Roasted Garlic Parmesan Broccoli

Sounds simple, right?

Well, it is.

But it also has a pretty impressive presentation and a great taste. Since my grandmother's birthday, she has called me four times to tell me how great it was and ask me questions about how I prepared it.  Usually side dishes get overlooked or overshadowed by the main dish. The main dishes for her dinner were marinated steak tips (to DIE for, I swear they melt in your mouth) and baked shrimp scampi (recipe to coming soon!). So the fact that the broccoli made such an impression on people really says something.

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm currently obsessed with roasting vegetables. I grew up with steamed frozen vegetables. When I'm running low on time or energy, frozen veggies are still my go to side dish. But if I have any fresh vegetables and a little time before dinner, I just cannot resist roasting them. Is it just me or does roasting give everything a wonderful nutty flavor? I might be making that up but I love it.

The addition of parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs makes the roasted broccoli look a little fancier and taste richer. The preparation is just as easy as simply roasting the broccoli with olive oil but the additions make it seem more appropriate for a special occasion.

Try this for a semi-elegant twist on roasted broccoli!

Roasted Garlic Parmesan Broccoli (4 servings)

• 1 lb fresh broccoli, broke up into large florets
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• 2 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the breadcrumbs in a 9x13 pan for 2 minutes. Transfer into a bowl and set aside. 
3. Toss the broccoli with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix in breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
4. Transfer to the 9x13 pan. Sprinkle pieces of butter evenly over the top of the broccoli. Roast for about 15 minutes or until the broccoli reaches the desired tenderness.

viola!