Roasted Mexican Cauliflowers with Pepitas

Cauliflower is a vegetable I had to learn to love. I went through the better portion of my life not knowing how good it could be, completely unaware of its delicious potential. But once I discovered the ultimate secret to preparing cauliflower, to simply roast it in the oven until it's tender and caramelized, it's been hard to hold me back. I'm always looking for new flavors to pair with this veggie, and this Roasted Mexican Cauliflower with Pepitas is the best dish yet!

I'm ever so thankful to be a part of the Kitchen Conversations group again this year with Land O'Lakes, sharing about their butter products. Last year was a blast working with Becky from the Land O’Lakes Test Kitchen, Ree from The Pioneer Woman, Maria from Two Peas and Their Pod, Sommer from A Spicy Perspective, and Julie from The Little Kitchen. This year we have some new faces joining the group, Bridget from Bake at 350, Jenny from Picky Palate, Joanne from Fifteen Spatulas, and Jessica from the Novice Chef.

Be sure to check out the hashtag #KitchenConvo on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest to keep up with all the latest happenings!

Did you know that Land O'Lakes offers a variety of spreadable butter products in tubs? When my husband found out that the Kitchen Conversations group was going to be working with these this year, I discerned visible signs of excitement from him. Blake is a man who does not show his emotions, so it was obvious to me that this was a good thing. A man of simple needs, he requires nothing more than a slice of warm toast with a good schmear of creamy butter. But when the butter doesn't schmear easily, well, that's not a good thing. Needless to say, Blake loves the Land O Lakes® spreadable butter products. He and our daughters are especially fond of the Cinnamon Sugar Butter Spread; it makes every piece of toast a special one!

I think that most people view the spreadable butter products as only easy-to-use toppers for their toast or muffin. But I wanted to show how versatile they truly are and used the Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil in my recipe for this roasted cauliflower. Because, really, its only ingredients are sweet cream and olive oil. That's it. Perfect for this recipe!

Cauliflower is a bit bland on its own, I think everyone can agree. But when you roast it with a simple combination of butter, olive oil, salt and pepper...it's transformed into something so tasty you almost forget how good it is for you.

The secret to roasted cauliflower's amazingness is in the caramelization. A simple roasting pan provides the vehicle for perfectly tender cauliflower with caramelized cut surfaces and edges. It's so delicious, I burn my mouth every single time as I snitch from the hot pan, unable to wait for it to be set on the table. Blake and the girls can't get enough of the roasted cauliflower, either. It's a sure way to get our family to eat their veggies!

Cauliflower is the ideal stage for playing with flavors. And this new recipe, infused with a Mexican flavor twist, takes roasted cauliflower to a whole new level. The vegetable adores being partnered with cumin and ancho chile, and absolutely shines when brightened up with the fresh lime. Add to that the earthiness of cilantro and nuttiness of pumpkin seeds and it's just plain irresistible!

I love serving this Mexican cauliflower straight from the hot roasting pan. Letting my family scrape up all the tasty morsels on their own not only makes for a casual and fun presentation, but it also shows off the simplicity of this hearty dish of veggies. I want our girls to know that awesome meals don't have to be fussy and complicated. All you really need are beautiful ingredients and a desire to let them shine.