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!

Cashew Chicken and Shrimp with Vegetables

My mom's birthday was last week so I went home to celebrate. And I had just finished my last full semester of school ever so I had some a ton of celebrating to do as well.

all of the essentials.

cheers!

mother and daughters

For dinner, my mom wanted to have Asian food but didn't feel like going out. I know that my mom loves dishes that mix chicken, shrimp, and a bunch of fresh vegetables and her favorite dish at the Thai restaurant we go to contains cashews. I went on the hunt for the perfect recipe but couldn't find one so I made up my own! Because it was my first attempt at cooking any type of Asian dish and I wasn't following a recipe, I was so nervous that I was going to ruin my mom's birthday with a soggy tasteless stir-fry.

It actually turned out great! Everyone at the party was a fan! It had enough spice to make my mom happy but was still mild enough to please my grandmother, who usually cannot handle any heat whatsoever. I can't take credit for having a perfect calculation for the right amount of sriracha. I just got really really really lucky. I think my kimono-ish top was my inspiration; I went all out :)

my best friend Katie was being a wonderful assistant :)

my mom and I and the sushi appetizer

Jared giving his seal of approval

happy to be with my family and friends + sangria = the typical over-smile

Ken and I :)

 If you like cashew chicken dishes from Chinese take-out, you should give this a try. However, I would cut the recipe in half because this served about 5 people and we ate it for dinner the next night AND I had some for lunch for a couple days. So I estimated that this would serve 10 dinner-sized portions. It was pretty easy to throw together (I was drinking sangria, chatting, and cooking and I didn't catch my kimono on fire so it can't be THAT hard) and is a way healthier and fresher option. This success has me eager to try the billion Asian recipes that I have bookmarked. I can't wait!

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry (10 servings)

• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 ¼ cups of chicken broth
• ¾ cup hoisin sauce
•  2 tablespoon Sriracha + extra for garnish
• 6 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 head of garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cup roasted, unsalted cashews + extra for garnish
• 3 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1 lb shrimp
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 peppers, cut into strips
• 2 heads of broccoli, cut into small florets
• 2 8 oz bags sugar snap peas
• 1 15 oz can baby corn
• 1 8 oz can water chestnuts
• Rice, for serving

1.       Cook rice according to package directions.

2.        In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water/chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Stir in hoisin, vinegar and sriracha and set aside.

3.       Add oil to wok or large skillet and set over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cashews and stir until garlic is golden and fragrant. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then add to wok. Cook until chicken is no longer pink.

4.       Add broccoli and cornstarch mixture and cook for about 2 minutes. Add peppers and shrimp and cook for another 2 minutes. Add sugar snap peas, baby corn, and water chestnuts and cook another 4 minutes, stirring frequently or until sauce has thickened.

5.       Serve with rice and additional sriracha and cashews for topping, if desired.

chicken and cashews

chicken, cashews, broccoli, and sauce

finished product!