Penne with Roasted Broccoli and Balsamic Butter

I came across this recipe on Pinterest. It’s an online pinboard where you can organize and share things that interest you, like recipes. I love simple pasta recipes, so this one caught my eye. It actually called for asparagus, but after going to two grocery stores and leaving empty handed because they were out, I used broccoli instead. I made the dish for dinner last night and it was Mmm Mmm good!

 

Recipe -

1 pound broccoli
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 pound penne
1/4 pound butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Heat the oven to 400°. Cut 1 pound of broccoli into small spears for roasting. Toss them with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the vinegar in a small saucepan. Simmer until 3 tablespoons remain. Stir in the brown sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Remove from the heat.

Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just done, about 13 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with the butter, vinegar, broccoli, Parmesan, and the remaining 1 3/4 teaspoons salt. Serve with additional Parmesan.
 

* The broccoli was a great choice. However, I love all roasted vegetables. The browning, carmelization, and crisping, enhance their natural flavors. As for balsamic, I love that too. Simmering the balsamic vinegar both mellows and thickens it. When tossed with the hot pasta and the butter, it forms a smooth, uniquely flavored sauce. I hope you enjoy. Ciao!

Sunny Day… or not so Sunny Day here

Emilia has been teething this past week. She has had a fever – hence the rosy cheeks below. Poor girl. We’ve been through this a couple of times before…biting her fingers to relieve the pressure in her gums and eating a little less. However, this is the first time she has had a restless night.



She hasn’t felt like playing as much as usual and she’s very irritable. So, she’s been watching Sesame Street YouTube videos on my iPhone. I really don’t like for her to watch too much television. She does watch Sesame Street on a regular basis. I watched when I was a child and I think it’s special that we can now watch together. Like most toddlers, she LOVES the adorable monsters.



So, we’ve been snuggling a little more lately as she climbs in my lap to watch our fuzzy friends. We’ve seen these two videos in particular over and over.

A positive message through music gets a thumbs up from this Mama.

Little Photographer

My girl has been showing me a thing or two about photography…



You go girl – capture those memories! Love her.

Play Time

I smile seeing Emilia play with her aunt Amanda and baby Cooper. She loves them both very much. While the guys were gone to the UK basketball game yesterday, the girls had tea time on a blanket in the living room. I was just hanging with Mr. Cooper.





Emilia made herself comfortable in the baby seat when Cooper was sitting with his Mommy. She’s such a stinker. She also likes to climb into his car seat. She thinks she can sit with him.


I adore these toys. The tea set is a Green Toy. It is made of recycled plastic milk jugs. The fruit and vegetable set is a Plan Toy. It is made with environmentally friendly materials.





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Amanda and I enjoyed a girls night out at The Melting Pot, after the guys returned from the game. It’s hard to describe how much we love this place. There’s nothing better than cheese, chocolate, and wine. Right? I hope your weekend was fantastic – filled with family, food, and fun.