Roasted Broccoli

Looking for an easy sidedish?  One of my favorite vegetables is definitely brocolli, which I usually either steam or sautee when I eat it.  I decided to do something different and try roasting it.  This recipe turned out well, but when you are tossing the brocolli in the olive oil, make sure that it is coated well or it can crisp up too much in the oven.

Source:  Peace, Love, and French Fries, adapted from Amateur Gourmet.  Originally from Ina Garten.

Ingredients:

2-3 large bunches of broccoli crowns, cut into florets
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400

Spread broccoli florets on cookie sheet (I recommend lining with aluminum foil). Toss with EVOO salt and pepper (eyeball it). Add garlic slices.

Roast for 20-25 minutes until crisp tender and tips are starting to brown. Remove from oven, transfer to serving bowl. Zest lemon over top, squeeze juice of lemon over top. Toss. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

This was a new recipe to try that was requested by my husband. He loves broccoli and after eating a cream of brocolli soup that we had eaten at my work's holiday banquet, he asked if I would make a similar recipe. This soup turned out really well and depending on your mood, you don't even need to add cheese. This soup is definitely perfect for a Sunday dinner during the winter.

Source: Cooking Light

Ingredients:

Cooking spray
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package broccoli florets
2 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces light processed cheese, cubed (I used Kraft mild cheddar)

Directions:

Heat a large nonstick saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add broth and broccoli. Bring broccoli mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cook 10 minutes.

Combine milk and flour, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broccoli mixture. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring constantly. Stir in pepper. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

Place one-third of the soup in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed soup mixture to pan.