Broc and Roll
Hello, friends! Can you believe the weekend is already over? Where did it go? And for that matter, where did MARCH go?!? I can’t believe it’s almost April already!
This afternoon was lazy, lazy, lazy. The rain started coming down really hard after lunch, so any thoughts of going out to run errands were set aside. Instead, I worked on grading (which is what I needed to do anyway). I graded for a few hours, and then Ryan and I took a break to listen to a This American Life podcast. I heart Ira Glass.
My mom called around 5:30 and I caught up with her. I guess my lazy day was evident in my voice, because she asked me if she had woken me up! Lol.
Around 6:45, we headed down to get started on dinner. The menu tonight was all about the pasta…viva Italia!
At Whole Foods last weekend (was Fit Bloggin’ really just a week ago?!?), we picked up some beautiful pasta:
Tri-colored “calamari rings”…interesting! This company has been making artisanal pasta for over 35 years. Very cool!
Here’s the pasta, sans sauce. Or, I guess…senza salsa! The two semesters of Italian I took my freshman year of college are really coming in handy, eight years later.
As the pasta cooked, I prepared a simple sauce. In a pan, I heated three tablespoons of olive oil. To that, I added A LOT of garlic…I minced about eight cloves, but you could use less if you’re not quite as crazy about garlic as I am. Once the garlic had cooked for a few minutes (careful not to burn it), I added two cups of chopped broccoli and a cup of chickpeas. I cooked all of this for another ten minutes, then added a half cup of veggie broth to help deglaze the pan. Cook for another two minutes, and toss with hot pasta! I topped ours with whole wheat breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.
I reserved about 1/4 cup of the pasta water to toss with the pasta and sauce as well to help the breadcrumbs and cheese adhere.
Yum!
Mmmmm…this pasta was so chewy and good! Perfectly al dente!
If you haven’t guessed by our Italian dinner (and my poor attempts to work on my rusty-at-best Italian skills)…we’re going to Italy this summer!!! I’m really excited! We’ve been planning the trip for a few months now, but it’s finally starting to sink in that we’re actually going. Ryan and I have never been to Europe together (we’ve both been separately), so we’re really excited to take this trip. We’ll be going to Venice and Florence. In addition to Italy, we’ll be going to Croatia! We wanted to go somewhere that was a little more “off the beaten path” since we’ve both been to Italy before, and Croatia fit the bill perfectly! We’ll be traveling for about two and a half weeks. I haven’t thought it all through yet, but I do know that I should be able to blog while we’re over there!
Do you have fun summer plans? Have you ever been to Italy or Croatia? Any advice on traveling with your spouse or significant other for a prolonged period of time without killing each other 
?
Hope you had a great weekend! See you tomorrow, kids!
Dinner looks beautifully awesome as usual.
That is so awesome that you’re going to Italy, I’m so jealous! No huge travel plans for us yet, I’m a little strapped for vacation thanks to tons of traveling last year and furlough days. 
WOW what an awesome dinner! it does look SOOO great!! ahh so jelous of italy! i want to have gelato in italy!
I love the cool serving spoons…they are beautiful.
I have never been to Italy or Croatia before…no summer plans for us. But I am going to Japan and Singapore in a few weeks. One of these days I want to get to Italy! It must be beautiful there.
My college boyfriend and I biked across the country together! I think keeping busy is the most important thing!
i went to tuscany and rome years ago with my husband’s family. it was fun! in fact, we travel a lot with his family….i think they’re easy travelers.
i love ira glass too. i’m listening to “this american life” as i type, actually…
Ooh that pasta looks good!
It was very dirty when I went! The first two do good ice cream though, and we all know that’s what matters 
I’ve been to Italy – Florence, Venice and Rome. The first two are beautiful, but I found Rome quite a let down
So fabulous! I will go to Florence next weekend and will actually write a post about it today
. I can’t wait to visit the city.
I’ve only heard good things about Croatia – the coasts there must be fantastic.
Your dinner looks stellar btw. Team garlic!
How exciting!! Can’t wait to see your post!
Your trip to Italy sounds so exciting!! I’ve always wanted to discover Europe with a boyfriend/husband, I feel like it would be so romantic!! I’ve been a lot with my family and I love it. I think blogging depends on what hotels you’ll be in, the small ones probably don’t have internet access but the larger chain ones definitely do! Have a great Monday
Italy sounds amazing! I desperately want to travel throughout Europe before I turn 30.
That pasta looks so interesting and delicious, thank you for sharing that delicious sauce recipe.
Ira Glass is a heart-throb. (Can you tell I go for the nerdy guys?) I actually met him once while in line for a comedy show in NY. We talked about the TV episode of “This American Life” with the pig farms. He’s very gracious and nice!
I’m glad to hear he’s nice– I hate it when you hear that a celebrity (okay, I guess he’s only a quasi-celeb, but still) that you like it actually a jackass in real life.
