Sunday Eats!

Now that football season has officially kicked off, I can't WAIT to start making snacks again! I found this Lawry's Garlic Spread a while back and spread it onto some mini baguettes. All it took was 10 minutes in the oven and we were in garlic bread heaven! Of course, you can't have garlic bread without some warm marinara sauce for dipping!

And what could be better than grilled lamb on a Sunday night? I marinated these lamb loin chops in a mixture of olive oil, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and thyme then simply grilled a few minutes on each side in my grill pan. Served over some curried couscous and the best way to end the weekend!

Labor Day Weekend!

Labor Day might be the unofficial end of summer but the weather in SF made it feel like summer was just beginning! We FINALLY got some heat and totally took advantage of the gorgeous weather. Here we are getting ready for some fun in the sun and BBQ!

This is our friend's house in the Marina who was kind enough to host the BBQ. We had WAY too much to eat and drink as usual!

Now onto some actual food and no party is complete without a dip! I made a 5-Layer Mexican version that was super easy and pretty healthy too. The layers were Wholly Guacamole, TJ's Cowboy Cavier, Salsa, Light Sour Cream and finally Reduced Fat Mexican Shredded Cheese. YUM!

I found lamb loin chops on sale and of course, had to get some. I marinated the chops in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and Dijon mustard for a few hours. Then just grilled them about 5 minutes on each side in my grill pan. Served over couscous and it was the perfect summer meal!

Finally for the perfect Sunday dinner that didn't heat up the house, slow cooked short ribs! I just browned the meat for a few minutes and then tossed them into the slow cooker with a can of Guinness. The meat was falling off the bones after cooking for 10 hours and I served them over a new find, Potatoes Au Gratin. SO much easier than making those potatoes from scratch and tasted just as good!

That's a wrap for our awesome long weekend!

Lots of Meaty Dinners!

We're definitely meat lovers at our house and we've been having some yummy meaty dinners! First off some pork chops braised in a sauce made with a combo of Mango Pineapple Salsa and broth. It's so simple yet perfect for summer. Don't you just think of mango and pineapples when the weather gets warm?

We received some Stonewall Kitchen gourmet jams and jellies as a gift and one of the jars was Hot Pepper Jelly which I found is perfect with lamb. So I made some grilled Lamb Loin Chops and served the jelly on top. AMAZING!

We also had some huge chicken legs braised in a Coconut Curry Sauce. The sauce was just curry powder, ginger, garlic and coconut milk with LOTS of red chili peppers! So simple yet so flavorful served over rice noodles, hubby favorite!

Next we have some pork chops simmered in a spicy pickled jalapeno sauce. Our favorite brand is Embasa and it comes in a can with pickled carrots as well. SO perfect to add a Mexican twist to anything!

I found a recipe for Greek Braised Chicken Thighs and thought I'd give it a try. I'm so glad I did! We don't eat a lot of Feta but we're definitely gonna start! I just love the texture and saltiness!

AND last but definitely not least, I made the most amazing Pepper-Stuffed Pork Chops! Yes the filling fell out a bit but who cares? :)

Meaty Dinners

My hubby is definitely a meat and potatoes kinda guy so most of our dinners tend to center around some type of animal. We had these lamb loin chops on a Sunday night and I could not have been happier! I marinated the lamb in a mixture of Greek yogurt, oregano, garlic and rosemary for a couple of hours. Then I grilled them in my grill pan for about 5 minutes on each side and served them over couscous. Simple and quick!

Another meaty dinner we had were pork chops and peppers served over stuffing. I braised the chops in my Dutch oven and added bell peppers and onions along with canned tomatoes. YUM YUM!

A Full Day of Valentine's Celebration!

Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday this year so naturally, we had to celebrate it ALL day! It actually started with Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies that I brought into work on Friday. I cheated a lil and used Betty Crocker Cookie Mix and topped the cookies with Reese's Peanut Butter Hearts. SO cute and full of peanut butter!

To show my Valentine (my hubby) how much I love him, I surprised him with a breakfast feast in bed! I used a heart-shaped cookie-cutter to cut the blueberry pancakes after they were done. What a perfect plate!

We decided not to go out to dinner and pay those ridiculous pre-fix prices. So instead, we had an incredibly gourmet meal at home starting with a big appetizer platter. This one had all sorts of cured meats and cheeses along with olives, mini toasts and salsa. It would've cost an arm and a leg if we were out!

For the main course, I made a Wasabi-Pea-Crusted Rack of Lamb. There's really no recipe involved. I just crushed up some Wasabi Peas and used them to form a crust around a rack of lamb. Then I just baked it in the oven for about 15 minutes and served the chops over mashed potatoes and garnished with a Prosciutto flower! I'm pretty sure our meal was way better than any restaurant AND we saved a whole lotta money! 

Happy Birthday Honey!

