Pretty Flowers
I love my wonderful friends, and I sometimes am reminded just how lucky I am to have supportive friends. At our weekly lunch yesterday, one of my bests Julie brought me some beautiful white roses to congratulate me on passing the patent bar. She is so thoughtful and little small gestures like that are exactly what being a good friend is about. Thank you my love!
Anniversay Wine and Cake
So about that special bottle of wine. Drew's grandfather, Lou Marengo, on his mom's side was from Italy and he was an amazing man. He knew a lot about wine and he particularly loved Barolo wines from the northern Italian region of Piedmont. A few years back, Drew's mom found a Barolo wine produced by Marco Marengo, which was pretty cool, and she bought a couple bottles for Drew and his brother. We decided to save our bottle for our first anniversary, and this Sunday we finally got to enjoy the amazing wine.
We loved it. It was full bodied with hints of berries, florals, and cedar, and had a tannic finish. It was very special to enjoy that wine together, remembering Grandpa, and our recent travels to Italy.
And on that one year old cake...it was delicious! We wrapped it up perfectly, because it tasted fresh, moist and fluffy, just like it was made yesterday.
If you're wrapping up a cake to freeze for a year, here's what we did: freeze the cake in a tupperware overnight until it is completely frozen. Take it out of the freezer and wrap it tightly in saran wrap. Then put it back in a plastic tupperware and make sure it is very tightly sealed, and put it in the deep freezer. Then one year later remove from the tupperware and remove the saran wrap. Then put it in the refrigerator to defrost.
Perfection!
We loved it. It was full bodied with hints of berries, florals, and cedar, and had a tannic finish. It was very special to enjoy that wine together, remembering Grandpa, and our recent travels to Italy.
And on that one year old cake...it was delicious! We wrapped it up perfectly, because it tasted fresh, moist and fluffy, just like it was made yesterday.
If you're wrapping up a cake to freeze for a year, here's what we did: freeze the cake in a tupperware overnight until it is completely frozen. Take it out of the freezer and wrap it tightly in saran wrap. Then put it back in a plastic tupperware and make sure it is very tightly sealed, and put it in the deep freezer. Then one year later remove from the tupperware and remove the saran wrap. Then put it in the refrigerator to defrost.
Perfection!
Anniversary Dinner
Sunday evening we celebrated our first anniversary together. We opted for a night in together so we could have the puppies with us, enjoy a very special bottle of wine, and dig in to the one year old cake topper. On the anniversary menu = Live Maine Lobster with Caramelized Leek Risotto and Roasted Asparagus
Caramelized Leek Risotto
This risotto is out of this world good. I could eat this every night for the rest of my life and be very happy. It's creamy and sweet and buttery and cheesy.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 large leek
2 cloves minced garlic
3/4 cup arborio rice
3/4 cup white wine
3-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan
Trim off the dark green part of leek and then cut the remaining white and light green part of the leek in half lengthwise then into half moons.
Melt butter in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat, and then add in the leeks, stirring to completely coat.
Keeping the heat on medium-low, caramelize the leeks stirring every few minutes until they start to brown. It should take about 25 minutes.
Add in the arborio rice and stir to coat for 2 minutes.
Add the wine and continue stirring until most of the wine has evaporated.
Start adding the chicken stock l/2 - 3/4 cups at a time stirring often while the rice absorbs it. When the each stock addition has been absorbed, add a little more stock and stir.
Continue adding stock until the risotto is tender and creamy, but still slightly al dente.
Season with some salt and pepper to taste, and top with freshly grated romano.
Live Maine Lobster
Cooking live lobster is scary at first, Julie and Julia anyone? But it's actually not that bad. The hardest part is transporting the jumping lobster bag from the grocery and getting up the nerve to stick him in the boiling pot.
The first time I ever saw a lobster prepared was on my all time favorite cooking show, "Take Home Chef," with the gorgeous australian hunk of a chef, Curtis Stone. Oh I miss my afternoons with Curtis. His humane technique for cooking a live lobster is to first put the lobster in the freezer so that he goes into a deep sleep, so I stuck him in the deep freezer while I stirred the Risotto and got the boiling pot ready.
I steamed the lobster, rather than boiling it, because the meat is more tender and the flavor is better when it is steamed. To steam the lobster, fill a large pot with water, just up to the level of your steaming rack or colander insert, add 2 tablespoons sea salt, and turn up the heat until the water is at a rolling boil. Then simply drop in the lobster, head and claws first, cover and steam until the lobster turns bright red.
