Broccoli, Grape & Pasta Salad

This pasta salad has such a great mix of flavors - it's crunchy, sweet, salty and tangy. I think it will be a real crowd pleaser, but I can't back that up with much proof. My husband liked it, but my 8-year-old daughter wouldn't go near it. I guess it just looked too weird. I can't put much stock her opinion though (anyone who wears leopard print pants, a NY Yankees t-shirt and zebra socks with pink crocks has lost all credibility with me).

BROCCOLI, GRAPE & PASTA SALAD

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 cup chopped pecans

8 oz. farfalle (bow-tie) pasta

1 pound fresh broccoli

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup diced red onion

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups seedless red grapes, halved

8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled

1.      Preheat oven to 350° F. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.

2.      Prepare pasta according to package directions.

3.      Meanwhile, cut broccoli florets from stems, and separate florets into small pieces using tip of a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems, and finely chop stems.

4.      Whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, onion, vinegar and salt in a large bowl. Add broccoli, hot cooked pasta and grapes, and stir to coat.

5.      Cover and chill for at least 3 hours. Stir bacon and pecans into salad just before serving.

from Southern Living

mayonnaise, sugar, red onion, vinegar and salt

dressing mixed

adding broccoli

Make sure the florets are very tiny (it really
improves the texture since the broccoli is raw).

adding cooked pasta and halved grapes

mixed

broccoli, grape & pasta salad
ready to serve (bacon and pecans added)

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Crunchy Romaine Toss

I thought about making this for a long time, but kept hesitating. I was curious about toasting the raw ramen noodles, but the idea made me nervous (and intrigued at the same time). I imagined they would taste stale. Plus I hear ramen noodles and start having college flashbacks (which isn't all together bad, but can be a little freaky).

I must have been feeling bold, because I dove right in and made this for company. Lucky for me it was a big hit! The dressing is wonderfully sweet and salty. There's a nice pungent touch from the scallions. And it's loaded with crunch from the broccoli, walnuts and noodles - which did not taste stale, but more like those those crunchy chow mein noodles you buy in a can (which some people think are low class, but they can suck it, because I love those). This was the kind of salad that I think would be a real crowd pleaser. I would totally bring it to a pot luck (no matter what, it's bound to be better than the jello mold jigging in the corner). 

CRUNCHY ROMAINE TOSS

Yield: 6 servings

dressing:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 (3 oz.) package ramen noodles, broken

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli

1 small head romaine lettuce, torn

4 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup chopped roasted walnuts

1.      In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the dressing ingredients; shake well.

2.      Discard seasoning packet from noodles (or save for another use). In a skillet, saute noodles in butter until golden.

3.      In a large bowl, combine noodles, broccoli, romaine, scallions and walnuts. Toss with dressing and serve immediately.

from allrecipes.com (submitted by Bissy Crosby)

dressing ingredients (adding soy sauce)

ramen noodles

They're not hard to break up, just use your hands.

toasting the broken ramen noodles

broccoli

I'm not a big fan of raw broccoli, so I chopped mine into very
small florets. And I didn't mind the texture at all. In fact, I liked it.

chopped scallions

everything but the dressing

I used green leaf lettuce, but I kept the recipe as is
(I like the name Crunchy Romaine Toss - it works).

adding the dressing

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Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli

I already posted another (very basic) roasted broccoli recipe over a year ago, but this one has more seasoning and it was so yummy - definitely worth posting. The simple addition of garlic, lemon, pine nuts and parmesan transformed an already good dish into something great. I served this for company, along with stuffed shells with feta and herbs and it was a very comforting plate that was well received by almost everyone (my six-year-old being the lone holdout). Apparently she only likes plain, steamed broccoli (which is good for workday me, but boring for weekend me). At least she's not in freaky eater territory (when you start putting tartar sauce on jello, clearly something has gone terribly wrong in your life).

PARMESAN-ROASTED BROCCOLI

Yield: 6 servings

4 to 5 pounds broccoli

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

6 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

1.      Preheat oven to 425º F.

2.      Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets.

3.      Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, then toss the garlic with the broccoli. Roast for another 5 to 10 minutes, until broccoli is crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

4.      Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

barely adapted from Ina Garten

drizzling broccoli florets with olive oil

sliced garlic

lemon zest

adding the garlic

adding lemon zest

pine nuts, lemon juice and parmesan added too

I didn't add the basil (because I used it all in the
stuffed shells and ran out). But I didn't miss it
(I guess because I visited it regularly in my shells).

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Chicken, Rice, Mushroom & Broccoli Casserole

Who doesn't appreciate a good casserole? Psychos and deviants maybe. The rest of us normals love them. They're so homey. Definite comfort food. What I really like about this one is that it's a complete meal full of protein, whole grains and vegetables. Plus you can make it ahead and easily reheat it. You should whip one up next time someone stops by for dinner (it's way cheaper than a psych evaluation).

CHICKEN, RICE, MUSHROOM & BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

Yield: 8 servings

3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for casserole dish

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion

1/2 pound shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken stock

3 cups cooked, cubed chicken

1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

3 cups cooked brown rice or wild rice (preferably cooked in chicken broth)

2 cups shredded cheddar/monterey jack cheese blend

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.       Preheat oven to 425º F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish.

2.       In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and saute until the mushrooms are golden brown and release their liquid, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add flour and stir constantly for 3 minutes.

3.       Add cayenne, cream and chicken stock; stir to blend. Add chicken, broccoli, cooked rice and 1 cup of the cheese. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4.       Pour into prepared casserole dish and top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and golden, about 20 minutes.

adapted from Sunny Anderson

mushrooms, onions and garlic cooking
(I used about 70% shiitake/30% cremini)

mixing in the flour

adding cream, chicken stock and cayenne

mixed

mixing in the chicken, brown rice, broccoli and cheese

I bought a rotisserie chicken from
the store to make this dish even easier.

mixed and spread in casserole dish

sprinkled with cheese

baked and bubbly/melty

scooping out of the casserole dish

dinner is served

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