Broccoli Review

For the summer months in my apartment, we have given Wednesday nights to my six-year-old. (I'm sorry, six AND A HALF year old.) He too was raised the chicken and potato way via my mother. You see, for the second three years of his life (and probably the most impressionable food-wise), we lived with my mother. I was divorced from the evil ex husband and going to graduate school and my parental units were kind enough to grant me two rooms in their household whilst I bettered my mind via Literature MA.

The downside to this: he ate the same foods I grew up on. Usually, my classes forced me to eat a separate meal from the family and Garet ate with everyone else. So I had falafel at Phoenicas (Greek food on campus) and he ate mashed potatoes and ham. Or mashed potatoes and chicken. Or french fries and chicken strips.  For the past year, I have been trying to broaden his culinary horizons, but on Wednesdays, he gets a break and usually picks hot dogs and boxed mac n cheese. Of course, this leaves little for the vegetarian to eat, so the vegetarian makes her own side-dish for the family that also acts as her main course. In this case, I made baked broccoli with a side of sauted mushroom for protein.

I got the recipe here at the Amateur Gourmet blog, who, in turn, got the recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.It's broccoli, parmesan, salt, basil, and lots of olive oil baked on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes. I've taken to following the Amateur Gourmet blog only recently, but I have fun with his voice and honesty (read his latest on one cup coffee makers). Plus, I'm an avid broccoli fan and when I read about his recipe, I had to try it.

My first mistake was probably not measuring out the broccoli. I just cut up what I had and tossed it on the cookie sheet. I thought it seemed like less than the amount called for so I eye-balled the ingredients, lessening each by a bit, but I don't think it was enough.

Don't get me wrong. The broccoli was tasty. Art loved it and Garet would have if he had been willing to try it. But I found it personally a bit overpowering and salty. Something to bear in mind for future use, but overall, if you are less of a broccoli fan but want to incorporate more into your diet, the Amateur Gourmet won't steer you wrong on this one.