I steamed just about 9-10 minutes for a 1.75 pound lobster, and the meat was perfect. You should eat the claws, tail and maybe the legs if you can get some meat out. Avoid the inside of the body (there's some green tomalley in there and while some people find it tasty, I do not, and I stay far far away). Don't worry about the white stuff that's left in the water and covering the lobster. It's actually just lobster blood and is completely edible and flavorless.
Melt some butter and get cracking!
Caramelized Leek Risotto
This risotto is out of this world good. I could eat this every night for the rest of my life and be very happy. It's creamy and sweet and buttery and cheesy.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 large leek
2 cloves minced garlic
3/4 cup arborio rice
3/4 cup white wine
3-4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan
Trim off the dark green part of leek and then cut the remaining white and light green part of the leek in half lengthwise then into half moons.
Melt butter in a heavy bottom pan over medium heat, and then add in the leeks, stirring to completely coat.
Keeping the heat on medium-low, caramelize the leeks stirring every few minutes until they start to brown. It should take about 25 minutes.
Add in the arborio rice and stir to coat for 2 minutes.
Add the wine and continue stirring until most of the wine has evaporated.
Start adding the chicken stock l/2 - 3/4 cups at a time stirring often while the rice absorbs it. When the each stock addition has been absorbed, add a little more stock and stir.
Continue adding stock until the risotto is tender and creamy, but still slightly al dente.
Season with some salt and pepper to taste, and top with freshly grated romano.
Live Maine Lobster
Cooking live lobster is scary at first, Julie and Julia anyone? But it's actually not that bad. The hardest part is transporting the jumping lobster bag from the grocery and getting up the nerve to stick him in the boiling pot.
The first time I ever saw a lobster prepared was on my all time favorite cooking show, "Take Home Chef," with the gorgeous australian hunk of a chef, Curtis Stone. Oh I miss my afternoons with Curtis. His humane technique for cooking a live lobster is to first put the lobster in the freezer so that he goes into a deep sleep, so I stuck him in the deep freezer while I stirred the Risotto and got the boiling pot ready.
I steamed the lobster, rather than boiling it, because the meat is more tender and the flavor is better when it is steamed. To steam the lobster, fill a large pot with water, just up to the level of your steaming rack or colander insert, add 2 tablespoons sea salt, and turn up the heat until the water is at a rolling boil. Then simply drop in the lobster, head and claws first, cover and steam until the lobster turns bright red.
I steamed just about 9-10 minutes for a 1.75 pound lobster, and the meat was perfect. You should eat the claws, tail and maybe the legs if you can get some meat out. Avoid the inside of the body (there's some green tomalley in there and while some people find it tasty, I do not, and I stay far far away). Don't worry about the white stuff that's left in the water and covering the lobster. It's actually just lobster blood and is completely edible and flavorless.
Melt some butter and get cracking!
Birthday fun!
Happy Birthday to my beautiful younger-looking older sister!
We had such an amazing time celebrating this weekend. The party was a major success, and truly was a surprise!! She is one beautiful person, inside and out, and 40 will only bring good things to her life, I do believe. LOVE YOU!
We had such an amazing time celebrating this weekend. The party was a major success, and truly was a surprise!! She is one beautiful person, inside and out, and 40 will only bring good things to her life, I do believe. LOVE YOU!
Happy First Anniversary my love
For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.
-Judy Garland
This year has gone by so fast and has been perfect in every way. We are so very blessed to have each other and to be able to share our lives together. We're enjoying spending the day together with our puppies on this gorgeous Florida day, and looking forward to a delicious dinner and a very special bottle of wine.
I love you DC!
-Judy Garland
This year has gone by so fast and has been perfect in every way. We are so very blessed to have each other and to be able to share our lives together. We're enjoying spending the day together with our puppies on this gorgeous Florida day, and looking forward to a delicious dinner and a very special bottle of wine.
I love you DC!
Celebration Weekend!
I'm so incredibly exhausted from this week of cramming and working, but I've got to get some rest and get prepared for a weekend full of fun!
We're celebrating passing the patent bar, my sister's 40th birthday (hard to believe when she looks 20), Drew's brother's 24th birthday, and our first anniversary! Off to bed to gear up for the busy weekend.
I may or may not have picked these napkins up for my sister. Can't decide if she'll laugh or slap me.
We're celebrating passing the patent bar, my sister's 40th birthday (hard to believe when she looks 20), Drew's brother's 24th birthday, and our first anniversary! Off to bed to gear up for the busy weekend.
