Thanksgiving food porn, limited edition

We are doing a limited food porn edition for this Thanksgiving, since last year we did a broad overview of the dishes served. This year we have a modified combination: some pies, and then a step-by-step on one of the dishes served. Perhaps I will do it differently next year, but that is how it is this year.

Without further ado, first we have the pies: two pumpkin, one apple. Very good:

Some whipped cream on those bad boys, can't beat it.

For the second part of your food porn, I give you a broccoli-cheese-mushroom casserole. Start with three tablespoons of butter in a large pot:

Once the butter is melted over medium heat, stir in two tablespoons of flour and heat until golden in color. It should look about the color of peanut butter:

Meanwhile, chop up a 1/2-pound of mushrooms, 2 cloves of garlic and a large onion:

Add those to the roux, then add 1/2 cup chicken stock.

Mix in 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne and some salt and pepper to taste. Then, add 1-1/2 cups of heavy cream, stir thoroughly.

 Chop up about a half pound of broccoli. The recipe calls for a 10 oz. box of frozen broccoli. I used fresh:

Throw it in there:

Add a cup of the cheddar-monterey blend, stir it in:

Add 3 cups of cooked rice:

Put the mix in a 2-quart greased casserole dish:

Top that sucker with the other cup of cheese:

Bake that bad boy at 425 for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is nice and gooey and browned. I don't have that picture because I put this thing together at about 8 am and it didn't come out of the over until much later and I wasn't in a picture-taking mode at that point, I was trying to put dinner on the table. So live without the finished-product picture.

Recipe caveat: The reviews on this dish were good, but I would include maybe one cup less of cooked rice and more broccoli. As it was, very ricey, not very broccoli-y. Easily remedied, and the recipe was good as-is, as well. Enjoy.