Fried broccoli pieces

I've mentioned before that I like using frozen, microwaveable vegetables. They're a nice way to save time or just use less dishes (because we've all had those times when we didn't feel like doing a bunch of washing later).

However, my complaint about frozen broccoli is that half of the bag is often square, tasteless chunks of stalk. I prefer not to add these to most pasta dishes, such as broccoli-alfredo pasta, because the pasta itself already needs the flavor from the sauce.

I thought this recipe was a nice way to give the chunks more flavor and use them up. It's a great snack or side dish for two people. You may want to double the amounts of ingredients (except the oil for coating the skillet) if you are serving more.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen broccoli pieces
• About 1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus enough additional oil to coat the bottom of your pan/skillet
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (You may also want extra Parmesan for topping)
• Seasoning of your choice (I used garlic powder and salt)

1. Pour the 1/2 cup of oil and the bread crumbs into two separate bowls. Stir the grated Parmesan into the bread crumbs.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the broccoli pieces for about two minutes - enough so that the most of the ice from the freeze packaging is gone, but the pieces are still a bit cool.
3. Arrange the pieces on a plate and lightly pat them with a paper towel (to remove some of the moisture from the melted ice). Sprinkle them with the seasoning.
4. Coat the pan/skillet with the additional oil and warm it on medium-high heat.
5. Add the seasoned broccoli to the bowl with the oil, then use a large slotted spoon to remove them. Shake the spoon slightly as you do this to drain excess oil. Next, add the pieces to the bowl with the bread crumbs. Use the spoon to stir the pieces around in the crumbs, coating them completely.
6. Use the slotted spoon, or your fingers, to remove a few pieces at a time and place them in the pan. Again, shake them gently to remove excess crumbs.
7. Cook the broccoli for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally with a fork or spatula, until the crumb coating on some sides of the pieces begins to darken. Some bread crumbs will come off and into the oil.
8. Use the fork or spatula to serve the broccoli onto a plate. If you like, sprinkle them with a bit more grated Parmesan.