I may or may not have picked these napkins up for my sister. Can't decide if she'll laugh or slap me.
Go Gators!
So proud of the gator basketball team for fighting past BYU to make it to the Elite Eight!
Sure hope we play our best this Saturday! GOOOOO GATORS!
Order this print from our very own Gator Bride's etsy store here!
Sure hope we play our best this Saturday! GOOOOO GATORS!
Order this print from our very own Gator Bride's etsy store here!
Official Patent Attorney
FINALLY!! It seems like I've been studying my whole life for this exam. I was certain in 2005 when I graduated WashU that I was done with tests forever...then I decided to go to law school. Then I took the Florida Bar and swore that was the end of exams for forever...then I decided to be a tax lawyer and took the LLM tax exams. Then I decided to return to patent law, and hence, the patent bar. Now I am 1 million percent for sure that I AM DONE TAKING EXAMS!!!
After a grueling 6 hour patent bar exam, I am officially licensed and I HAVE MY LIFE BACK! Running, cooking, organizing, planning, playing, laying out, READING, sewing, sports, FRIENDS! YAYAYAYAY!
After a grueling 6 hour patent bar exam, I am officially licensed and I HAVE MY LIFE BACK! Running, cooking, organizing, planning, playing, laying out, READING, sewing, sports, FRIENDS! YAYAYAYAY!
bethenny
ummm did bethenny really donate her lingerie to the baptist church!??! only bethenny
embarrassingly loving this show. Bryn is so cute! and Jason too.
embarrassingly loving this show. Bryn is so cute! and Jason too.
Southern Okra and Tomatoes
My mom and my husband just love okra. Growing up, I loved fried okra, but finally I learned to love fresh healthy stewed okra. Sometimes Drew throws it on the grill in the grill basket, and it gets this tasty chargrilled crust that we both love. But one of my favorite ways to prepare okra now is stewed with tomatoes and some onions and bell peppers. It is sooooooo simple and easy, and full of perfect flavor.
Here's what you need:
1 lb fresh okra
1 28-oz can diced Italian-style tomatoes
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 chopped bell pepper (green)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
Cut each piece of okra into 1/4 inch pieces. Lightly saute the onion and pepper in a pan. When softened, add in the tomatoes, tabasco, and chicken broth and bring to boil on medium-high. Stir in the okra and return to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer and stir 10–15 minutes or until okra is tender. Reduce heat to warm until ready to serve.
You're welcome.
Here's what you need:
1 lb fresh okra
1 28-oz can diced Italian-style tomatoes
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 chopped bell pepper (green)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
Cut each piece of okra into 1/4 inch pieces. Lightly saute the onion and pepper in a pan. When softened, add in the tomatoes, tabasco, and chicken broth and bring to boil on medium-high. Stir in the okra and return to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer and stir 10–15 minutes or until okra is tender. Reduce heat to warm until ready to serve.
You're welcome.
the one and only
"I believe in pink, I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."
~Audrey Hepburn
~Audrey Hepburn
Eyes on the Prize
Only two more days till the patent bar! Really praying I pass on the first time! Then we get to celebrate our first anniversary, have a birthday lunch with my sister who is turning 40 this weekend, and get back to life as normal without filling in all my free time with studying. I can't wait to dig into a few new books I've had my eye on.
Sent from my dear friend. she loves me :) two days two days
Sent from my dear friend. she loves me :) two days two days
Donate to Japan
Living Social is matching your $5.00 donation for relief in Japan.
From Living Social:
"Due to Friday's 9.0-magnitude earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent after shocks, Japan is suffering from what its prime minister is calling the "worst crisis since WWII." The country's northern coast has been totally devastated, leaving the land and the people in ruins. Just like you, we here at LivingSocial want to lend a hand, so we are going to match your donations. For each $5 donation through this offer, we will also donate $5 to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy, and hope that by merging our efforts with yours and working directly with the American Red Cross, we can help with immediate aid and long-term recovery plans in Japan."
Donate Here
From Living Social:
"Due to Friday's 9.0-magnitude earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent after shocks, Japan is suffering from what its prime minister is calling the "worst crisis since WWII." The country's northern coast has been totally devastated, leaving the land and the people in ruins. Just like you, we here at LivingSocial want to lend a hand, so we are going to match your donations. For each $5 donation through this offer, we will also donate $5 to the American Red Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami fund. Our thoughts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy, and hope that by merging our efforts with yours and working directly with the American Red Cross, we can help with immediate aid and long-term recovery plans in Japan."
