"Fatherhood is telling your daughter that Michael Jackson loves all his fans, but has special feelings for the ones who eat broccoli."Bill Cosby

I love broccoli.

I have kids who, given their choice of vegetables, choose broccoli every time. Basic broccoli. Steamed. Salt only. Ketchup for the boy. Mayonaise for the girl.

Still, they eat it like champs. I take no pride in this fact because, in truth, the only reason they opt for any veggie is because dessert doesn't otherwise exist. Bribery is effective, but not exactly a "win."

I'm hopeful one day they'll request "Moms' Broccoli" for their birthday dinner and roll their eyes with the deliciousness that is the recipe below.

However, this is not my recipe at all; it's from the Cook's Illustrated magazine a few years ago (you should really subscribe!!). This is absolutely my "go to" technique for roasting veggies, but broccoli requires a unique cutting technique.

Here's what you need:

1 large head of Broccoli
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Sugar
Ground Pepper
1 Lemon, cut into wedges

Begin by lowering the rack in your oven to the bottom half. Then place a baking sheet in it and pre-heat the oven to 500 degrees. This makes the pan super hot which is critical to the process!!! Now wash the broccoli and trim off the rough parts of the base and stem.Cut all of the large pieces into quarters. The goal is to have somewhat uniform-sized stems and to create flat-ish sides to maximize the surface area where the broccoli touches the pan.Put the stems into a bowl and toss with olive oil.Season with salt, pepper, and sugar. Do NOT omit the sugar. Broccoli will turn bitter when roasting unless there's enough sugar to stop the process! Trust me, this little bit won't kill your diet!Remove your preheated pan and place the broccoli so the longest flat sides are touching the pan. Return to the oven and roast for 9-12 minutes or until lightly browned and soft enough to eat. Do this process FAST so the pan doesn't lose much heat!Remove and squeeze lemon over the broccoli. Serve immediately with your favorite meat!Nom. Nom. You'll want your broccoli this way every time - even if your kids want it steamed!

Roasted Broccoli