Happy Halloween!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL YOU LITTLE GOBLINS!!!

Simple Lamb Chops

Simple Lamb Chops
Serves 2

1 rack of lamb, about 1&1/2 lbs
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs Chimichurri sauce
Grey salt & black pepper

Let lamb sit out for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature.  To make this even easier I went ahead and sliced the rack into chops. Salt and pepper both sides of your chops.
In a heavy pan warm your oil & chimichurri sauce over medium high heat, make sure to coat the entire surface of your pan with this mixture.  When pan is slightly smoking add the chops.  Cook for about 10 -15 minutes, turning every few minutes.  Remove & place on your serving tray and cover with tin foil and let sit for about 10 minutes.  Serve & enjoy.

Here is a link to a chimichurri sauce recipe if you don't have access to a quality premade one.  
I serve my lamb with a horseradish sauce which is 1 tsp prepared horseradish to 3 Tbs light sour cream, serve cold.  This Goat Cheese Gratin  would compliment the lamb deliciously.

Chicken & White Bean Chili

Chicken & White Bean Chili
Serves at least 6 

3 Cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 Onion, chopped
1 Red bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced 
2 Cans chopped green chilies 
1 pound dried Great Northern Beans, rinsed 
10 cups chicken broth 
1 Jalapeno, sliced 
1 1/2 Tbs Ground Cumin 
1 1/2 Tbs Chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper 
Grey salt & white pepper, to taste 
1 cup fat free 1/2 & 1/2 
2 Tbs cornmeal 
1 cup of grated pepper jack, plus more for garnish
Sour Cream  & Salsa for garnish 
Tortilla chips

In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute onions, red pepper and garlic until soft. Add chopped green chilies with juice & dried bean rinsed beans. Pour 8 cups of the chicken broth into the Dutch oven. Add jalapenos & season with salt, pepper, chili powder & cumin. Place lid on pot and reduce heat to low & cook for an hour
Add 3 cups of cooked chicken & remaining 2 cups of chicken broth. Cover and cook for another hour.
Mix milk with cornmeal and pour into the chili. Cook for another ten minutes & allow it to thicken. Right before serving add cayenne pepper and Pepper Jack cheese and stir.
Serve chili in a bowl over crushed tortilla chips topped with sour cream, extra cheese and touch of salsa.

Hope you Enjoy!

Just to share

My Halloween Mantel

Louise, Our Halloween Princess

Spicy Sausage & White Beans

 In honor of "Extra Virgin's" season two's premiere tonight on the Cooking Channel I give you my take on one of Debi & Gabriele's favorites.  So yummy!  Don't you just love them!

Spicy Sausage & White Beans
Adapted from Debi Mazar & Gabriele Corcos's Recipe
Serves 4

2 Tbs olive oil
8 Turkey sausage links
2 tsp minced garlic
1 pound cherry tomatoes, quartered 

1 Anaheim chili pepper, chopped
1/4 of an onion, chopped

1/3 of a red pepper, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

2 (15-ounce) cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed 

3 bay leaves

2 handfuls fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Warm the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausages and brown (about 8 minutes). Plate the sausages and reserve.


Add the garlic, onion & peppers to the Dutch oven, and saute until golden brown. Next stir in the chopped tomatoes and and season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, and cover the pan, allowing the sauce to simmer for 10 minutes.  The tomatoes, onions and peppers will have turned into a thick sauce.


Add the browned sausages (and any juice left on the plate), beans, and bay leaves to your sauce. Stir well and simmer for another 10 minutes.


Add the chopped parsley before serving.

Tomato Jam for a Simple Chicken Dinner

 I had never even heard of Tomato Jam until our CSA provided it last week for our fruit share.  Amazingly tasty! Here is a link to a recipe from the NY Times Food Dining & Wine section. Ideas for its use included serving with cheese, pasta, or topping on chicken or fish.  We tried out the chicken option this weekend.  Easily pan sheared some chicken breasts seasoned with salt and pepper.  Topped with a bit of tomato jam and a dash of red pepper flakes and baked at 375 for 10 minutes and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese right before serving.  Absolutely delicious.  If you happen to see some at your local farmers' market - definitely pick some up, or test out the recipe linked above.