Donate Here
Happy St. Patricks Day!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Make sure you're wearing your green so you don't get pinched! If you're lucky, maybe you'll get a little smooch if you're irish. I'm wearing my "kiss me I'm Irish shirt," so odds are in my favor!
Sure wish I could be in Savannah celebrating the second largest St. Patrick's Day gathering in the United States! Roughly 400,000 Irish and honorary Irish visitors and local celebrators flock to Savanna this week each year. Drew's uncle served as the Grand Marshall for the Parade and celebration a few years back, which is a huge honor to be chosen as Savannah's top irish-man.
The week kicks off with the Greening of Forsyth fountain, and many more events follow, throughout the week ending in the Grand Parade through downtown. It's pretty much an Irish Mardi Gras.
Sure wish I could be in Savannah celebrating the second largest St. Patrick's Day gathering in the United States! Roughly 400,000 Irish and honorary Irish visitors and local celebrators flock to Savanna this week each year. Drew's uncle served as the Grand Marshall for the Parade and celebration a few years back, which is a huge honor to be chosen as Savannah's top irish-man.
The week kicks off with the Greening of Forsyth fountain, and many more events follow, throughout the week ending in the Grand Parade through downtown. It's pretty much an Irish Mardi Gras.
My New Favorite Cook Book
My mother in law recently gave me an amazing new cook book to add to my growing collection - "The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs."
The Flavor Bible is a book all about flavor; what it is and how we perceive it, balance it, complement it, and emphasize it. It's the perfect book for learning about why foods, herbs, and spices taste good and what dishes are ideally enhanced and complemented with certain flavors. It is so useful and creative, and the authors clearly did an unbelievable amount of research. My favorite part is after the column listing of complementary foods for your chosen item, they have a "flavor affinities" section with a list of combinations of ingredients that go with your chosen item. Duck, ginger, soy, honey? Yes please! Duck, apricots, cherries, basmati rice? Even better!
I had a mango that was just reaching the perfect ripeness and with a quick reference to my new book, I was able to find a fun new way to use mango in a way I haven't before - Coconut, ginger, mango and jasmine rice. It was amazing!
I love having a list of suggested flavors and products that go with what I have in the pantry or with a random find at the farmers market. It's completely different from every other cook book I have ever read and has changed the way I think about ingredients and flavors. It is definitely changing the way I cook and come up with dishes. It's time to let creativity be my guide.
The Flavor Bible is a book all about flavor; what it is and how we perceive it, balance it, complement it, and emphasize it. It's the perfect book for learning about why foods, herbs, and spices taste good and what dishes are ideally enhanced and complemented with certain flavors. It is so useful and creative, and the authors clearly did an unbelievable amount of research. My favorite part is after the column listing of complementary foods for your chosen item, they have a "flavor affinities" section with a list of combinations of ingredients that go with your chosen item. Duck, ginger, soy, honey? Yes please! Duck, apricots, cherries, basmati rice? Even better!
I had a mango that was just reaching the perfect ripeness and with a quick reference to my new book, I was able to find a fun new way to use mango in a way I haven't before - Coconut, ginger, mango and jasmine rice. It was amazing!
I love having a list of suggested flavors and products that go with what I have in the pantry or with a random find at the farmers market. It's completely different from every other cook book I have ever read and has changed the way I think about ingredients and flavors. It is definitely changing the way I cook and come up with dishes. It's time to let creativity be my guide.
Wedding Season
Spring has sprung, evidently. Some can tell by the pollen-covered everything, some by the humidity, some by the blooming flowers. I can tell by the wedding requests. I'm playing my first wedding of the season this saturday at a cute outdoor venue in Newberry, and the bride has requested Bella's Lullaby from Twilight. Interesting choice...vampire wedding??
Study Buddies
I must say, if I have to study all day long, it sure is nice having two snuggle pups with me. They are a little demanding of lap space and make it slightly difficult to type, but it's nice to have some warm company! I wonder if they're learning anything about patent law too.
prayer
“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”
Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
the wretched rodent
update on the clark kitchen intruder....the rodent is still loose in the house and seems to have figured out how to get food off of the sticky mouse traps without himself getting stuck.
day 1: Clarks 0 Mouse 1
love
I'm putting this in my back pocket for my next party. We used three big drink dispenser jars like this for our spiked arnold palmer signature drinks at our wedding, and I am still obsessed with them. This setup is simply perfect, and I can't wait to throw a little shindig so I can use them again to serve some refreshing drinks. Cucumber water, sangria, citrus infused water...endless possibilities!
omg. this may or may not have just happened
me: oh my god
a mouse is in our kitchen
i don't know what to do
i'm freaking out
Sent at 11:44 AM on Tuesday
Bethany: that's the worst ... where is it?
do you have a box?
me: omg
in the pantry
Bethany: shut the door!
put a towel under it
and call your dad!
me: i went to get out my garbanzos for salad and it's too late, i screamed and ran away
i called him. he's coming!