My hubby's birthday fell on a Tuesday so that means we're definitely celebrating it both the weekend before AND after! The weekend before, I treated us to appetizers and Margaritas at Tres, a local Mexican place that we both love. We started out with a plate of chips, which came with 3 yummy salsas. The spicy one on the right is my hubby's favorite!

For a comforting bday dinner, I made Curry Braised Lamb Shanks. It was incredibly flavorful and the meat was so tender, it fell right off the bones! I served the lamb on top of couscous and it was just perfection!

Since we believe in dragging out of bdays for at least 2 weeks, I decided to treat my hubby to some yummy appetizers and drinks at Lark Creak Steakhouse. We got some oysters and steak tartar and had a blast! Can't wait till Christmas!

Leftover Fire-Roasted Tomatoes and Lamb

I've expressed many times my love for Fire-Roasted Tomatoes and tonight I added them to some Lamb Shanks along with red wine and couldn't have been happier. I made a sauce of tomato paste, brown sugar, bay leaf, red wine, beef broth, rosemary and oregano and served the lamb over mashed potatoes. YUM YUM!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 lamb shanks
Salt and pepper
1/4 c onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c fire-roasted tomatoes
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 bay leaf
1/2 c red wine
1/2 c beed stock
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Prep:

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Add to the pan and brown on all sides. Remove and keep warm.

2. Add onion and lower heat to medium. Cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute.

3. Add the red wine and deglaze for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, bay leaf, rosemary and oregano. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.

4. Nestle lamb shanks back and cover. Simmer for 1 hour or until meat is tender. Remove lamb shanks and discard bay leaf. Boil sauce until thickened, 5 minutes.

It's ALL About the Figs!

I love keeping dried fruit on hand because they add so much flavor to both sweet and savory dishes. Plus they last forever so that's a bonus! I came across Martha Stewart's Braised Lamb Chops with Red Wine and Figs and couldn't wait to try it! I didn't grow up eating figs whether fresh or dried but as an adult, I discovered how yummy they are. They paired so perfectly with the red wine and vinegar and I just love the meatiness of the shoulder chops. I served them over rice to soak up all that incredible sauce and it was a simple yet elegant dinner!

I Promised a Rack of Lamb!

It's the holidays and my hubby loves nothing more than a rack of lamb so tonight, I made Sunny Anderson's Herb-Crusted version and served it with mashed potatoes. Simpy but VERY delicious!

Happy Birthday Hubby!

It's my hubby's bday (I won't disclose the age!) so I wanted to make a special dinner for him. We started with Martha Stewart's Caesar Salad, which was AMAZING! I'll never buy Caesar Dressing in a bottle again!

It was followed by Emeril's Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb, which also couldn't be beat! Happy Birthday Honey!

Who Knew My Hubby Loved Olives?

I truly believe that I learn something new about my hubby everyday and tonight, I discovered that he loved olives. I guess I always just assumed he didn't cuz I gotto steal them from his Martini when we go out! Come to find out, he was just being nice!. Anyway, so tonight, I made Braised Lamb Shanks with Olives and it was amazing! Lamb shanks are just so perfect on a cold night and the olives didn't hurt either!

Giada-Inspired Lamb Lollipops

A while back, I watched Giada make her Lamb with Honey and Mascarpone and loved the idea of the sauce. My hubby's a big fan of lamb lollipos so I sliced the rack of lamb beforehand, which also meant the meat cooked in just minutes on the grill pan. To make sure that the lamb came out as tender as possible, I quickly marinated the lollipops in a mixture of lemonade and olive oil. (Yes, you read that right, I said lemonade, not lemon juice!) The result was a mouthwatering Sunday night feast of flavorful lamb topped with the most decadent sweet and creamy sauce served over couscous!

Big O Lamb Shanks!

Ever since I discovered how yummy lamb shanks are, I can't seem to get enough of them! Tonight I picked up 2 HUGE ones from Safeway and couldn't be happier! I braised them low and slow in a sauce made from beef broth, curry powder, onions and carrots. The meat was fall-off-the-bones tender and incredibly flavorful! Served over some couscous and Sunday night dinner couldn't have been better!

Another Visit from the In-Laws and a Special Dinner by ME!

My In-Laws visited us over the weekend and we had a blast! I swear I'm so lucky to have married into such a great family! They're not only nice but also super fun to hang out with! Of course most of our outings included food and although I didn't get to snap pictures of everything, we did have some very yummy meals which included the House of Prime Ribs and Betelnut. Sunday was our big roadtrip down to Half Moon Bay and we had a really nice brunch at the Ritz Carlton. The weather wasn't as warm as we'd hoped so we ate inside at The Conservatory Lounge. It was a nice and casual place with comfy couches and an awesome view of the water!

