Roasted Broccoli and Peanut Butter Cake

Eat your vegetables, then you can have dessert.
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ROASTED BROCCOLI

• 2 bunches fresh broccoli (not frozen), chopped into florets (well dried)
• 4 fresh garlic cloves, sliced
• 5 tbs olive oil (about)
• Grated Parmesan (optional)
• Juice of ½ lemon (optional)
* Salt and pepper, to taste
* Pinch of sugar! (optional, but do it)

I have seen this recipe floating all over the internet, usually called THE BEST BROCCOLI IT'S POSSIBLE TO MAKE EVER IN THE WORLD. And it's actually true.

Toss the broccoli and garlic slivers with olive oil, salt and pepper - and sugar! I am updating this recipe to add the sugar. It helps to carmalize everything together and make it awesome-er. I use a nice hefty pinch, let's say about 1/4 - 1/3 tsp? Okay, I'm done now.

Spread it all out in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet, and roast at 400 degrees for 25 minutes - the tops of the broccoli should just be turning brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle on lemon juice and Parmesan (if you're using those things). Toss everything well, and serve.

That's it! You can leave out the Parmesan, or the lemon juice, or both. Just make sure the broccoli florets are not too small (or they'll shrink up and get soggy) and that if you rinse them before you cook them - make sure you dry them completely. You don't want any water in there. Affects the roasting.

Make this broccoli. I asked Shayne if he liked it and got a "Yeah!!"

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PEANUT BUTTER SHEET CAKE

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup peanut butter
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs

For the frosting:

• 1 stick butter
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 6 tsp milk
• 1 lb powdered sugar

I can't remember where I found this recipe. It doesn't matter. It's exactly what I wanted. I halved this recipe, and used a small sheet cake pan. It was the perfect amount for two people to share for a few days. I also greased my pan with shortening and floured it first. You probably don't have to do that, but it makes me feel better.

In a large bowl, mix together sugar, baking soda, flour and salt. Set aside. Combine butter, water and peanut butter in a saucepan, and bring to boil. Pour peanut butter mixture into flour mixture. Add milk, vanilla and eggs. Mix everything together well (I just used a spoon, no mixers necessary). Pour the batter into a large (or small, if you're halving it) rimmed cookie sheet or jelly roll pan and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Set the pan aside and let it cool.

To make the frosting, bring butter, peanut butter and milk to boil in a saucepan. Add one pound of powdered sugar and stir until completely incorporated. Pour warm frosting over cooled cake.

I didn't listen, and frosted the cake while it was still pretty warm. It was mostly fine, but the peanut butter makes the frosting kind of sticky and tacky - it peeled the top off the cake in places as I spread it. Not the most beautiful presentation.

Next time I make this, I'm going to try adding more sugar to the cake batter. Maybe some brown sugar. It needed just a little more kick of sweetness, but otherwise it was delicious. Even better the next day, cold from the fridge with some milk.

Yes.