AHHH
i can't go back in there!
Bethany: did you put the towel under the door
Sent at 11:47 AM on Tuesday
me: omg he just ran across the floor under the fridge
when i was trying to shut the door
Bethany: chase him back into the pantry
me: are you nuts? i'm a woos
is that how you spell that? i'm having heart palpitations
we're going to my mom's house
SEND HELP!! MOUSE IN THE HOUSE!! ps. my dogs are useless
a mouse is in our kitchen
i don't know what to do
i'm freaking out
Sent at 11:44 AM on Tuesday
Bethany: that's the worst ... where is it?
do you have a box?
me: omg
in the pantry
Bethany: shut the door!
put a towel under it
and call your dad!
me: i went to get out my garbanzos for salad and it's too late, i screamed and ran away
i called him. he's coming!
AHHH
i can't go back in there!
Bethany: did you put the towel under the door
Sent at 11:47 AM on Tuesday
me: omg he just ran across the floor under the fridge
when i was trying to shut the door
Bethany: chase him back into the pantry
me: are you nuts? i'm a woos
is that how you spell that? i'm having heart palpitations
we're going to my mom's house
SEND HELP!! MOUSE IN THE HOUSE!! ps. my dogs are useless
20 days
I cannot believe that our 1st anniversary is only 20 days away. This year has flown by. I guess it's true what happens when you're having fun. Pretty excited to see how the frozen cake top turns out! Luckily our cake baker promised us a fresh couple pieces on our first anniversary, so we're saved if it's bad.
Holy Espresso!
At starbucks this morning, a gentleman in front of Drew asked the barista if he could get any drink with his free drink coupon. When the barista said yes, the gentleman proceeded to order 15 SHOTS of ESPRESSO. 15!!!!! Now, that's a lot of caffeine.
I think I would be in the hospital.
I think I would be in the hospital.
Water for Elephants
I just loved this book. I loved the imagery and the time in which the story is set. I was completely enthralled by the love, the emotions, the connections and the tension between the characters.
Set during the great depression, Jacob drops out of veterinary school after a tragedy strikes, and he finds himself on a traveling circus train where he meets and falls in love with Marlena, a star performer in the circus. They discover beauty amidst the world of the Big Top, and come together through their compassion for a special elephant, Rosie. Love triangles, drama, and a magical story of human compassion and adventure completely captivate you in this wonderful book.
I am just dying to see the movie starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson. I know Reese will deliver an amazing performance, as usual, and I'm interested to see how Robert does, post twilight. If the trailer is any indication, the movie will be incredible. April 22 can't get here soon enough.
Set during the great depression, Jacob drops out of veterinary school after a tragedy strikes, and he finds himself on a traveling circus train where he meets and falls in love with Marlena, a star performer in the circus. They discover beauty amidst the world of the Big Top, and come together through their compassion for a special elephant, Rosie. Love triangles, drama, and a magical story of human compassion and adventure completely captivate you in this wonderful book.
I am just dying to see the movie starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson. I know Reese will deliver an amazing performance, as usual, and I'm interested to see how Robert does, post twilight. If the trailer is any indication, the movie will be incredible. April 22 can't get here soon enough.
Puppy night in
Drew's out of town this weekend for an orthodontic conference, so I've been enjoying my time with the puppies and studying for the patent bar. I may or may not have spent some tanning hours by the pool today with two of my girlfriends, but study materials were in hand, swear!
My Saturday night is turning out to be a snuggle fest on the couch with two lazy puppies watching one of my all time favorite movies, Selena!!! I was just talking about how much I loved this movie with Julie, and of course today, it comes on tv. So weird how that happens. I loved this movie so much when it came out that I bought it on VHS and watched it all the time. In my drawer of movies, I still have about 10 of my favorite VHS movies that I just can't part with. Ohhh yes, Selena is one of them. It's sooooo weird holding a VHS!! I don't know what to do with it anymore!
