Browsed by
Tag: broccoli

Cashew Chicken

Cashew Chicken

Yield: 4 Servings

adapted from: recipecritic

Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken is an easy weeknight meal with all the amazing flavors of the popular takeout dish. Tender chicken surrounded by crisp and tender veggies with crunchy cashews and an incredible sweet and savory sauce.

For the sauce:

  • 6TBS low sodium-soy sauce
  • 1TBS hoisin sauce
  • ¾TBS apple cider vinegar
  • 2TBS honey
  • 1tsp toasted sesame oil
  • ½tsp fresh minced ginger
  • 2cloves garlic minced
  • 2TBS cornstarch
  • ½cup water plus more as needed to thin out sauce

For the chicken and vegetables:

  • 2medium skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
  • salt and pepper
  • cups broccoli florets
  • 1red bell pepper cut into chunks
  • ½green bell pepper cut into chunks (optional – for extra color)
  • ½red onion cut into narrow wedges (optional)
  • cup roasted unsalted cashews

Optional garnishes:

  • toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions


For the sauce:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, cornstarch and water until combined. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat and set aside.

For the chicken and vegetables:

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper or foil coated with cooking spray and set aside.

Season chicken with salt and pepper then drizzle spoonfuls of sauce over the chicken coating well on both sides. Reserve at least half of the sauce for later.

Cook in preheated oven for 8 minutes then remove the pan.

Arrange the broccoli florets, bell peppers, onions, and cashews in a single layer around the chicken. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and drizzle spoonfuls of the sauce and toss everything to coat. Return to the oven and cook for another 8-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.

Remove pan from oven and drizzle with remaining sauce.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.

Pork Chops with Mustard-Garlic Sauce

Pork Chops with Mustard-Garlic Sauce

with Potatoes, and Broccoli

Yield: 4

ATK

Roasting the vegetables while cooking the pork means this dinner comes together in less than an hour. Roasting unpeeled garlic cloves with potatoes and broccoli rendered them sweet and creamy. The roasted garlic added depth and body to a creamy mustard pan sauce.

  • lb small red potatoes, unpeeled, halved
  • 6TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 10garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 2tsp table salt, divided
  • tsp pepper, divided
  • 1lb broccoli florets, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 48- to 10-oz bone-in pork rib chops, ¾ to 1 inch thick, trimmed
  • ½cup chicken broth
  • cup heavy cream
  • 2TBS grainy mustard
  • 2tsp lemon juice

Prep and roast vegetables:

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 475°F.

Toss potatoes, 3 TBS oil, garlic, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper together on rimmed baking sheet. Arrange potatoes cut side down and roast for 10 minutes.

Toss broccoli with 2 TBS oil and ½ tsp salt and scatter over and around potatoes. Roast until vegetables are tender and browned, about 20 minutes. Squeeze garlic from the skin and chop fine.

Pork:

Meanwhile, pat pork dry with paper towels and sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper.

Heat the remaining 1 TBS oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.

Add pork and cook until browned and registers at 140°F, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer pork to platter.

Sauce:

Add broth and cream to the now-empty skillet and cook over medium-high heat until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir mustard, lemon juice, garlic, and any accumulated pork juices into sauce.

Serve:

Divide pork chops between plates. Add potatoes and broccoli beside pork. Drizzle sauce over pork.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Yield: 4 to 6 Servings

Adapted from: Elizabeth E. Skipper
Fall 1987
  • 1lb broccoli, cleaned & stalks peeled, florets and stalks separated
  • 6cups chicken stock
  • 2TBS butter
  • 1medium onion, chopped
  • 2TBS cornstarch mixed in 2 TBS water
  • 1cup heavy cream
  • salt/pepper

Chop the broccoli stalks into small pieces.
Bring the broccoli stalks and florets and chicken stock to a boil and simmer until the broccoli is very tender.
In the soup kettle, melt 2 TBS butter and sauté the onion until translucent.
Purée the onion, broccoli and cooking liquid in a blender or food processor.
Return the purée to the pan. You can pass it through a chinois or very fine strainer to make it even smoother.
Make a slurry with the water and cornstarch and stir it slowly into the simmering soup. You will see it thicken almost immediately.
Just before serving. add the heavy cream and heat it through, but do not boil.
Check and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Community Group Pasta

Community Group Pasta

with Chicken, Broccoli, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Cream Sauce 😊

Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

Circa 1994: This started as a church potluck meal, and it still works well 30 years later. It also makes a nice, simple family meal.
Updated to describe the version served at 28-Sep-23 Community Group.
You can use your imagination on this and replace the chicken with shrimp, sausage or beef. Also any pasta and vegetables can be used. Just be sure to barely cook it to al dente so it doesn’t get too soft in the assembly.

