Easy Peasy Cheezy Veg Bake

Ingredients:
113g-115g (4 oz.) frozen broccoli
290g (just over 10 oz.) frozen cauliflower
1 very large or 2 smaller carrots (sliced in rounds or half-rounds at larger end)
2 small-medium Rooster potatoes (skinned & sliced into 6 to 8 chunks each)
200ml (just over 6.5 oz.) milk
200g (7 oz.) Philadelphia Light Cream Cheese
100g  (3.5 oz.) + an extra handful of grated mature/sharp cheddar
2 tsp. dried or fresh diced chives
2 tsp. French's yellow mustard
dash cracked black pepper

I used to make a broccoli/cauliflower cheese bake on lazy nights when it was just Oscar & me.  Over the years, it's developed & changed.  He requested carrots in it & I decided to add potatoes & add chives to the cheese sauce.  It's our favourite thing to have on nights when Daddy's not here for dinner (he doesn't like broccoli or cauliflower) or just on those nights when we want a break from meat.  It's super easy & really tasty.  It's also surprisingly filling.  We have it with a salad or occasionally with ciabatta or sourdough bread.  Yum!  This is one of those dishes that is so yummy, I find myself heating another little dish of it for a late-night snack!

Method:
Place your potato chunks & carrot rounds into boiling water for 8-10 minutes or so until they are partially softened but not to the point of breaking apart.  For the last minute or so, throw the frozen broccoli & cauliflower into the water to slightly soften them as well.  Drain all the veg & place in a medium casserole or gratin dish.  For the cheese sauce, place the cream cheese & milk (best results with whole milk) into a pot on a medium heat & stir until the cream cheese melts into the milk for a thick liquid.  Add the dash of cracked black pepper, the chives, the grated cheddar & the yellow mustard.  Stir until melted to a semi-thick cheese sauce.  If you feel it's a little too thin, you could always add another blob of cream cheese or an extra handful of cheddar.  Pour over the veg, sprinkle another small handful of grated cheddar across the top & bake uncovered at 180 Celsius (356 F) for about 45 minutes until the cheese is brown & bubbling & the tougher veg like the cauliflower & potatoes have had a chance to cook through.  Using this method & timings, the veg shouldn't be totally mushy, but should still have a little bite left in them.  This will feed about 5 people, depending on portion size. 

Just before the oven

...and after...

so yummy & as easy as 1,2,3!