Broccoli Pesto

Time for a spin on a delicious classic.... pesto!

Ingredients:
1 broccoli crown
2 cloves or 1 tablespoon of garlic
1/2 teaspoon red paper flakes or 1 dried red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
dash of salt
1 box of pasta of choice (I used bowties)
1/4 cup of milk or pasta water from when you boil it
Cheese, if desired

Cook pasta as directed on its package.

Rinse your broccoli and chop the entire crown into smaller pieces. I used the stem also; just peel off the outer layer of it. Using a blender, a magic bullet, a food processor or whatever sort of gadget you may have that is similar, puree/blend all of the ingredients together until it is like a paste. If needed, add more olive oil.

Mix the broccoli pesto with your cooked pasta and add the milk/pasta water and cheese if you desire to do so. I threw in some shredded mozzarella because we loooove cheese! Parmesan would be great also! Stir until pesto is spread throughout and serve.

You've now got a pasta dish that

can feed four for under $2.00!! 

The price breakdown:
Broccoli crown: $0.36
Garlic: a head of garlic may cost around $0.60 so a couple cloves is just a few cents!
Red Peppers: I bought a big bag of dried peppers in the Hispanic food section at the store and it was $1.49, again - only a few cents! You may even have packets laying around from a pizza order!
Olive Oil: Probably already in most kitchens, but you're only using a little bit.
Salt: staple!
1 box of pasta: I usually see them for about $1.00, but just bought some that were 2/$1.00!

This dish took very little time to make and was delicious! It took longer to boil the water for the pasta than it did to make the pesto.

Try it, change it up, add things, use what is in your fridge already... Just get creative and don't be nervous to try something different! Have fun =]

Oh and look what Justin did with our leftovers the next night - added some chicken! Yum!

Inspiration in Hidden Places!

I have been nearing Zombie status for the last month due to an English class I am taking three nights a week right after work, not allowing me to get home before 9:30 on those nights.  I sort of dread Tuesday through Thursday because of this class.  I usually am the quiet person who keeps to herself and most likely comes off as a snob.  (I'm not, I swear! I'm just not good at making new friends and participating in classroom conversations.)  Tonight that changed for a few minutes.  

The Professor was going over our next essay which is a causal analysis + solution research paper.  The topic she chose to use as an example was child obesity.  Quite a few students were throwing out their input and ideas for potential objections and then the refutes to go with the objections.  

Examples: 

1. One may object claiming a lack of time to cook healthy and claim that it is easier to pick up fast food.  One may refute with the options of prepping meals ahead of time, or even doing crock pot meals.  (Of course, this all has caught my attention because it involves food, cooking, children and arguing.  I can be pretty good at that, ask Justin.)  A student chimes in, "well that's not healthy either. Cooking in a crock pot uses a lot of salt and you can't cook vegetables in there!"  "WHAT?!?!?! You can make practically anything you want in a crock pot AND of course you can cook vegetables in one!!" Yeah.... I actually spoke out during class participation to argue against that.

2. One may object and say "healthy food is expensive, it is cheaper and easier to get something off of the value menu at a fast food place." One guy actually said, "Some families can only afford something off of the dollar menu at McDonalds. A hamburger cost a dollar but if you go to the store, a head of lettuce cost $1.99" ARE YOU KIDDING ME??  This person obviously did not think that thought out before speaking it.  You can make a delicious salad for four for $4 or less instead of buying four hamburgers that include unknown ingredients!!  

And that is where the inspiration came from....

I'M BACK!!!  And with a bigger purpose this time - - to help make cooking at home less intimidating  for you and your family and to prove that it can be not only cheaper, but healthier and more fun! Along with sharing photos, ideas and recipes of the creations I come up with in the kitchen as I would usually do, I am also going to include pricing for that dish and per portion/person.  I am not sure that many will see this, but who ever does, I hope you get inspiration to get into your kitchen more often!  It won't burn a hole in your pocket, I promise.