Grilled Lamb Chops with Herbs and Garlic ~ (My favorite way)

Hello! 
Thank you for your emails regarding my absence ~ your concerns really touch my heart.

For the last few weeks I've been away visiting family in the San Francisco Bay Area, which  included a bonus (a trip within a trip) to gorgeous San Diego to attend a very special wedding for one of my nieces ~ (my brother's younger daughter.) It was an absolutely lovely ceremony and celebration. 
I'll be away for a couple more weeks, but wanted to touch bases here.

My brother walking the bride down the aisle. :)All the best to Danica and Paul as they begin their new life together!

So, being away from home I've been totally spoiled with fantastic food, and have not taken the opportunity to do much cooking or baking. But I do miss it; so last night I made one of my favorite meals ~ grilled lamb chops. This is my very favorite way of preparing them; and the wonderful thing is you don't need a recipe, and can use any herb that you like for the marinade.
The oregano plants needed a good trim, so that was the herb of choice. My other favorite herbs to use are thyme, rosemary, mint, or a mixture of any that you like.
For the meatiest and most tender lamb chops I simply buy a rack of lamb . . .



Cut the rack into individual chops like so:


One of the tricks for flavor when grilling meats is to salt (coarse salt) both sides of the meat very generously ~as quite a bit of the salt you apply will drip away as the meat grills so I always add extra.
Add as much freshly ground pepper as you like.


For the marinade:
Your herb/s of choice, coarsely choppedA generous splash of olive oilA couple of large cloves of fresh garlic, mincedA couple of splashes of good red wine. (I used the last of a bottle of Zinfandel we had on hand.)(Hint: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice instead of the wine if you prefer)

Marinate the chops for an hour if possible, or up to four hours (refrigerated.)Use a non-reactive container to marinate ~ I simply use a resealable plastic food storage bag.I like the bag method because you can turn the bag over and massage the marinade into the meat every once in a while so it permeates the meat evenly.
I take the meat from the refrigerator about 15 minutes to half hour before grilling so it cooks more quickly an evenly.
Prepare the grill, either charcoal or gas . . .



Take a moment to sip on your beverage of choice while meat comes to room temperature and the grill heats up.  :D

These chops cook really quickly; if you like rare or medium rare it only takes a couple of minutes on each side to reach medium-rare, less time for rare. Just don't overcook or the chops will be dry and tough. Keep in mind the meat will continue cooking after it has been removed from the grill. 



This time I served the chops with baby eggplants, split lengthwise and brushed with olive oil then grilled until tender.  I also grilled some chunks of red bell pepper with chunks of sweet red onion, and served the chops on a bed of orzo and toasted pine nuts.



And we enjoyed the meal with a lovely wine from one of my favorite California wineries.
Thank you again for your concern, friends ~  I'll be returning home in a couple of weeks; in the meantime I'll try to post now and then as time permits.  Stay well!
xo ~m.

Nearly Guiltless (and Stupid Simple) Tartlets

A little over half-way to my target weight, so I'm still watching the fats, calories and carbs.  
I'm not a huge fan of sweets, but sometimes I do dream about having a little goodie or two. 




And I recently got the "craving".
So, taking stock of what was in the fridge, freezer and pantry I devised these two-bite treats, and pulled them together in almost no time.

Really simple to make ~ here are the ingredients:



Just toast up the little filo shells on a shallow baking tray in a 325˚F oven for about 5 to 7 minutes until they are lightly brown and crisp. Allow them to cool and melt the chocolate you like best and "paint" or smooth a thin layer of chocolate on the inside of the cooled tartlet shells with a small spoon. Place the chocolate lined shells in the fridge for a few minutes so the chocolate will set up, then spoon in the yogurt filling. 
I chose different flavors of yogurt; French Vanilla, Key Lime, and Black Forest Chocolate-Cherry.  Of course you can swap out any flavors of yogurt you like best.





