Meatless Mondays: Browned Butter Gnocchi

As you can guess, Matt was not home when I made this Meatless Monday dish of browned butter gnocchi with broccoli and pine nuts. I say that because I would consider this dish “fancy”, a word that Matt does not like to classify his food with. 🙂 Matt is from the country and hence, likes good ‘ole southern comfort meals with lots of meat!!

I on the other hand, like trying new foods, especially ones with a touch of sophistication. While I hate mashed and baked potatoes, I LOVE gnocchi. (The gnocchi I used actually contains potatoes!) For those of you who don’t know, gnocchi is an Italian type of pasta, resembling thick, soft dumplings. Gnocchi can be made from ricotta, flour and egg, potatoes, or other similar ingredients.

If you’re like me, you’ll really enjoy this dish with the chewy gnocchi, sweet broccoli and crunchy nuts. The red pepper flakes and pecorino Romano cheese add a nice flavor to the already lightened-up sauce. Enjoy!

Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Add broccoli during last minute of cook time.

Brown butter in large skillet. Add drained gnocchi and broccoli. Add freshly ground pepper, red pepper flakes and pine nuts.

Off the heat and stir in Pecorino Romano cheese.

Browned Buttered Gnocchi with Broccoli and Pine Nuts
INGREDIENTS
2 (16-ounce) packages prepared gnocchi
5 cups chopped broccoli florets
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
1.5 ounces shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheese (about 1/3 cup)
2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook gnocchi in a large Dutch oven according to package directions. Add broccoli during last minute of cooking; cook 1 minute. Drain.
2. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add butter and oil; cook 7 minutes or until butter browns. Add gnocchi mixture and pepper to pan; toss to coat. Turn off the heat and add pine nuts and Pecorino Romano cheese.
3. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups gnocchi mixture into each of 6 shallow bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 6 servings

Amish Broccoli Bake

Well, Thanksgiving Day is nearly upon us, if you’re like me, you are searching cookbooks, blogs, and old family recipes in order to decide what to make or bring on Thursday. A few months ago (more like six months ago,) I visited my aunt in Houston and we made this delicious Amish Broccoli Bake, which I think, would be the perfect side dish to the turkey and dressing you’re about to eat.

Nothing compares to the homemade goodness of the rich and creamy taste and texture of this delicious Amish vegetable casserole. I’m not sure what an “Amish” dish is, but this one was great. The herb stuffing mix added a punch of flavor combined with the freshly grated Cheddar cheese, and creaminess from the soups and mayonnaise.

I grew up hating all vegetables, including broccoli. My mom would always tell me, “I know kids your age who love broccoli, especially when drizzled or dipped in Cheddar cheese.” Either my mom was not very convincing, or I was very picky, but I for sure was not going to eat that! It wasn’t until college (just a few years ago,) that I actually started enjoying veggies. I hear your taste buds change every seven years, but I think my main motivation was the fact that I was eating crummy dorm foods which consistent entirely of pizza, quesadillas, and sandwiches…not too healthy if you ask me. Because I realized I had a “deficiency” of anything healthy in my diet, I would go out of my way to try vegetables, including raw carrots and snow peas at lunch. I soon discovered that I actually like vegetables, especially when they are in some sort of sauce, like the way Pei Wei prepares their signature dishes. Apparently my taste buds have changed, because I now LOVE broccoli, mushrooms, green beans, peppers, and onions (I used to hate that stuff!)

Enjoy and maybe this recipe will make veggie lovers out all those picky eaters.

Place half of the broccoli and half of the cheese and stuffing mix in the casserole dish.

Pour half of the butter and half of the soup mixture over stuffing. Repeat layers one more time.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Amish Broccoli Bake
Ingredients
1 (10-3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 (10-ounce) packages frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (6-ounce) box herbed stuffing mix
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted and divided

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine soup, mayonnaise, onion, salt and pepper; mix well.
3. Place half the broccoli in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with half the cheese and half the stuffing mix. Pour half the butter and half the soup mixture over stuffing. Repeat layers one more time.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until hot in center.

Yield: 8
Mr. Food

Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli

This is my second broccoli and beef stir fry recipe to post. My mom made the first (Broccoli Beef) recipe back in May, and today I made this one (Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli). The only major difference is that mine has a red bell pepper and freshly ground ginger. I only had leftovers of my mom’s Broccoli Beef, so you will have to be the judge as to which recipe is better!!!

I really enjoyed my version, which I got from “America’s Test Kitchen: 10th Anniversary Best Recipes” magazine. I loved the garlic and ginger flavorings in the sauce, which made for a fragrant, but not overly-saucey dish. I consider this quite healthy, and the broccoli was my absolute favorite part. Try both of these stir fry recipes and let me know how you like them! Enjoy!!!

