16
Foodie Friday: Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb
I love lamb.
Lamb is such a great protein and an excellent source of essential amino acids, zinc, vitamins B12 and B3, and is relatively low in fat once it’s trimmed. Can’t beat that! As a huge fan of lamb, I’m always looking for new recipes to try out. I’ve recently adapted a quick and easy mustard crusted rack of lamb recipe from Emeril Lagasse and made a few small changes to make it my own. Since I’ve prepared it a number of times now, I can vouch that it is absolutely delectable.
Quick tip: Rack of lamb can be expensive to purchase however, if you have a Trader Joe’s nearby, go there first for their excellent New Zealand rack of lamb. I always prefer organic, grass-fed, and local but, if it comes down to buying a $15 rack of good quality lamb versus a $40+ rack of organic local lamb, you can guess where I’ll be spending my money.
(click on pics for a larger view)
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- right out of the oven
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- sliced
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- plated with couscous and roasted Brussels sprouts
Ingredients:
- 1 rack of lamb, trimmed (about 1.5 lbs) – if you have to trim the fat yourself, make sure to use kitchen scissors
- 3/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard (I prefer whole grain Dijon for better texture and flavor)
- 2 teaspoons of minced garlic
- 1/4 cup of seasoned bread crumbs (I prefer organic panko )
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan (Do not use the stuff in a green canister! Grate fresh Parmesan yourself) (continues…)
09
Foodie Friday: (Really) Authentic Afghanistan Cuisine
If you’re a regular reader of mine, then you probably know that my sister is a civilian lawyer working in Afghanistan. I cherish all the stories and pictures she shares with me about the Afghan culture and way of life. Since my sister moved there nearly one year ago, she has undoubtedly lived a challenging life, a life that is vastly different from what most of us will ever know. But there are perks, too. And one of them is, without question, the local Afghan cuisine.
Just today, my sister sent me a batch of pictures about a recent excursion involving a sheep slaughtering. She spared me the photos of that aspect, but she did send me photos of locals preparing what is probably the most popular dish in Afghanistan – kebabs and kofta kebabs (ground meat). Needless to say, the kebabs were prepared from the freshly slaughtered lamb.
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- Afghan locals preparing lamb kebabs, made immediately following a sheep slaughter.
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- A valley in Afghanistan filled with almond trees in bloom.
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- This is an anti-poppy ad.
Once the kebabs have been grilled and prepared to perfection, they are then wrapped in Naan bread. Naan bread is popular in Afghan cuisine, but also Indian, Persian, and Pakistani cuisine. Haven’t tried Naan bread? It’s not nearly as good as fresh homemade Naan, but stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods carry it. Another Afghan staple is rice and most dishes are prepared with a side of it. The many different variations of Afghan-prepared rice is considered the most important part of any meal and the wealthier you are, the more rice you eat. (continues…)
18
Foodie Friday: Pork Tenderloin With POM Glaze
The folks over at POM Wonderful graciously sent me a box of their 100% pomegranate juice a few weeks back. It was very kind of them. The only problem is that I don’t drink much juice and neither does my family. So, instead of drinking the juice, I decided to try out POM Wonderful in a recipe. I had been looking to change up my usual way of preparing pork tenderloin and thought that a nice pomegranate marinade or glaze would make a great meal. Since I was too lazy to try to create my own recipe, I checked online and found this pork tenderloin with pomegranate glaze recipe on www.myrecipes.com. I made a few slight changes and went from there. The meal was a huge hit with my family and we all thought the POM glaze was fantastic.
Check it out:
Pork Tenderloin with Pom Glaze
2 cups of POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice
1/4 cup of organic brown sugar
3 lbs of pork tenderloin, trimmed (I prefer organic)
1/2 teaspoon kosher sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 450.
Combine juice and sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup. Pour half of the glaze into a small bowl and set aside. This portion will be used on the cooked pork, so make sure to keep it away from the raw pork!
Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Place pork on the rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray and place in pan. For an easier clean up, line the pan first with tin foil. Brush the pork with half of the glaze. Also make sure to remove the extra glaze that dripped down into the pan before putting it into the oven (see pic below – don’t do that!) Otherwise, the extra glaze will burn and the entire kitchen will fill with smoke. I know this too well. Trust. (continues…)
05
Foodie Friday: Reservations For Two…Plus A High Chair
My little Monkey is now nearly 29 months old and we don’t go out to very nice restaurants with him at this point. If we do eat out as a family, we’re usually relegated to restaurants that primarily serve pancakes or chicken fingers. Or that have parrots hanging from the ceiling. Or that not only dole out the crayons, but have crushed crayon on the floors and scribbles on the table. Those are the places that make me feel comfortable and safe when I venture out with the little dude.
It wasn’t always this way.
Within weeks after the Monkey was born, we started to venture out to our favorite places to eat in San Francisco. From about 2 weeks to 6 months, the Dude and I would roll our Monkey along in his carseat to some of our favorite places, including upscale restaurants. Think we’re crazy? I beg to differ. We knew his nap routine perfectly and he always slept like a dream in his carseat. I say to all new-parent friends – go out with your newborn. Take advantage of their nap schedule AND their ability to sleep through anything. Don’t be nervous. There is a very good chance that your newborn will be better behaved than most other patrons.
Around 6 months, his sleep routine changed and so did his activity level. We started to hire babysitters more often.
When we do take the Monkey out, there are a few tips that have helped me along the way. Now, my child is no angel and I would never pretend otherwise. He is a very normal and active toddler who can scream and flail like a banshee when his freedom to do as he pleases is restricted. That said, I have still managed to garner a few compliments from other patrons about his behavior at restaurants. Why? Because I put myself in the shoes of other patrons. I do not like dining around unruly children. I do not want my child to be THAT child. Yet it is inevitable, though. Your child will throw a temper tantrum at some point in public and it is very likely that it will be at a restaurant.
How To Avoid Tantrums (and how to deal with them when they occur): (continues…)
19
Foodie Friday: Chicken Soup Ain’t Just For The Soul
Homemade chicken soup for the common cold
During the winter months, my family tends to get slammed with one cold after another. As we all know, there are no cures for the common cold, but there are non-medicinal remedies that can work wonders. As moms and grandmas have known for centuries, one of the best ways to deal with a cold is a steaming hot bowl of chicken soup. Or, in the case of serving soup to a toddler, a lukewarm sippy cup of chicken soup broth. When I’m sick, as I am this week, I would still much rather spend a few minutes prepping my own soup than pull out the canned stuff. There is something so healing about homemade soup, even when you’re the sick one who has to make it!
According to the Mayo Clinic, chicken soup for the common cold it’s not just an old wives’ tale. Scientists have verified the medical benefits to slurping down chicken soup during cold and flu season. The ingredients in chicken soup can serve two really beneficial purposes for combating a cold; it can act as an anti-inflammatory which can help sooth sore throats and it can speed up the movement of mucus which can help relieve congestion.
Some people are intimated by the thought of making homemade chicken soup or may believe that it takes too long to prepare. Not true! I have found a very quick and easy recipe from Martha Stewart that I love because it’s so easy and quick. The original recipe is very good, but lacking a bit in flavor. Here is the original version of the recipe along with some of my minor tweaking: (continues…)