To dress them up a little I garnished the Black Cherry-Chocolate ones with toasted sliced almonds. (I dipped them part-way in the melted chocolate and placed them on waxed paper to allow the chocolate to firm up before arranging them on the tarts.





For the Key Lime version, I plucked the tender tips off the mint sprigs in the garden ~Pssst . . . Lime and mint are a great flavor combination!



St. Patrick's Day idea maybe?




I really liked the white chocolate with the lime and mint, too.




Just what I was dreaming of ~Crispy/crunchy shell, cool and creamy filling , with a little layer of chocolate for a hint of decadence as a reward. Yum!!
You can make them a day ahead and store in airtight container in fridge; the chocolate on the interior provides a barrier from the yogurt and prevents the shells from becoming mushy. I'd probably garnish them at the last minute though to keep the fresh taste and appearance.

I'm not certain of the exact calorie count but the breakdown as near as I can figure is as follows:
1 plain filo shell = 23 calories2 teaspoons 'light' yogurt per shell (100 calories per 6 ounce carton & 36 teaspoons in 6 ounces) = is just over 5 calories
This is not counting the 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of chocolate, or the garnishes for each.
Even so, I figure they are fairly lean ~ a perfect little treat to satisfy that occasional sweet tooth.
 


I used dark chocolate for the French Vanilla filling, and garnished with a ripe raspberry ~ quite delicious!  I think that was my favorite combo.  :)

If you try them I hope you like them!

Thank you so much for stopping by ~ and I hope you have a wonderful week.  My thoughts and prayers are going out to those in need.
Blessings! xoxo ~m.

New Peeps ~ The Next Generation!

The chicken population is growing at my house. :)


I've shared about my chickens before, back in 2010 ~ from the very beginning of the construction of the Hen House and the completed project.  


And introduced some of the chickens here and here and here.


Those hens have been good girls and steady layers ~ we've added on to the original chicken coop and pen since then so it's time to rejuvenate things a bit.


This time I chose more Buff Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, and Americaunas (the ones that lay blue or green eggs.)




It's always so much fun to watch them grow ~ I hope you enjoy these pictures of the most recent additions to the flock:

A befuddling impostor! 

 These pictures are all Buff Orpinton chicks ~ 

When fully mature the hens look like this:

Photo courtesy of Backyard Chickens

And the hens will weigh about 8 pounds, it is a very good natured breed, excellent laying hens, the hens are good nurturing mothers, and they are surely right up there among my favorites chickens.

I'll post more of the other newbies soon.

Thank you for stopping by ! Have a happy weekend Friends! 

xoxo ~m

Sweet and Spicy Asian-Style Shrimp & Lettuce Roll-Ups

Actually, the food I've been preparing for the past several weeks, hasn't been all that interesting so I haven't posted much. I've been continuing to stick with the healthier eating habits, and I'm happy to report that my bathroom scale is my friend once again. I yet have a little ways to go before I hit my target weight, so please bear with me. :D
I must admit that I'm looking forward to getting to the point of maintaining rather than reducing. ;) Hopefully, soon!


But this simple dish is one I felt I had to share ~ it has a lot of things going for it; tasty, easy to assemble, healthful and pretty to look at. Plus you can serve it as an appetizer or as a salad or main course.
It's another one that needs no actual recipe, it's just a matter of cooking the shrimp then assembling the ingredients.  
Here's what you'll need:
Shrimp (I used 30/40 count per pound), peeled and tails removedAttractive, whole lettuce leaves, washed, drained and chilled to crisp themSlivered cabbage (green or red) tossed with a little seasoned rice vinegarThinly sliced scallionsCilantro or Mint leavesChopped salted peanuts (I used dry roasted)Lime wedges (optional)And the drizzle
For the drizzle:



The base is a couple of tablespoons of Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, the amount will depend upon the number of lettuce cups/shrimp you are using. It only takes a couple of teaspoons or less for each lettuce roll-up.
I used Lee Kum Kee brand  Sweet Thai Chili Sauce this time ~ my other favorite brand is Mae Ploy, both are very good.  To the sweet Thai sauce just stir in a little of either one of these Asian hot sauces; either Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (in the center bottle), or Sambal Oelek (jar on the right.) Both are pretty spicy, so add just a little, mix into the Sweet Chili Sauce and taste to see if you want it spicier.  I like it medium spicy so the other ingredients' delicate flavors aren't lost in the heat; it's just a matter of taste.