Cook steak strips over high heat in a skillet with vegetable oil for about 1 minute per side, or until browned and cooked through.

Cut the steak into bite-sized pieces, and transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

Add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to the skillet and cook broccoli over high heat for 30 seconds. Add water, cover the skillet, and reduce heat to medium. Cook the broccoli for 2 more minutes or until crisp-tender. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add 1 tsp vegetable oil to the skillet and cook bell pepper on high heat until spotty brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Stir together garlic, minced ginger, and 1 tsp vegetable oil.

Add garlic mixture to center of skillet and cook for 15-20 seconds until fragrant. Then mix it together with the bell peppers.

Return broccoli and beef and accumulated juices to the skillet. Combine.

Whisk together the sauce and pour over broccoli beef mixture, tossing all together until the sauce thickens, about 30 seconds.

Serve over brown rice.

Stir-Fried Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
Sauce
5 tbsp oyster-flavored sauce (I used clam sauce)
2 tbsp low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp dry sherry (I omitted)
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp cornstarch

Beef and Broccoli
1 lb. sirloin steak steak, trimmed and cut into 2-inch wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain into 1/8-inch thick slices
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil (I used vegetable oil)
6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger
1 1/4 lbs. broccoli, florets, cut into 1-inch pieces, stems trimmed and sliced thin
1/3 cup water
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 scallions, sliced 1/2 inch thick on the bias

Directions
1. For the Sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. For the Beef and Broccoli: Toss the beef with the soy sauce in a medium bowl and let marinate for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. In a small bowl, mix 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil, the garlic, and ginger together.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons more vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add half of the beef, break up any clumps, then cook without stirring until beef is browned at the edges, about 1 minute. Stir the beef and continue to cook until cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer the beef to a clean bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with 2 teaspoons more vegetable oil and the remaining beef.
4. Add 1 tablespoon more peanut oil to the skillet and return to high heat until just smoking. Add the broccoli and cook for 30 seconds. Add the water, cover the skillet, and lower the heat to medium. Cook the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a paper towel-lined plate.
5. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon vegetable oil to the skillet and return to high heat until just smoking. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until spotty brown, about 1 1/2 minutes. Clear the center of the skillet, add the garlic mixture, and cook, mashing the mixture into the skillet, until fragrant, 15 to 20 seconds. Stir the garlic mixture into the bell pepper.
6. Stir in the broccoli and beef with any accumulated juices. Whisk the sauce to recombine, then add to the skillet and cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce is thickened, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with the scallions, and serve over brown or white rice.

Serves 4

Broccoli Beef

My mom used to fix Chinese food a lot before I was born. Actually the last time she made stir fry, she was pregnant with me. She was using a wok, which heats up extremely fast, so soy sauce was splattering everywhere. When my Dad walked in from work, he heard her say, “I’m never doing this again”! He thought she was talking about getting pregnant! haha 🙂 In actuality, my mom was referring to the wok.

The recipe for Broccoli Beef comes from the “Steamy Kitchen” cookbook. The beef was very tender, the sauce flavorful, but not overpowering, and the broccoli and rice were perfect complements. Enjoy!

Ingredients for the beef marinade: soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, cornstarch, black pepper

Stir together the soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch, and pepper. This is the beef marinade.

Add sauce to the beef slices and let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir together the sauce ingredients: oyster sauce, Chinese rice wine, soy sauce, and chicken broth.

Blanch the broccoli in a small pot of boiling water for 2 minutes.

Cook the beef on high heat with cooking oil for about 1 minute. Add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until beef is no longer pink. Pour in the sauce and add the blanched broccoli. Bring to a boil. Pour in the cornstarch and cook until the sauce boils and thickens, 30 seconds.

Serve over brown rice.

Broccoli Beef
Ingredients
3/4 lb flank or sirloin, sliced thinly across the grain
3/4 lb broccoli florets
2 tbsp high-heat cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, very finely minced using a garlic press
1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 tbsp water

For the beef marinade
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions
1. Marinate the beef: Stir together the beef marinade ingredients in a medium bowl. Add the beef slices and stir until coated. Let stand 10 minutes.
2. Prepare the sauce: Stir together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Blanch the broccoli: Cook the broccoli in a small pot of boiling, salted water until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
4. Heat a large frying pan or wok over high high until a bead of water sizzles and instantly evaporates upon contact.
5. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat.
6. Add the beef and immediately spread the beef out all over the surface of the work or pan in a single layer. Let the beef fry undisturbed for 1 minute.
7. Flip the beef slices over, add the garlic to the pan and fry for an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute until no longer pink.
8. Pour in the sauce, add the blanched broccoli and bring to a boil. Pour in the dissolved cornstarch and cook, stirring, until the sauce boils and thickens, 30 seconds.