Garlic Spiked Broccoli

I cannot believe I don't have this recipe posted!  Seriously, one of my favorite ways to eat broccoli, and I didn't even list it.  *sigh*  What am I comming to?

At any rate, if you like broccoli, well, even if you don't give this a try and it will probably put a smile on your lips.

What you need:

2 Tbsp olive oil

6 cloves garlic

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 tsp rosemary

A bunch of broccoli florets (can use frozen or fresh)

(I never measure the broccoli.  Just a bag of frozen florets, or a 2 bunches of fresh broccoli. Sometimes 3 bunches.  Depends on my mood and how big the bunches are)

What to do:

Heat oil in a large sauce pan.  Add crushed garlic.  Once it begins to brown, add mushrooms and rosemary.  Cook until mushrooms are soft.  Add broccoli.  Make sure to coat the broccoli with the garlic, mushrooms and rosemary that have already been in the pan, mingling flavors.  Cook for about 10 minutes on medium low, or until broccoli is soft with a slight crunch.  Remove from heat and serve.

Tastes so good!  I can never go back to just regular broccoli now that I know how it tastes with the garlic and rosemary. 

National Macaroni Day or Pasta with Aurora Sauce

Today was National Macaroni Dayor something like that.  So I had to make something pasta-ish. 

Cruising through some cookbooks, I found a recipe I thought I might add... if I changed it up a lot.  We liked it, but I think the next time I make it, I will be going a little easier on the garlic.  Loved it though.

Pasta with Aurora Sauce

What you need:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 green onions, minced

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp dried marjoram

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup cream cheese

1 lb pasta of choice (I used the veggie bow tie pasta)

cheese (I had longhorn on hand, so we used that)

What to do:

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add the garlic and green onions, cooking until fragrant (1 minute).  Stir in tomatoes and spices.  Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While sauce is simmering, cream the cream cheese until smooth.  Add 1 cup of the garlic tomato sauce from your saucepan and blend with cream cheese until smooth.  Return to saucepan, stirring to blend.  Be sure you taste and fix with any seasonings if needed.  Keep warm over low heat while your pasta is cooking until al dente.  Transfer drained pasta to serving bowl.  Add the sauce and toss gently to combine and cover noodles.  Grate cheese over top, and toss again distributing cheese evenly.  Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

To be completely honest, this recipe isn't anything to phone home about, but for a good home cooked meal, it hits the spot.  The next time I make it, I will be adding some zucchini and spinach (staples in every meal) and any other veggie that sounds good.  Love loading my pasta with veggies!

Again, sorry for the lack of photos.  By the time dinner is ready, I am busy getting my family fed and so forget to take a picture.  However, here is a photo of a vegan version, same recipe.  Only she didn't use cheese, and used tofu instead of cream cheese. 

Mine looked better.  :)

Creamy Summertime Vegetables

Back into my groove again.  Can't wait to start the experimentation of new recipes again.  This week is chalk full of new experiences for the taste buds.  I decided to do a weekly menu again as that helps me with my budget.  This week we are going to enjoy the bounty of my cherry tree, and other summery foods.

I thought I would start off with a recipe I received in an email.  It looks delicious!

Creamy Summertime Vegetables This recipe works well with any mixture of veggies you find at your local farmer's market.  Get creative! 1.  Chop 6-8 cups of vegetables.  Good ones are carrots, asparagus, broccoli, green beans, snap peas, summer squash, zucchini, kale, cauliflower.  (you don't need them all, choose 2-4 different kinds for this dish). 2.  Sautee fresh minced garlic in 2 Tbls of olive oil on medium heat. 3.  Add 1 tsp of Indian Curry powder or ginger and mix thoroughly. 4.  Add 1 cup of vegetable or chicken broth and 1 cup ofcoconut milk to pot. 5.  Add chopped vegetables (reserve quick cooking ones like kale, spinach, or asparagus for later), bring to boil, and then simmer for 10 minutes. 6.  Add rest of vegetables for 3-5 minutes. 7.  Add 1 Tbls of dry basil (or a 1/4 cup fresh) to vegetables. 8.  Add sea salt to taste. 9.  Pour over bed of cooked brown rice.  Enjoy! I will take some pictures of it when I make it this week, and if they (the pictures) turn out, I will tack them onto the recipe.