This time, to cook the shrimp, I brushed each of them with a little olive oil, placed them on a parchment lined baking sheet, sprinkled lightly with salt and pepper and roasted in a hot (450-500˚F) oven for about two minutes, turning once halfway through baking time. (Timing will depend upon the size of the shrimp you choose. Don't forget they will continue cooking after you remove them from the oven, so it's best to slightly undercook them, otherwise they will be tough and chewy.)
Alternately they can be poached in a pan of barely simmering salted water until they just turn pink, then drained, or brush the shrimp with a little oil and grill them on a stove-top or outdoor grill if you prefer.




So easy to assemble:  For each roll-up; One lettuce leaf, the seasoned-rice vinegar cabbage slivers, cooked shrimp, sprinkle of sliced scallions and cilantro or mint leaves, the sauce drizzled over all, then finished with the chopped peanuts (and a squeeze of fresh lime, if using.)
If you give them a try I hope you love them as much as I do!
Blessings for a good week ahead everyone. xo ~m

Slow Roasted Salmon with Fennel & Pomegranate Salsa ~Healthy

Have you ever tried the slow roasting technique to cook fish? 

The method is really simple, just rub the fillets with a little oil (olive oil if possible), place in a shallow baking pan or dish lined with baking parchment or foil, then sprinkle with your seasoning or herb/s of choice.  This time I simply sprinkled with sea salt, 3-color freshly ground pepper, and a light sprinkle of ground cayenne pepper.

The pan with fish goes into a preheated 275˚F oven for 17 to 20 minutes. (Instant-read thermometer should register 125˚F when inserted into the thickest part of the fillet.)  If you don't have an instant read thermometer, the fish should be opaque when tested with a paring knife at the thickest area of salmon.  The results of slow roasting produces unbelievable moistness and great flavor.

 I just love the deep red-orange color of wild Alaskan sockeye salmon; it's good for you ~ naturally rich in Omega-3's, 6's, and vitamin D.  It is healthful, feel good food!

The fish is delicious roasted just that way, with no adornment ~ but I was drawn to the vibrant colors in the salsa so I wanted to try it.

The colorful and healthy salsa goes together in minutes ~ no cooking involved.

Oops, I neglected to add the fresh jalapeno in this pic. Sorry! ;)

The salsa ingredients are fennel bulb, cut into 1/4-inch dice, include bits of the fennel fronds if you like. Pomegranate arils (we used to call them seeds when we were kids), a minced jalapeno pepper without ribs or seeds (adjust this amount according to your tastes and the heat of the pepper), sliced green onions (scallions), chopped fresh cilantro, fresh lime juice, sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

I found the recipe in "Clean Eating" magazine and was immediately drawn to it ~ in the article it was plated with previously cooked brown rice which was made into a fried-rice mixture using very little oil, with the addition of chicken broth, fennel fronds, and additional green onions.

I had haricot vertes on hand  (tiny French string beans), so I steamed them as a side dish instead.

Yes, I would definitely make this again, and even if you don't think you would care for this salsa I hope you'll try the slow roasting method, you can always finish it any way you like.  

Simple to prepare, and easy on the cook as you're preparing the remainder of the meal; this would make a fine dinner party entree because the cooking time is so short and you can prepare the salsa well ahead of time.  If you try it, I hope you enjoy it too!

If you would like a printable version of the recipe come on over to Once Upon a Plate ~ The recipes by clicking HERE.

Thanks for coming by today! xoxo ~mari