I also finally got the chance to cook a big meal since we rarely have company over for dinner. Per my hubby's request, I made Anne Burrell's Rack of Lamb with Pistachio Tapenade again along with a big bowl of couscous. VERY comforting and the parents LOVED it! I was a proud lil chef! Good food and good company, I was VERy sad to say good bye... :( 

I watched Anne Burrell make her Rack of Lamb with Pistachio Tapenade and couldn't wait to try it! When I mentioned the recipe to my hubby, he claimed that he's not a fan of pistachios, so I was on a mission to prove him wrong! I substituted green olives and halved the amount of Tapenade after reading some of the comments. It was the perfect amount and paired just wonderfully with the meaty lamb ribs! I served them over some polenta and my hubby was definitely happy with our Sunday night feast!

Easy Braised Lamb Shoulder Chops

I bought some beautiful lamb shoulder chops at the grocery store and decided to do a very simple braise. The meat was just falling-off-the-bone tender and incredibly flavorful! I served the lamb with some Polenta and it was a VERY comforting Sunday night dinner!

Ingredients:


1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Lamb Shoulder Chops
1/4 c all purpose flour
Salt and pepper
1/4 c onions, chopped
1/2 c carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
1/2 c red wine
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained


Prep:


1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.


2. Place flour in a plate and season with salt and pepper. Dredge lamb shoulder chops in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.


3. Add the lamb chops to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes per side, until browned. Remove and set aside.


4. Add onions and carrots to the pan and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add garlic and Herbs de Provence and cook for 1 minute.


5. Add wine and deglaze. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add chops back and turn heat down to a simmer. Covered and cook for 1 hour, until meat is very tender.

Our House Smells Like Curry!

Curry is definitely one of those REALLY strong smells that stays around LONG after your meal's been cooked and eaten. I can't say that I mind since it just reminds me of how yummy the meal was. Tonight, I made Sunny's Curry Lamb Shanks with Potatoes and I'm sure I'll be smelling it for the next couple of days! The meat was so tender and literally melted into the sauce after 2 hours of braising. I used Jalapenos since I didn't have any other chiles around and it was just spicy enough. I served it over some rice and it was a Sunday night feast!

Marsala is NOT Masala!

You would think after being with a foodie (such as myself) for over 7 years, my hubby would know the difference between Marsala and Masala. NOPE! When I said that I was making Lamb Marsala for dinner, he said "Oh I love Indian lamb!" (*sigh) Then I explained to him that I actually meant I was cooking the lamb is a reduced wine sauce and NOT in a mixture of Indian spices. "That sounds good too!" he replied. Oh well, at least my man's not a picky eater! In fact, I love that he's willing to try new recipes that I find or come up with and most of the time really enjoys them! I guess that's why we're a match made in yummy heaven!

Ingredients:


2 lamb shoulder chops
Salt and pepper
1/4 c flour
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp butter
1/2 c diced carrots
1/4 c diced onions
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 c Marsala wine (or Sherry)
1/4 c beef broth


Prep:


1. Season chops with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.


2. Heat oil and butter on medium-high in a Dutch oven until butter is melted. Add chops and brown for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm.


3. Add carros and onions and cook until browned, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.


4. Pour in wine and broth and bring to a boil. Deglaze and add chops back. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer until chops are tender, 20-30 minutes.


5. Remove chops to serving platter. Turn heat up to high and boil until thickened, 5 minutes. Pour over chops and serve.

Ole' Chipotle!

I've been saving this recipe for Lamb Shanks Braised in Chipotle-Coffee Sauce for a while now but just couldn't seem to find the San Marco Chilpotle sauce. (Yes, I checked Whole Foods and mine apparently doesn't carry it.) Anyway, so I decided to get creative and used Ole' Chipotle Salsa instead. It's actually one of our favorite salsas and has a really nice smokey flavor. I LOVED the combination of the chipotle and coffee and the maple syrup added a nice hint of sweetness. I cooked the entire dish on the stovetop by just simmering it for 2 hours covered. The lamb was fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce was just so incredibly flavorful! Served over some mashed potatoes and it was the perfect Sunday night dinner!

Fancy Rack of Lamb for Pre-Vday Dinner!

My hubby loves lamb, especially a nice rack of lamb, so I decided to make it for a Pre-Vday treat! I made a mustard-horseradish crust and baked it in the oven and it was amazing! The meat was cooked to perfection, just slightly pink on the inside and very tender. I served it with Tyler Florence's Ultimate Horseradish Sour Cream Mashed Potato and it was definitely a restaurant-quality meal at home! What are you doing for Vday?

Ingredients:


1 (1 lb) rack of lamb, 8 ribs, Frenched
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp prepared creamy horseradish
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 c panko bread crumbs

Prep:


1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Place lamb, meat side up, in small roasting pan. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper.


2. In small bowl, stir together mustard, horseradish and rosemary. Spread mixture on lamb. Pat on panko to coat.


3. Roast lamb in oven 25 to 30 minutes for medium-rare (140°F) or until desired doneness.


4. Cut lamb into 2-rib portions and serve with mashed potatoes.