Rack of Lamb with a Herb Crust served with Dauphinoise Potatoes

Rack of Lamb with a Herb Crust served with Dauphinoise Potatoes

This is a seriously tasty meal – tender lamb with delicious decadent potatoes.

Serves 4

Prep time:  20 – 30 minutes

Cooking time:  60 minutes

Ingredients

For the dauphinoise potatoes

150g butter

1 large onion, peeled & finely sliced

5 anchovy fillets, chopped

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped

200ml double cream

75ml milk

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

1kg floury potatoes, peeled & finely sliced

For the rack of lamb:

2 x 6-bone rack of lamb

Sea salt & freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

Olive oil

250 ml red wine

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 bay leaves

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

Preparation method

1.  Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

2.  For the dauphinoise potatoes, in a large frying pan melt the butter over a gentle heat.  Now add the onion, anchovies and thyme leaves and gently cook for 10 minutes until softened.

3.  Add the milk and cream and bring to a boil, now simmer until the sauce reduces slightly and thickens.  Season to taste, add the potatoes and stir through so all the potatoes are covered in cream.

4.  Transfer the potatoes to baking dish, cover with baking parchment and cover the dish with foil.  Place in the oven for 40 minutes, then remove the foil and parchment and cook for a further 15-20 minutes to colour the top.

5.  As soon as the potatoes go in start on the racks of lamb, season the lamb with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.  Now brush with Dijon mustard, and coat with the freshly chopped thyme & rosemary, pressing the herbs firmly into the flesh.

6.  Heat a little olive oil into a large oven-proof frying pan until it is very hot, sear the lamb racks until browned all over.  Pour off excess fat, then pour in the red wine, garlic, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and garlic and bring to the boil.

7.  Place in the oven for 20-30 minutes, depending on how you like your lamb cooked.  Remove the lamb from the oven, cover with foil to rest.  At the same time remove the parchment and foil from the potatoes.

8.  To serve, slice the lamb into chops, heat the jus and drizzle over the lamb and serve with a large spoonful of dauphinoise potatoes.  Enjoy!

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Saying Goodbye, Weddings, and A New Heart

My grandmother "Nan", a few summers ago

So the last three months have been an emotional roller coaster for me. I finished up two more books. My grandmother Nan passed away in mid-August, my sweet cousin Tiffany was married two weeks later, and a week after that my Dad received a new heart!

It's been quite a ride and as sad as I am about my grandmother passing away, I'm also incredibly happy for my sweet cousin Tiffany and my Dad's new heart, which will hopefully give him the gift of a much longer life. How do you take all that in? How do you process all those emotions and feelings.

Sweet Nan 

We found out my grandmother had a heart-attack in mid-August and thankfully Michael and I were able to drop what we were doing, go down and spend her last week on earth with her. I'm so thankful for that time. I'm thankful that my job was willing to be flexible and give me that special time with her. It was a gift I will never forget! She was such an amazing woman. Words cannot adequately describe the legacy she leaves behind in 2 sons, 5 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren. My dad wrote a beautiful tribute to her for the local paper and her life was truly lived well.

Many of the recipes on this blog have been because of Nan. She taught me how to make skillet dinner, she loved Caesar salad, and she taught my Dad how to make his famous pancakes. She was a gifted listener and she loved her grandchildren more than anything in the whole world. We were all truly blessed to have her as our grandmother.

Tiffany's Beautiful Wedding

My cousin Tiffany is a lot like me. I've often thought of her as a younger sister, even though she's really not that much younger than me. We look a lot alike and we have similar physical builds and even the same color hair. She's always been a favorite cousin of mine (don't tell anybody Tiffany!! :-p) Her wedding was absolutely beautiful and had an autumn woods theme. They love nature and the outdoors and it was a small, intimate wedding in the mountains of NC. It was such a beautiful weekend and I felt so honored to be there and be a part of their special day.

