Garlic Broccoli

In exactly 30 days from today my friend, Kerry, will be getting married to Mr. Sean, and my hubby and I are going to their wedding in Boston. Kerry is actually one of the original members of our now-defunct cooking club, which we called Boston Bites. She is currently attending culinary school at Johnson & Wales University and I totally admire her for that. Hopefully one day I'll be able to go to culinary school, too.

Anyhoo, I bought a fabulous dress to wear to her wedding...unfortunately it's a size too small! So, in an effort to lose 10 pounds within the next month, I've been cutting down on pasta--which I absolutely love--and I'm making healthier versions of recipes. For example, this garlic broccoli dish is stupendous. I absolutely love garlic and I could probably eat this every day. I only use the most minimum amount of oil and butter, so if you're not on a diet, you can add a bit more if you prefer.

INGREDIENTS (serves 4, but you'll probably eat the entire thing yourself)

• 1 bunch of fresh broccoli florets, about 12 ounces
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• A pinch of black pepper
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Wash broccoli and cut into small florets (they also now sell bags of fresh broccoli florets already washed).

Place broccoli in a microwave safe bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water. Microwave for 2 minutes or until broccoli is barely tender and still bright green. Make sure you don't overcook it. Remove from microwave and drain and set aside.

Add olive oil and butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add the chopped garlic and sauté, stirring frequently, just until the garlic starts to soften and it begins to slightly turn golden. Raise the heat just a little and caramelize, NOT BURN, the garlic. It will turn into a golden light-brown color. Quickly remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside, but leave the oil and butter in the skillet. **The oil will be slightly dark because the butter will be caramelized, too.

Add the steamed broccoli, black pepper, salt and red pepper flakes to the skillet and sauté for one minute. Lastly, add the caramelized garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until it's all heated through and combined.

Place the broccoli in a serving bowl and serve and enjoy.