Broccoli Tots

This recipe was one I had wished I had doubled or tripled when we sat down to dinner.  They were tasty little poppers, and E loved them almost as much as Frog Prince and I did. 

We used them atop our tater tot hotdish recipe, and munched on them as a snack. 

Broccoli Tots – Adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients

• 2 C broccoli (fresh) or 12 oz broccoli (frozen)
• 1 egg
• 1 T minced onion
• 1/2 C shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 C whole wheat panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add in broccoli and boil for 1-2 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Then, chop the broccoli into small pieces. 

Add 1 egg , 1 Tminced onion and 1/2 C shredded cheese to a large bowl.  Mix in the broccoli, 1/2 C panko and spices (salt, pepper and Italian seasoning).

Spoon 1 T of mixture into your hand and shape into a tater-tot.  Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. 

Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes.   Ideally, you’ll want to flip these over once during cooking, but I didn’t and they still tasted great. 

Serve warm.  Enjoy!

Canadian Bacon & Broccoli Pizza Rolls

This quick and easy dinner was a huge hit at our house.

A new twist on pizza that was ready for dinner in less than 45 minutes too!

I've always been a theoretical fan of pizza bread, but every time I've tried to make it, the middle tends up soggy and the edges burnt.  Not so with these.  Simply slice them like a cinnamon roll and bake!  

If you are looking for a fun new recipe, give this one a try.  It would even make a great NCAA tournament snack too.  

Canadian Bacon and Broccoli Pizza Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 recipe No-Rise Pizza Dough
• 4 T freezer-friendly pizza sauce
• 10 slices of canadian bacon, quartered
• 1 C finely chopped broccoli, steamed
• 4 oz. mushrooms, sliced/chopped & cooked
• 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions

Begin by preparing the no-rise pizza dough in your stand mixer (or by hand) as the recipe instructs. Cover with a tea towel and set aside when you have kneaded it.  Then, chop/prep the veggies and shred the cheese.  

Divided the dough in half and roll it out into a large rectangle.  Spread about 2 T of the pizza sauce over the top of the dough.  Arrange half of the quartered Canadian bacon over the top.  Add diced and cooked mushrooms and half of the steamed chopped broccoli.  Top with cheese.     

Then, just like you would cinnamon rolls, roll up the dough lengthwise until you have a long roll.  

Slice each dough roll into 7-10 slices and arrange each in a lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.  

You'll want to set them about 1/2 inch apart; they will expand a little bit as they bake, but not a lot.  This makes them like cinnamon rolls in that respect.  

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until lightly browned and puffy.   

Serve warm and enjoy!

Creamy Broccoli, Carrot & White Bean Soup

For a quick soup, this one packs a flavorful bite.  It’s a great side soup for lunch or dinner. 

The color is fun too – for March and all things green…. St. Patrick’s Day, or say, March Madness and the Green & White! 

Creamy Broccoli, Carrot & White Bean Soup – Adapted from What Megan’s Making

Ingredients

• 16 oz. frozen broccoli
• 3 C shredded carrots
• 2 T minced onion
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 can (15-oz) white beans, drained
• 3 C chicken stock
• salt & pepper, to taste
• Monterrey Jack or Colby Jack Cheese

Directions

In a large stockpot, sauté the shredded carrots, onion and garlic in a splash of olive oil. 

After 3-4 minutes, add the 3 C chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Add in the frozen broccoli and cook until tender (~7 minutes). 

Add in the white beans, rinsed and drained, to the simmering soup.  Heat 2-3 more minutes. 

Then, using an immersion blender, blend the soup smooth.  If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully transfer the soup to your blender in small batches.  Use caution when blending the hot soup because of the steam! 

Serve topped with cheese.

Enjoy!

Copycat: Garlic Herb Chicken con Broccoli

The Garlic Herb Chicken con Broccoli dish at the Olive Garden used to be one of my favorites to order.  The combination of the herbs with the garlic, pasta that holds the yummy cream sauce and the broccoli was just outstanding. 

Naturally, since I like to try to make things at home, when I found this copycat version from Rumbly in My Tummy, I decided to give it a try. 