Tiffany, if I could tell you anything about marriage, is that it's a journey. And as fellow hikers, you know the ups and downs of a good day on the trails! There are awesome days and rough days and you work through them all. It's a true gift to wake up to your best friend everyday and I know you and Deron have a great future ahead of you! I can't wait to see where life takes you and to see the wonderful journey you have ahead of you!

Dad's Brand New Shiny Heart

My Dad has been given one of the greatest gifts in the world. The gift of time. The gift of a new heart. There have been such crazy, yet glorious mixed emotions during this time! Sadness for the family who lost a son or daughter, yet absolute thankfulness for their donation of organs. Such a gift. Such a gift.  And so much happiness for my Dad. So thankful that he has an positive, hopeful future in front of him and I'm so happy we can be there along the way.

This surgery and hospital visit was so much easier than his heart attack last year. He was talking just about 15 hours after surgery. It was amazing to witness. Here he was with a brand new heart, with major surgery behind him and he was already talking, sitting up, and eventually walking the floors of the hospital. As a matter of fact, he went home yesterday, less than two weeks after his surgery!

He still has a long medical journey ahead of him... but it will be a very positive one! I hope one day we can somehow connect with the family of the person who donated their heart. I hope I can tell them what an incredible gift they have given us and how thankful we are.

Thank you for the precious gift of time with my Father.

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Chicken Piccata

Chicken with lemon, wine, and capers is one of the 

easiest and fastest 'special' dinners. It's perfect 

to serve guests, yet still easy enough for any night 

of the week. I combined several lemon chicken, 

piccata recipes to find the best of both worlds; 

simple and delicious. 

If the chicken breasts are very large, I use just 

2 and cut them in half after pounding.

Flatten between plastic wrap to about 1/2".

Have all the ingredients ready.

Coat chicken in flour.

Heat large pan and and add 2 T butter

and 1 T olive oil. Saute the chicken until browned 

on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 Remove cooked chicken to an ovenproof plater
 and keep warm in a 250 oven while you finish
the sauce. Add the remaining 2 T butter to the pan
 and the minced garlic. Swirl to melt the butter. 

Add the wine and lemon juice scraping up the 

browned bits. Add the capers and simmer for 

2 minutes until slightly thickened.

Note: I never liked capers until a friend convinced
me to give them another try a few years ago.
 Now I love them! They give food that right amount
of salty-briney flavor boost. I wrote a post about
it in Rules for Life. 

Serve chicken on pasta and spoon on

the the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley. 

Chicken Piccata

4 boneless chicken breasts

1/4 C flour

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1 T olive oil

4 T butter; divided

1/2 C white wine

1/4 C lemon juice

 2 T capers

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 T chopped fresh parsley

Rinse and pat dry chicken.

Place chicken breasts between plastic wrap 

and pound flat to an even 1/2" thickness.

Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge the

chicken in the flour; coating well and shaking

off excess. Heat 2 T butter and oil in a large 

skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken,

and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side,

until nicely browned; sprinkle with salt 

and pepper. Remove chicken to a platter

and place in a 250 oven to keep warm.

Add remaining 2 T butter, garlic, lemon juice, 

wine, and capers to the pan; scrape pan to 

loosen browned bits. Cook 2 minutes or 

until slightly thick. Spoon sauce over chicken,

 sprinkle with fresh chopped parslet. 

Serve over pasta. Garnish with lemon slices.

Enjoy!

Links: Coastal Charm, Jam Hands,
Confessions Of A Plate Addict,
A Stroll Thru Life,
Between Naps On The Porch

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Cinnamon French Toast

"Heavy on the cinnamon, and light on the clove." 

 If you love movie quotes you may remember 

this one from, It's A Wonderful Life. 

That's how Clarence, the angel, ordered his

 mulled wine at Martini's Bar, just before he and

 George Bailey were thrown out into the snow. 

Well, this French toast is heavy on the cinnamon, 

and that makes it just right.

 Slice your bread into thick 1" slices.

Add flour to a shallow pan; a pie pan works great, 

whisk in the milk, then eggs and the rest.

I only used 1/3 the recipe this morning, so don't

 let the amounts in the pictures confuse you. 