I wonder why they are called Calamari rings. Do you know?
We absolutely LOVE garlic and I always add a ton of it to any dish that calls for it.
How exciting that you are going to Italy and Croatia!
Don’t worry about blogging! Just enjoy it there. Internet is difficult and expensive in Italy (I lived there for 7 months). Advice on traveling with a significant other? Discuss everything you want to do but don’t feel like you have to stick to a schedule! Even spend time apart if it is safe.
We spend a lot of time at my parent’s cabin on the Mississippi in the summer. That will be the extent of our travels.
I think just because of the shape– they look like calamari (not the squid-y part, but the ring part).
Well I’m not worried about the two of you since you seem to spend a TON of time together anyway! Right? If you can manage to spend 99% of the time together in the states, I think you will be FINE while on a nice relaxing vacation in EUROPE!! I am super jealous. I actually find that on vacations Nick and I get along just fine because we are 100% relaxed. It helps.
The pasta looks great. They DO look like calamari!!
Your pasta dish is beautiful!
I’m sure you two will have a great time!
I want to go to Italy! I’ve been twice but wouldn’t mind going again
Awesome dinner. YUM. I am so incredibly jealous of your Italy trip. That is one place I simply must go to one day. I would love to see where my great-grandparents lived first off. Then of course touristy stuff. We’re going to FL (sounds lame after your announcement LOL).
Whatever– I LOVE FLorida! Where are y’all going?
That pasta dish looks amazing! I love the different colored pasta
i LOVE when pasta is aldente…if it is over cooked, it tastes so rubbery, that tiny little crunch is so neccessary!!!
your dish looks deliicious! and healthy! packed with veggiessss
I love This American Life…I’m addicted.
I’ve been all over Italy and I’ve also been to Croatia. My boyfriend is Croatian and we spent a week in and around Dubrovnik. It is so beautiful, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time!
Oh, have fun!!! I love to travel. I have only been to France so far, but I can’t wait to get out there and go to some other places. The pasta looks delicious. I love fun shaped foods!
Awesome news!!! I’ve never been to Italy but it’s one of my top places that I want to visit!! That’s so great!!!
Your dinner looks delish!!!
Good looking pasta
Italy sounds fun. Raymond and I have been to Milan and he has been to Sicily on his own (work). We travel really well together.. and I have th same feeling about you guys. As far as a summer trip… hmmm we have a wedding in Cali but nothing else set on the stone.
Looking forward to the pics and recap
Italy is the best! Just get plenty of gelato
That’s really exciting and I’m so jealous! I’ve never been to Europe. I’m probably making a few trips this summer, including Houston, a beach or two, and a few days in Savannah, GA for a Paula Dean-themed trip. Maybe my little trips will add up to at least half of the excitement of your big one!
I LOVE Savannah!! I went to College of Charleston, and took a few trips to Savannah during my time there. I have a soft spot in my heart for the city, because I got my tattoo there during my freshman year of college at the St. Patty’s Day weekend festivities. Let me tell you, getting the South Carolina state flag tattooed on your heiny during a drunken Savannah weekend is a GREAT idea
I’m sure your trip will be much classier than mine was 
LOVE that pasta shape! i really don’t’ think anything’s better than great al dente pasta…sigh…
we don’t really have any plans for this summer, but we’re really hoping to visit italy and france in september! fingers are crossed that it works out
Wow, uber-bingo! I’ve heard amazing things about Croatia; I can’t wait to hear your stories and see your pictures!
I love that you style your food, btw!
See you in a few weeks! (Speaking of April quickly approaching…)
I know! I can’t believe the wedding is only a few weeks away!
What a cool looking pasta dish! I must try it!
The pasta looks delicious and interesting with the pasta you used. I love pasta with lots of texture.
and the surrounding area.
Our fun summer plans are to vist you in Pennsylvania! We’re looking forward to visiting Washington D.C. and of course, Altoona
Our trip to Mt Rainier this weekend was fun and it was sunny on Saturday so we were able to hike around in the snow at Paradise lodge.
WOOHOO! I’m so excited for your trip to ITALY, Anna! You guys are going to have a blast.
I LOVE those pasta spoons!
That pasta looks fabulous!!!! I always wanted to go to Italy, sounds like such fun! I’m going to Ireland this summer actually and I’m SUPER excited!! And I love the fact that they speak English there haha
I went to Ireland when I was in college– it is SO beautiful and green! You’re going to love it!
HOORAY for italy!!! i must admit, i’m quite jealous…
omg that pasta looks amazing! calamari is on of my favorite foods, this is hilarious that they make pasta in calamari rings???
Sara
How exciting! Italy will be amazing! I am also loving your spoons- so cute!
What an absolutely gorgeous looking pasta recipe!!!
Wowza! That looks sooooo good!