Chicken:

  • 2TBS cooking oil, divided
  • 1lb chicken breasts, boneless skinless
  • salt & freshly ground pepper
  • 1-2tsp Italian seasoning
  • 8oz Rotini, Penne, etc.
  • 8oz broccoli, small florets

Assembly:

  • 2TBS garlic, minced
  • 1cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes, oil reserved
  • 2TBS oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1-2TBS butter
  • ½cup reserved pasta cooking liquid
  • 1cup heavy cream
  • 1-2tsp dried basil or Italian seasoning
  • ½cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

For serving:

  • Parmesan cheese shredded


Cook broccoli and pasta:

Bring one gallon of water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 TBS salt and broccoli. Cook until starting to soften (about 2 minutes), remove to a bowl of ice water with a spider.

Return water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until just al dente, a minute or two less than manufacturer’s directions. Reserve a cup of the starchy cooking water, then drain and set pasta aside.

Cook chicken:

While the pasta is cooking, cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Season chicken with salt and pepper and a good sprinkle of Italian seasoning. Be generous.

Heat a TBS each of reserved sun-dried tomato oil and cooking oil until hot in large sauté pan. Add the chicken and sauté until cooked through. About 2-3 minutes. You should get some nicely browned pieces. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Assembly:

Return empty pasta pot to medium heat, add a TBS each of reserved sun-dried tomato oil and cooking oil. Add 2 TBS of minced garlic. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and basil or Italian seasoning, stir and sauté for another 30 seconds.

Add ½ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid and cooked chicken to pan and cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Return pasta and broccoli to pot. Mix.

Add cream and 1-2 TBS butter. Mix and heat until hot and pasta is well coated. You can add more pasta cooking water if needed.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve:
Transfer to a serving dish and top with parsley.

Serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

We served this with a tossed green salad with Italian dressing and Cheesecake Factory dark bread, followed by Hermit Cookies with vanilla ice cream.

Marsala Mushroom Chicken Skillet

Marsala Mushroom Chicken Skillet

with Broccoli and Peas

Yield: 2 Servings

Chicken & mushrooms with a creamy Marsala sauce mixed with broccoli and peas served with pasta.

Needed more sauce, so all of the sauce ingredients below are now doubled.

  • 6oz noodles
  • 6oz cremini mushrooms
  • 1shallot
  • 6oz broccoli florets
  • 12oz boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1TBS flour
  • 6oz dry Marsala wine
  • 8oz light cream
  • 2tsp chicken Better than Bouillon
  • 2oz peas
  • olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Prepare the Ingredients:

Cut mushrooms into ¼-inch slices.

Peel and halve shallot. Slice thinly.

Cut broccoli florets into bite-sized pieces.

Pat chicken breasts dry and, on a separate cutting board, cut into 1″ dice. Season with ¼ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Place diced chicken and flour in a mixing bowl and toss to coat.

Noodles:

Bring a gallon of water to a boil. Add 1 TBS salt, stir and add noodles. Cook as directed on box.

Sear the Chicken:

Place a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add chicken to hot pan and stir occasionally until seared on two sides, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Chicken will finish cooking in a later step. Keep pan over medium-high heat.

Cook the Vegetables

Add 2 tsp olive oil, mushrooms, and shallot to hot pan and stir occasionally until lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.

Add Marsala and stir occasionally until mostly evaporated, 2-3 minutes.

Stir in cream, broccoli, 2 oz water, demi-glace, ¼ tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper until combined.

Finish the Skillet

Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pan. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir occasionally until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F, 6-7 minutes.

Add peas and stir until warmed through, 1 minute.

Serve:

You can mix the pasta into the skillet and get it all coated or serve over the pasta. Divide between plates.

Beef Tenderloin with Shrimp

Beef Tenderloin with Shrimp

with Tarragon Cream Sauce

Yield: 2

Adapted from: Hello Fresh

Pan-seared steaks, smooth mashed potatoes and garlic shrimp are cooked to perfection and topped with a creamy Tarragon mustard sauce.
Prep: 5 Cook: 35

  • 12oz beef steak
  • 10oz shrimp
  • ¼oz tarragon
  • 8oz heavy cream
  • tsp black peppercorns, crushed
  • 10oz yellow potato
  • 1TBS Dijon mustard
  • 8oz broccoli, florets
  • 1oz beef broth concentrate
  • ¼oz parsley
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Roast broccoli:

Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces. Toss broccoli with 1 TBS oil on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Season with salt. Roast in the top of the oven, until golden-brown, 12-14 min. Meanwhile, cut potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Roughly chop parsley and tarragon leaves.

