Sometimes my favorite recipes come from the purchase of a new variety of produce.
The yellow cauliflower looked particularly enticing the day I visited the market.
I spent nearly as much on that as I would a small package of meat.

I already had a few yellow cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese and decided to combine all of these with a basic white sauce as a side dish.
What was interesting about this combination... as the yellow of the cauliflower peaked through the white sauce, it mentally gave the image of a dish redolent with gooey cheese, when in fact there was only a small amount of Parmesan used as a topping.
This definitely tricked the eye but made it no less tasty!

It's funny how working in the kitchen can bring back so many fond memories.
As I reached for my favorite baking dish, I remembered the day that our friends Mary and Dan gave this to me at my surprise birthday party many years ago.
It has been used many times since then and each time I remember them and their children, who are now grown and with children of their own.
How fast the years go by...

1 head of YELLOW CAULIFLOWER
1 large handful of YELLOW CHERRY TOMATOES
1/2 c. PARMESAN CHEESE

WHITE SAUCE:

4 Tbsp. BUTTER
4 Tbsp. FLOUR
1/2 tsp. SALT
1/4 tsp. PEPPER
2 c. MILK

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Break cauliflower apart and place in a shallow bowl with 1-2 Tbsp. water and microwave, covered, for about 4 minutes until almost cooked through.
Drain and place in a shallow oven-proof dish.

Make the sauce:
Melt butter in saucepan and then add flour until well blended.
Add salt and pepper and milk.
Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.
Continue cooking for several minutes while stirring until sauce thickens.
Adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Pour hot sauce over cauliflower, top with yellow tomatoes and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees until hot and bubbly and cheese begins to brown.
This makes a nice side with grilled meats or fish.

Variations:
Add cooked peas with the cauliflower mixture prior to baking.
Add chopped onions or scallions to your butter as you make the white sauce.

Hope you like this simple side dish!