We don't drink whole milk but I often buy a quart

to use in cooking; pancakes, mashed potatoes, 

stratas/bread casseroles, baking, and French toast.

 Heat a large pan. I like to use my favorite; 

cast iron because it gives the toast a crispy crust. 

Add butter and let it get foamy hot. 

The unusual ingredient, flour keeps the bread from 

becoming soggy and gives it a slight crispy crust. 

The rest is easy. Just make sure you let the bread 

soak up the egg mixture-at least a minute per side.

 That's what makes the centers nice and fluffy.

 Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes per side or 

until golden and cooked through.

 Have warm plates in the oven ready for serving. 

Plate with a dusting of powdered sugar, a drizzle 

of maple syrup, and fresh berries.

Cinnamon French Toast

1 loaf bread; 

French, challah, or brioche

1 C whole milk

1/4 C flour

3 eggs

1 T cinnamon

1 T sugar

1 t vanilla

pinch salt

Slice the bread into 1" thick slices.

Put the flour in a shallow pan and whisk in 

the milk until smooth; then whisk in the eggs

and remaining ingredients. Soak the bread 

slices in the mixture, turning the bread until 

the liquid is thoroughly absorbed.

Heat a large skillet on medium and add

2 T butter. When melted and hot, add the

bread and let cook at least 2 minutes each

side until golden and cooked through. 

serves: 12 slices

Enjoy!

*Clarence: Wait a minute, wait a minute, I got it. A mulled wine, heavy on the cinnamon, and light on the cloves. There we go, off with you lad and look lively.

Links: Under The Table and Dreaming,

Dwellings, The Tablescaper,

Between Naps On The Porch

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Easy Sausage Alfredo

Here's a tasty dinner you can have on 

the table in 15 minutes. That's a good 

thing to have in your recipe file.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. Hillshire Farm® Smoked Sausage, 
diagonally cut into 1/4” slices
8-12 oz. pasta, cooked, drained
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. PREPARE pasta according to 
directions; drain and set aside.

2. SAUTE sausage in a large skillet over 
medium-high heat for 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

3. ADD cream and Cajun seasoning; bring to a 

boil. Reduce heat; simmer gently for 3-4 

minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. 

Remove from heat; stir in Parmesan cheese. 

Add pasta to the sauce.

STIR to combine.

I cut the recipe in half. Next time I'll make the 

whole recipe and have a little leftovers for

 lunch the next day. 

Tip:  For added fresh flavor, add 1 cup frozen green peas or broccoli in last 3-4 minutes of cooking pasta.  Continue as directed. Can also stir in chopped green onions and tomatoes before serving and sprinkle it all with fresh chopped parsley. Whatever you want.  Or just serve a green vegetable or salad on the side. 

Enjoy!

Links:Confessions Of A Plate Addict,

Dwellings, A Stroll Thru Life,

The 36th Avenue, The Style Sisters,

Savvy Southern Style, No Minimalist Here,

Stone Gable, Between Naps On The Porch,
Designs By Gollum

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Cube Steak with Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

We always called these minute steaks...
because they cook quickly in just about
a minute on each side. 

We like them smothered with sauteed

onions and mushrooms. 

 Slice one onion and 8-oz of mushrooms.

 I like to use a cast iron skillet for this because
I can get it hot enough to sear and brown the meat.

 First, quickly saute the onions and mushrooms
in a little oil, adding salt and pepper until golden.

 Remove back to the plate.

 Pat the steaks dry with a paper towel.
Generously salt and pepper them. Add a coating
of oil to the bottom of the pan and make sure
it's very hot. Add the steaks and brown quickly
on one side for about a minute. Flip and
 brown the other side another minute.

 Return the onions and mushroom to the pan
 for a minute to mingle the flavors. You can add a
dash of Worcestershire sauce if desired.
Remove to the warmed plates.

 I like to serve this with rice and add the cooked
 rice to the pan and give a stir to get up all the
browned bits and help flavor the rice.

 Heep on the mushrooms and onions.
Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.
Start those cooking first.