Cook potatoes:

Combine potatoes, 2 tsp salt and enough water to cover (approx. 1 inch) in a large pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium. Simmer, uncovered, until fork-tender, 10-12 min. Meanwhile, drain and rinse shrimp, then pat dry with paper towels. Pat steak dry with paper towels, then sprinkle over peppercorns and season with salt.

Cook steak:

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add ½ TBS oil, then steak. Pan-fry, until golden, 2- to 3-min per side. Remove pan from heat, then transfer steak to another baking sheet. Roast in the middle of the oven, until cooked to desired done-ness, 5- to 9-min.

Cook shrimp:

Heat the same pan over medium heat. When hot, add 1 TBS oil, then shrimp and half the parsley. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp just turns pink, 3- to 4-min. Season with salt. Transfer shrimp to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm and set aside.

Make tarragon sauce:

Add 1 TBS butter and swirl the pan to melt. Add broth concentrate, mustard, half the tarragon, ¼ cup cream and ¼ cup water. Stir together, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan, until thickened slightly, 1- to 2-min.

Finish and serve:

When potatoes are done, drain. Return to the pot, off heat and mash in ¼ cup cream until smooth. Stir in remaining parsley and season with salt.

Slice steak.

Stir any steak juice from the baking sheet into the sauce.

Divide steak, shrimp, mashed potato, and broccoli between plates.

Spoon sauce over steak. Sprinkle remaining tarragon over plate.

Shrimp & Broccoli with Brown Sauce

Shrimp & Broccoli with Brown Sauce

Yield: 2 Servings

Wok of Life

Shrimp and Broccoli was one of the most often ordered dishes at Wok of Life’s family Chinese restaurant.

  • 12oz shrimp (21-25); peeled, deveined, and butterflied)
  • 10oz broccoli florets

Sauce:

  • ½cup low sodium chicken stock (warmed)
  • ¼tsp granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 2tsp soy sauce
  • ½tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1TBS oyster sauce
  • ½tsp sesame oil
  • tsp white pepper

Stir Fry:

  • 2TBS canola oil
  • 2cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1TBS Shaoxing wine
  • TBS cornstarch (mixed with 2 TBS water)


Prep:


Mise, Mise, Mise, get your mise together!
This means me! This happens so fast, that you must get everything prepped and measured before cooking starts.

First, prepare the shrimp and broccoli. Next, in a medium pot, set 4 cups of water to a boil.

Premix sauce:

While that’s happening, mix the chicken stock, sugar, soy sauces, oyster sauce, sesame oil and white pepper and set aside.

Slurry:

Make a slurry by mixing 1½ TBS cornstarch with 2 TBS water in a small dish. Set aside.

Blanch:

Blanch the broccoli for 30 seconds. Remove and drain.

Let the water return to a boil and blanch the shrimp for 15 seconds. Remove and drain.

The shrimp will be about 60-70% cooked.

Stir-fry:

Heat the wok over high heat. Pour 2 TBS of cooking oil around the perimeter of the wok, stir in the garlic, and add the Shaoxing wine. Next, add the chicken stock mixture. Bring the sauce up to a boil and add the shrimp and broccoli back to the wok.

Once everything comes to a boil, drizzle in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce thickens and starts to cling to the shrimp and broccoli. There should not be any standing sauce, although you can adjust this depending on your personal preference.

Serve with steamed white rice!

Shrimp Tempura Bowls

Shrimp Tempura Bowls

with Sesame-Roasted Broccoli & Quick Pickles

Yield: 2 Servings

Crispy tempura shrimp drizzled with Sriracha-spiced sauce, sesame-flecked broccoli, and quick-pickled cucumbers on top of steamy rice.
Prep: 10 min, Cook: 45 min

  • 1mini cucumber
  • 2TBS mayonnaise
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • 1TBS sesame seeds
  • 5tsp white wine vinegar
  • 2scallions
  • 1oz apricot jam
  • 1tsp sriracha
  • ½cup white rice
  • 8oz broccoli florets
  • 10oz shrimp
  • 6oz tempura batter mix
  • salt & pepper
  • ½tsp sugar
  • 1tsp cooking oil plus more for frying
  • 2TBS butter


Prep & Pickle cucumber:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Trim, peel, and halve cucumber lengthwise, thinly slice cucumber crosswise into half-moons. In a small bowl, combine sliced cucumber, 5 tsp white wine vinegar, ½ tsp sugar, and a pinch of salt. Set it aside.

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Make sauce & cook rice:

In a second small bowl, combine mayonnaise, jam, Sriracha, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp water, and a pinch of salt.

Melt 1 TBS butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, cook, stirring, until softened, 1 minute.

Add rice, ¾ cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Roast broccoli:

While rice cooks, cut broccoli florets into 1-inch pieces if necessary. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, half the sesame seeds (save the rest for serving), salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack until golden-brown and crispy, 15-20 minutes.

