The Perfect(Late) Spring Dinner

To me, nothing says spring like grilled lamb chops and asparagus. I marinated the lamb chops in olive oil, lemon juice, fresh rosemary, kosher salt, garlic, cracked black pepper and a little seasoned salt before searing them in the grill pan(medium rare please). The asparagus got the same treatment, minus the rosemary. I sometimes serve this with red new potatoes, but I was all about the lamb chops and asparagus today. My boys usually love this, but were more interested in frozen pizza so I was able to enjoy this deliciousness all by myself with a glass of Smoking Loon Pinot Noir! This is my comfort food.

Ropa Vieja

MMMMM.....What do you do when you have a 3 lb flank steak or chuck roast, onions, jalapenos, garlic, tomatoes, 3-4 cloves of garlic, a handful of cilantro and 3 hours on your hands? Make Ropa Vieja (literally translated old clothes). Season the meat with salt, pepper, adobo and brown in a large dutch oven in hot oil. Remove meat and add 1 large coarsely chopped onion, a couple of jalepenos, whole garlic cloves, cilantro(roughly chopped) and two coarsely chopped tomatoes or 1 15 oz can tomatoes and cook over medium heat about 10 minutes. Add meat back to pot, add water or beef broth to cover and sprinkle in 2-4 packets of goya sazon. Cover and simmer over med-low heat 2-3 hours or until meat falls apart. Use 2 forks to shred the meat and serve with rice and beans and corn or flour tortillas. You can also use this as a tamale or enchilada filling. I served this on warm tortillas with a roasted corn, black bean and avocado salsa, sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese. YUMMY!
(click to embiggen the fiesta of yumminess)

Classic Burgers with an International twist

Tonight I made classic burgers, but I was in the mood for a little spice, so I brushed them with Grace jerk bar-b-que sauce during the end of cooking and used Grace All Purpose seasoning in the beef mixture. The great thing about burgers is they can be tailored to your mood and lifestyle. Turkey, beef, lamb, chicken, pork, seafood or even black beans, garbanzos, soybeans or prepared veggie burgers can be made into something special and unique simply by varying the seasonings, toppings and bread. I love a classic burger dripping with good ole' american cheese, but sometimes a juicy grilled buffalo burger topped with aged white cheddar, and a huge slice of heirloom tomato on a toasted french bun elevates the comforting burger to a new level.

Some quick tips on burgers:

1. Handle the patty gently and try not to make too much of a compact patty, as this tends to make the meat dry.

2. Don't overcook the meat. Meat continues to cook for a few minutes after it's removed from heat so cover the burgers with foil after cooking and let rest so the juices will redistribute. There is nothing worse than a hockey puck on a bun!

3. Do experiment with the burgers themselves as well as seasonings, toppings and bread ! A turkey burger seasoned with italian spices and garlic and topped with sun dried tomatoes and smoked mozzarella or provolone cheese on foccacia is a welcome change from the ordinary. Knorr makes a great german hackbraten mix that when added to 1 lb. of ground beef is worthy of a baked potato according to my boss Charlie. A good salmon burger is healthy as well as delicious when brushed with a miso glaze or some sweet teriyaki sauce. Even vegetarians can enjoy a good burger! Stuff falafel into fluffy pita bread and top with a cucumber and yogurt sauce and no one will leave the table bored or unsatisfied. Substitute lamb for the falafel for the die hard meat eaters, season with oregano, black pepper, garlic and salt and enjoy a greek style lamb burger. There are lot's of good prepared veggie burgers on the market so experiment until you find the one you like and top with soy cheese and veggies. Feeling like mexican? Mix taco seasoning into the mixture of your choice and top your burger with monterey jack, queso quesadilla, or cheddar cheese. Add a slice or two of avocado, some salsa and tango that baby into a bun or wrap in a tortilla.

Burgers don't have to be boring. They can be as varied and interesting as the people who eat them.