Broccoli Alfredo

Thought I'd share a recipe I've made a couple times from Real Simple magazine.

Broccoli Alfredo

Real Simple photo by Monica Buck

Serves 4
Hands-on Time: 15m
Total Time: 15m

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2  1-pound box dry fettuccine
• 4 cups (8 ounces) broccoli florets
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup freshly grated good-quality Parmesan
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place the salt in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook according to the package directions for al dente. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli. Drain in a colander, reserving 1 cup of the water; set aside.

2. Place the butter in the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and stir until melted. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water, then stir in 1/3 cup of the Parmesan. Add the fettuccine and broccoli and the cayenne and nutmeg, if desired; toss.

3. Remove from heat and sprinkle with another 1/3 cup of the Parmesan and the pepper. Toss again, adding more pasta water if the fettuccine is too sticky. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. 

It stands alone but is perfect topped with a grilled chicken breast.  Let me clarify-it stands alone for me.  It doesn't so much stand alone for husbands who, when served a meatless meal, walk around the rest of the evening whining about how hungry they are.  That is where the chicken comes in. 

I love that it doesn't have a ton of ingredients and is pretty quick to put together.    I am always looking for healthier homemade or semi-homemade recipes that don't take a long time to make. In order to make dinner after work and be able to all eat together it has to be fast as Avery is usually asleep by 7 or 7:15.

Also, this is a really inexpensive dish.  Assuming you have the seasonings and butter/margarine already on hand:

1-pound box dry fettuccine (enough to make twice)-$1.50

Parmesan (the recipe calls for "good" quality but I just used Sargento & the container is enough to make twice)-$2.60

Broccoli, 2 crowns (about 1 crown per recipe) $3.00

=$8.00 to make this TWICE so 8 servings

=$1.00 a serving



Of course these prices are general and the chicken isn't included, but still.


Avery really likes this.  I cut everything into bite sizes for her and she goes to town.