We really liked it!  Although it’s not exactly like the original, it was tasty and felt like a fancy meal made at home. 

Copycat Garlic Herb Chicken con Broccoli – Adapted from Rumbly in My Tummy

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into tenders
• 1 tsp. basil, divided
• 1 tsp. oregano, divided
• 1/4 tsp. + 1/2 tsp. minced garlic, divided
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 6 oz. small pasta (we used shells, but Orecchiette is recommended)
• 1/3 C whipping cream
• 2/3 C half and half or whole milk
• 1 T corn starch
• 1 T chicken broth
• 16 oz. frozen or fresh broccoli florets
• Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Directions

In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.  Meanwhile, season the chicken breast pieces with 1/2 tsp. basil, 1/2 tsp. oregano, salt and pepper. 

Sprinkle up to 1/4 C white whole wheat flour over the chicken breasts to coat.  Place each chicken breast piece into the frying pan and cook about 2-3 minutes before flipping. 

Continue to cook until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees, flipping as needed. 

Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to package directions.  In the final 3 minutes, add the broccoli.  Drain and set aside.

In the same pan as you boiled the pasta, mix together 1/3 C whipping cream, 2/3 C half and half or milk, 1/2 tsp. basil, 1/2 tsp. oregano, salt and pepper.  Stir well.  Mix 1 T chicken broth with 1 T corn starch and stir until cornstarch is dissolved.  Slowly, heat the milk and cream mixture to a slow boil, stirring constantly.  Pour in the corn starch mixture to thicken the sauce.  Remove from the heat.

Stir in the pasta and broccoli to the sauce. 

To serve, place a spoonful of pasta on a plate and layer a piece of chicken over the top.  Garnish with Parmesan cheese. 

Enjoy!

Grilled Steamed Mediterranean Vegetables

These have to be some of the easiest veggies to make during the summer!  Toss your favorite veggies into tinfoil and grill. 

No, seriously, it is that easy. 

Grilled Steamed Mediterranean Vegetables – Adapted from a newspaper clipping

Ingredients

• 4 C fresh or frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrot mix
• dash or two of oregano
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• splash of balsamic vinegar
• Ice cube (if fresh veggies are used)

Directions

Lightly grease the tinfoil.  Then, place 4 C frozen veggies into the center of the tinfoil.  If you use fresh veggies, than add 2 ice cubes to the veggies. 

Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. 

Wrap up the veggies in the tinfoil. 

Place on the grill over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, then turn the package.  Continue grilling for 5-7 more minutes, or until tender. 

Open the tinfoil package and splash with balsamic vinegar. 

Serve warm. 

Enjoy!

Crockpot Breakfast Egg Casserole

While on vacation, I decided to try a new breakfast recipe. 

Feeding 10 adults, all very hungry in the morning, and trying a new recipe?! 

I know. 

I’m a bit crazy. 

But, I knew the basis of the recipe came from a trusted source: Tiffany of Eat at Home.  I found her slow-cooker breakfast casserole recipe and thought I could easily modify it for our dietary needs. 

So, the night before I prepped the breakfast and the first family up with a baby popped the crockpot in and turned it on to high for 4 hours. 

When the rest of us woke up, breakfast was ready. 

And, it was delicious. 

Crockpot Breakfast Egg Casserole – Adapted from Eat At Home
Serves about 10-12. 

Ingredients

• 50-60-oz of shredded potatoes/hashbrowns
• 12 eggs
• 1 C milk
• 16 oz. frozen broccoli
• 2-3 medium bell peppers
• 1 medium sweet onion
• 4 oz. shredded Colby Jack cheese
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions

Begin by slicing the bell peppers into thin strips.  Slice the onion into rings and then in half.  Saute the peppers and onions in a bit of olive oil until crisp tender.  Better yet, plan to use leftovers (that’s what we did on our vacation; I tossed in the leftover fajita fixings).  You can easily use peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, asparagus, tomatoes, etc! 

Lightly grease a 6 quart crockpot with olive oil spray.  Place 1 package (about 30 oz) of shredded potatoes in the bottom of the crockpot.  We used a brand of frozen shredded potatoes that contained only potatoes!!  You could also make up your own hashbrowns for this dish.    