Carefully toss with half the scallion greens.

Mix batter & coat shrimp:

Meanwhile, rinse shrimp under cold water, pat very dry with paper towels. Season with salt.

In a large bowl, combine tempura mix, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1⁄3 cup cold water, and ½ tsp salt.

Tip: If needed, add more water 1 TBS at a time until it reaches a pancake batter-like consistency.

Stir shrimp into batter until fully coated.

Cook shrimp:

Heat a ¼-inch layer of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium high heat.

Once oil is hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added to the pan, working in batches, add coated shrimp in a single layer. Cook until golden-brown and cooked through, 2- to 3-minutes on the first side and 1- to 2-minutes on the second side.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Immediately season with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Fluff rice with a fork, stir in 1 TBS butter and season with salt and pepper.

Divide rice between bowls. Top with shrimp, quick pickles (draining first), and broccoli. Drizzle shrimp with sauce, sprinkle with remaining scallion greens and remaining sesame seeds. Serve.

Pasta with Chicken & …

Pasta with Chicken & …

Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Broccoli & Cream Sauce

Yield: 4 Servings

Scott Nowell

Circa 1994: Another church potluck meal. It makes a nice, simple family meal. Either the broccoli or the sun-dried tomato can be eliminated or increased as desired. (hint: double the tomatoes)

Use your imagination on the type of pasta and protein, shrimp, pork, beef. Just about anything will work.

Chicken:

  • 1TBS oil
  • 1lb boneless chicken breasts
  • salt & pepper
  • 1tsp Italian seasoning

Pasta:

  • 8oz Rotini, Penne, etc.

Vegetables:

  • 8oz broccoli, small florets
  • ½cup sun-dried tomatoes oil reserved, sliced
  • 2TBS oil from sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2TBS pine nuts, toasted (Optional)

Cream sauce:

  • 1cup heavy cream
  • 1tsp dried basil
  • salt & pepper

For serving:

  • ¼cup Parmesan cheese shredded
  • ½oz Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped fine

Broccoli and pasta:

Bring one gallon of water to boil in a large pot. Add 1 TBS salt and broccoli. Cook for until starting to soften (about 2 minutes), remove to a bowl of ice water with a spider.

Return water to a boil and add pasta. Cook until just al dente, a minute or two less than manufacturer’s directions. Reserve a cup of the starchy water, then drain and set pasta aside.

Chicken breasts:

While the pasta is cooking, season chicken with salt and pepper and a good sprinkle of Italian seasoning.

Heat oil until hot in large sauté pan. Add chicken breasts and brown on both sides for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Wipe out and set pan aside, it will be used later. Slice each chicken breast on an angle in 3 – 6 slices. Chicken will finish cooking later.

Assembly:

Return pasta pot to heat, add cream, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 2 to 3 minutes until reduced and thickened slightly.

Add tomatoes and basil, stir. Return sliced chicken breasts to pan and simmer until cooked through 2 to 3 minutes.

Return pasta to pot. Add toasted pine nuts, is using. Mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving dish and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Balsamic Rosemary Pork Chops

Balsamic Rosemary Pork Chops

with Pesto Garlic Toast & Broccoli

Yield: 2

Sauteed pork chops with a saucy coating that includes fresh rosemary, tangy balsamic vinegar, and creamy garlic herb butter. Complemented with a side of pesto-garlic-herb toast and roasted broccoli.

Needs a replacement for the pesto garlic toast.

Prep: 5 Cook: 20

  • 8oz broccoli florets
  • 10oz pork chops
  • 2TBS garlic herb butter
  • ¼oz rosemary
  • 1demi-baguette
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 5tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 4TBS pesto
  • salt & pepper
  • 2tsp sugar
  • 1TBS cooking oil


Roast broccoli:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce.

Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Prep & cook pork:

Meanwhile, strip rosemary leaves from stems, finely chop leaves until you have 1 tsp.

Pat pork dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add pork, cook until browned and cooked through, 4- to 6-minutes per side.

Turn off heat, transfer pork to a cutting board. Wipe out pan.

Make pan sauce:

Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add chopped rosemary, cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Stir in stock concentrate, vinegar, ¼ cup water, and 2 tsp sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, 3- to 4-minutes. Season generously with pepper.

Turn off heat. Stir in half the garlic herb butter until melted (you’ll use the rest in the next step).

Finish & serve:

Mix pesto with remaining garlic herb butter.

Halve baguette lengthwise and toast, spread cut sides with pesto garlic herb butter. Season with salt and pepper. Halve diagonally.

Thinly slice pork crosswise.

Divide pork, pesto garlic toast, and broccoli between plates. Top pork with balsamic rosemary pan sauce and serve.