roasted cauliflower with white cheddar. It's a dip that is decadently delicious without all of the calories! The roasting process of the cauliflower just elevates this dip to a whole new level. Recipe serves four and adapted from closetcooking.com
Cooking tip: Make the dip the day before, refrigerate and bake the next day. It will require 10-15 minutes extra baking time since it just came out of the fridge. 
Ingredients:

• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or Lemon Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz. light cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme and parsley flakes
• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 1 cup aged white cheddar, shredded 
• 1-1/2 cups Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions:

• Toss the cauliflower in the oil with salt and pepper, arrange in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in a preheated oven 400 degrees until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes, mixing half way through.
• Reserve 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Puree rest of ingredients with roasted cauliflower in a food processor and pour into a lightly greased baking dish.
• Sprinkle reserved Parmsean cheese on top. 
• Bake in a preheated oven 350 degrees (uncovered) until the sides are bubbling and the top is lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Serve with pita chips, small baguette slices, veggies

Gwendolyn Brooks (1917 - 2000)
Today, Brooks is considered to be one of the most revered poets of the 20th century. She was the first Black author to win the Pultzer Prize in 1950 for Annie Allen, her poetry collection.  

Brooks served as poetry consultant to the Library of Congress, becoming the first Black woman to hold that position. She was also the poet laureate of the State of Illinois, and many of her works reflected the political and social landscape of the 1960s, including the civil rights movement and the economic climate. Much of her poetry reflected on urban African-American life, though its themes were universal to the human experience. Her output was impressive, encompassing more than twenty books, including children’s books. 

One of her well known poems "We Real Cool" is a short poem I found on youtube. It's read by the poet herself then actor Morgan Freeman reads the same poem. Such a contrast in speaking voices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBpxJb24O8A