Simple, simple, simple. 

Cube Streaks Smothered with 

Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

4 medium cube steaks

1 onion, halved and sliced

8-oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

salt, pepper, oil
Worcestershire sauce if desired.
Cast Iron Pan

Heat the skillet on MH, add oil.
Saute onions and mushrooms , seasoned
 with salt and pepper until golden.
Remove from pan. Pat the steaks dry.
Season meat well with salt and pepper.
Add more oil to coat the bottom of the
hot skillet. Brown the steaks on high for
one minute on each side. Return the onion
and mushrooms to the pan for another minute.
Check for doneness. Do not overcook.

Enjoy!

Links: Dwellings, The Tablescaper,
Between Naps On The Porch

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Tex-Mix Stew

This zesty hamburger stew is a nice

 change-up from regular chili. 

Very little prep required. 

 Just seed and chop the peppers. You could even 

 use 1 C frozen chopped green and red peppers

 Brown the beef in a large deep pot for 5 minutes.

Stir in the peppers.

 Mix in the dry onion soup and the seasonings. 

 Add the canned vegetables.

 Stir in the water. 

 Simmer, covered, about 30 minutes.

Combine the 2 T flour and 1/4 C water in a jar. Stir 

into the stew; cook another minute, until thickened.

Serve with corn chips or homemade cornbread.

It's a tasty fall and winter dish that

 goes great with football watching...

if you're so inclined!

Tex-Mex Stew

1-1/2 lbs ground beef

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

1 pkg dry onion soup mix

1 T cumin

1 t garlic salt

1/2 t pepper

1/2 t oregano

1/4 t red cayenne pepper

1 can (15-1/2-oz) black beans

1 can (11-oz) corn niblets, drained

1 can (4-1/4-oz) diced green chilies

2 C water

Brown the beef in a 5-qt deep pot over 

medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. 

Stir in the peppers; then stir in the 

onion soup and seasonings. Mix in the water.

Simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

In a jar combine:

2 T flour and 1/4 C water

Stir into the  stew; cook until thickened,

about 1 minute. Serve with corn chips

or homemade cornbread. 

Enjoy!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch

Confessions Of A Plate Addict,

Dwellings, A Stroll Thru Life,

Coastal Charm, Stone Gable,
No Minimalist Here,
Designs By Gollum

The Shabby Creek Cottage,

 Common Ground,

The Girl Creative, French Country Cottage,

The Charm of Home, My Romantic Home

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Apple Cobbler

Warm apple cobbler, ice cream and coffee.

That's the perfect intro to fall.

I love to use my apple baker. It hangs on my 

pot rack just looking cute when not in use.

But you can also use a pie dish.

 This is so much easier than making a pie.

 Peel, core and slice the apples. Toss the slices
with a squirt of lemon juice then toss again
with brown sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon.

 Use the butter wrapper to grease your dish.

 Pile in the apples

 Combine the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter.
I found this cute red wood handled pastry blender
in a thrift shop. Love it! Hang that up too.

 Add the streusel crumbles to the top.

 Bake until golden and apples are bubbly, about
40-45 min.
 I like to use Granny Smith or Macintosh apples.
Serve warm with ice cream.
Save some to warm up for breakfast.

Apple Cobbler

FILLING:

5 apples, peeled and sliced

1t-2t lemon juice

1/3 C brown sugar

1 T cornstarch

1/2 t cinnamon

STREUSEL TOPPING:

1 stick butter, (1/2C or 1/4 pound)

at room temperature

1 C flour

1/2 C sugar

Toss together the filling ingredients and place
 in a buttered pie pan or baking dish.
Mix the flour and sugar together. 

Cut in the butter until mixture is crumbly.
Sprinkle over apples. Bake @400 for 45 minutes,
until golden and apples bubble around the edge.
Let stand 10 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Enjoy!

Links: No Minimalist Here,

Savvy Southern Style, The 36th Avenue,

Between Naps on the Porch,
Designs By Gollum, Common Ground,
The Charm Of Home

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