Layer half of the broccoli and veggies over the top. 

Top with half of the remaining potatoes.  Then, layer the remaining veggies over the top.  Top off the crockpot with the remaining potatoes. 

Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Remove from the fridge and place inside the crockpot. Meanwhile, beat 12 eggs together and season with salt & pepper.  Add in 1 C milk and stir well. 

Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes. 

Top with shredded cheese. 

Cover and cook on high for 4 hours. 

Serve warm. 

**Note: you can prepare the whole thing the night before, and cook on low all night long for 8 hours. 

Enjoy!

Shared with: What’s Cookin’ Wednesday

Broccoli & Squash Sauté

This simple side dish combines some of our favorite veggies in new ways.  It’s amazing how refreshing a new side-dish combination can be! 

Served warm or chilled, this side dish was a hit at our house. 

Broccoli & Squash Sauté – Inspired by Multiply Delicious

Ingredients

• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 medium summer squash
• 2 C broccoli
• 1 tsp. minced onion
• pinch of minced garlic
• 3 roma tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• pinch of salt & pepper
• dash of paprika

Directions

Begin by dicing the veggies.  I quartered the zucchini and summer squash, along with the tomatoes.  Set aside. 

Next, place 2 C broccoli (fresh or frozen) into a skillet with 2-4 T water.  Cook for 5 minutes until crisp tender.  Remove broccoli from the pan to a cutting board and allow it to cool.  Drain any excess water. 

Lightly spray the bottom of your skillet with olive oil.  Toss in the zucchini, summer squash and tomatoes.  Sauté for 5 minutes until tomatoes and squash are soft. 

Dice up the broccoli and toss that back into the skillet. 

Season with oregano, minced onion and garlic, salt, pepper and paprika. 

Serve warm. 

Roasted Vegetable Summer Salad

For my grandparent’s 65th Wedding Anniversary all the grandkids brought side dishes.  I decided it was high time to create a new pasta salad. 

I roasted up a whole bunch of veggies because, let’s face it, roasted veggies taste amazing.  And, I can actually eat them when they are roasted. 

Then, I tossed them in some pasta cooked in chicken broth, marinated with some olive oil, garlic, onion, and herbs. 

The result was a delicious salad – perfect served hot or cold. 

Roasted Vegetable Summer Salad

Ingredients

• 2 C chicken broth
• 2 1/2 C small shaped pasta
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. minced onion
• 4 C water
• 1 C chopped broccoli florets (fresh or frozen)
• 2 C baby carrots
• 2 medium red bell peppers
• 1 medium zucchini
• 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
• 4-6 oz. cherry tomatoes (optional)
• 1 can (~15 oz) Great White Northern Beans, rinsed & drained
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. oregano
• Olive oil

Directions

Place 2 1/2 C small pasta (we used rings, but small shells would work well too) in a large stockpot.  Add 2 C chicken broth (should be enough to nearly cover the pasta; if not, top off with water).  Sprinkle in up to 1/2 tsp. minced garlic and 1 tsp. minced onion.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Once the pasta has absorbed most of the liquid (about 3 minutes of boiling), add in the 4 C of water and continue cooking according to package directions.  Drain. 

Meanwhile, chop up your veggies.  Chop the bell peppers into 1-inch pieces, zucchini into quarters, and mushrooms into quarters.  Halve the cherry tomatoes, if using (I highly recommend doing so!).  Note – it the carrots are thick “baby carrots”, slice them in half lengthwise. 

Arrange the veggies on a large cookie sheet lined with a piece of foil coated lightly in olive oil.  Spritz with additional olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper, basil and oregano. 

Roast at 450 for 30-45 minutes until crisp tender and nicely roasted.  Stir occasionally during this time and, if you are using frozen broccoli, you may need to remove the broccoli sooner than the other veggies. 

When pasta is ready and veggies are done, stir them together.  Mist lightly with olive oil to maintain moistness.  Season with additional salt, pepper, basil, & oregano.

Stir in white beans and garnish with dried parsley, if desired. 

Serve warm or chilled. 

This makes a great stand-alone salad, but would also be delicious with chicken either in the salad or along side it.  Grilled chicken would be even better!  Enjoy!