The best broccoli ever

You know you've done something right with broccoli when the person you made it for describes it to someone else the next day as "better than biting into a steak." I can't take any credit. The credit goes to that formidable force in my foodie life; namely, The Barefoot Contessa.

Normally, broccoli gets squishy when you cook it. Not this broccoli; it develops an amazing brown crust in spots. Then you toss it with lemon juice, lemon zest, and Parmesan cheese and you're in heaven.

Seriously, this recipe is so easy.

You preheat the oven to 425.

Take 4 to 5 pounds of broccoli (I just got two large bunches), cut into florets (but relatively big ones.) Here's the key that she doesn't mention in the recipe: dry them THOROUGHLY. That is, if you wash them. I saw an episode of Julia Child cooking with Jacques Pepin once when Pepin revealed he doesn't wash a chicken before putting it in a hot oven: "The heat kills all the germs," he said in his French accent. "If bacteria could survive that oven, it deserves to kill me." By that logic, then, I didn't wash my broccoli; I wanted it to get crispy and brown. If you're nervous, though, just wash and dry it obsessively.

Now, it's easy. Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. (She says 5 Tbs olive oil, 1 1/2 tsps kosher salt, 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, but I just eyeballed it.) Now add 4 garlic cloves that are peeled and sliced and toss them in too.

Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes, until "crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned."

I shook the pan around a bit as it went, but not sure that's necessary.

When it's done, take it out of the oven--and here's where it gets really good--zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts (I left those out), and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. She also has you add 2 Tbs julienned fresh basil, but I left that out too.

You won't miss it: the magic combo of the crispy broccoli, the garlic, the lemon and the cheese will make this the best broccoli of your life. I guarantee it; you will go ga-ga over it. I'm so ga-ga over it that I would seriously consider a trip right now to the store just so I could make this for lunch. Broccoli for lunch? After trying this, you'll never want to eat anything else for breakfast, lunch or dinner ever again.

Parsley Butter Rice

2 c. rice
3 T. Chicken Bullion (or more if desired)
3 T. dry parsley
4 c. water
1/2 c. butter
1/2 small onion chopped

Bring all but rice to a BOIL, then add rice and cover. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Turn off heat and let set for 5 minutes.

OR - you can put all together in your rice cooker and press button. :)

Dutch Oven veggies and chicken

Not every dutch oven dish needs to be cooked outside on coals - we place this inside our seasoned dutch oven and cook it in our indoor oven. Very tasty dish on a Sunday!

Place in bottom of dutch oven:
6 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
Cut up over the top:
1 head cauliflower
2 bunches broccoli
2 onions
Add:
1 lb baby carrots
3 cans sliced potatoes
fresh whole mushrooms
Cut 2 squares of butter onto top of veggies, sprinkly with seasoning of your choice (we use Spike)

Bake for 1 hr. at 350.

(can also do just veggies, but bake for only 45 min.)

Chicken Chow Mein

Saute the following in 4 T. olive oil and allow to simmer for 5 min.
2 green peppers
2 red peppers
2 chopped onions
4 ribs celery

Sprinkle with 1/2 c. flour - stir
Add in, and bring to boil - then reduce to simmer for 10-15 min:
4 T. soy sauce
2 c. chicken broth
1 can mushrooms (opt)
2 chicken breasts - cut up
s&p to taste

Serve over rice or chinese noodles, top with slivered almonds, more soy sauce and fried noodles.

The BEST Cream of Veggie Soup EVER

Makes 1 gallon

1 c flour
2 sq. butter
8 c mild
4 c chopped celery
3 c chopped carrots
1 lg onion
6 potatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Onion and garlic powder to taste
2 t accent

Melt butter and add flour. Cook for 2 minutes and add milk. Stir until thick. Put celery, carrots, and onions in processor and chop to medium chunks. Put in pressure cooker with 1 cup water and pressure 2 minutes. Cool under running water.

Peel taters and cube in small pieces. Boil in salted water until just tender and drain. Add all veggies with water and potatoes to milk mixture and add seasonings.

Asparagus with Lemon and Minced Onions

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 bunch fresh asparagus
1 lemon, quartered
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch black ground pepper
1 Tbsp yellow onion, minced
1 lemon, sliced thinly

CUT 1” off of the bottom of the asparagus. Discard.
HEAT pan over medium heat. Add extra virgin olive oil. Cook for approximately 3 minutes or until asparagus starts to soften. Place the remaining ingredients in a saucepan, except lemons. Squeeze quartered lemons into saucepan and place lemon in as well. Fill pan with enough water to cover the asparagus half way and cover. Cook at medium to high heat until the asparagus is bright green and tender.
PLACE asparagus and onion on platter to serve. Garnish with sliced lemon.