I am LOVING watching vintage JLo tonight as Selena. She owned this roll and did Selena proud. What a sad sad story and a tragic end for such a beautiful, talented, driven young woman.
My Saturday night is turning out to be a snuggle fest on the couch with two lazy puppies watching one of my all time favorite movies, Selena!!! I was just talking about how much I loved this movie with Julie, and of course today, it comes on tv. So weird how that happens. I loved this movie so much when it came out that I bought it on VHS and watched it all the time. In my drawer of movies, I still have about 10 of my favorite VHS movies that I just can't part with. Ohhh yes, Selena is one of them. It's sooooo weird holding a VHS!! I don't know what to do with it anymore!
I am LOVING watching vintage JLo tonight as Selena. She owned this roll and did Selena proud. What a sad sad story and a tragic end for such a beautiful, talented, driven young woman.
My husband's special meal
Whenever we have a special celebration dinner for my husband, almost always he requests lamb for his special meal. I used to not like lamb, but as it turns out, I was basing this opinion on lamb that was way overcooked as part of a chinese stir fry. If prepared rare to medium rare, the flavor is so much better! It's so naturally tender and overcooking it just makes it chewy, and, in my opinion, not good.
So for the most recent lamb night, I did a dijon-rosemary crusted rack of lamb with a sweet balsamic glaze.
What you need:
1 large French trimmed rack of lamb (about 9-10 chops)
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp rosemary , very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp pepper & pinch salt
prepare the mustard rub, mixing the mustard, rosemary, garlic and pepper in a small bowl. Add a little olive oil if the consistency is too thick.
Separate the chops and spread the rub on both sides of the chops.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook for 3-4 minutes until each side is brown and crusty. The internal temperature for rare is 125ºF to 130ºF and medium-rare is 130ºF to 140ºF.
Remove from heat and let sit while you make the balsamic glaze, so the juices can flow through the meat.
For the balsamic glaze, just heat 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar over medium heat with a tablespoon of sugar and simmer until reduced by half. Drizzle over the lamb chops and preferably serve with roasted root vegetables.
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
Drizzle red potatoes with olive oil, s&p, and chopped rosemary. Roast at 400 for 25 minutes.
A couple notes on lamb. I prefer to buy lamb from New Zealand because lamb in NZ, by law, must be grass fed.
NZ standards state that grass and/or forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal (lamb), with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage, and animals cannot be fed grain or grain by-products and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season.
Numerous health benefits can be obtained from grass feeding livestock. According to various research studies, the meat and milk from grass-fed ruminants contains more conjugated lineolic acid (CLA), vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, and vitamin A than the meat and milk from grain-fed animals. CLA and omega-3 fatty acids are good fats with anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-fat properties.
Sams club sells New Zealand lamb, and I hear Trader Joes does also, though the future TJ in gainesville isn't open yet, so can't vouch for that.
Lamb is also a lean red meat, high in nutrients and low in calories for a red meat, so allow a little splurge!
So for the most recent lamb night, I did a dijon-rosemary crusted rack of lamb with a sweet balsamic glaze.
What you need:
1 large French trimmed rack of lamb (about 9-10 chops)
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp rosemary , very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp pepper & pinch salt
prepare the mustard rub, mixing the mustard, rosemary, garlic and pepper in a small bowl. Add a little olive oil if the consistency is too thick.
Separate the chops and spread the rub on both sides of the chops.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chops to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip and cook for 3-4 minutes until each side is brown and crusty. The internal temperature for rare is 125ºF to 130ºF and medium-rare is 130ºF to 140ºF.
Remove from heat and let sit while you make the balsamic glaze, so the juices can flow through the meat.
For the balsamic glaze, just heat 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar over medium heat with a tablespoon of sugar and simmer until reduced by half. Drizzle over the lamb chops and preferably serve with roasted root vegetables.
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes & Carrots
Drizzle red potatoes with olive oil, s&p, and chopped rosemary. Roast at 400 for 25 minutes.
A couple notes on lamb. I prefer to buy lamb from New Zealand because lamb in NZ, by law, must be grass fed.
NZ standards state that grass and/or forage shall be the feed source consumed for the lifetime of the ruminant animal (lamb), with the exception of milk consumed prior to weaning. The diet shall be derived solely from forage, and animals cannot be fed grain or grain by-products and must have continuous access to pasture during the growing season.
Numerous health benefits can be obtained from grass feeding livestock. According to various research studies, the meat and milk from grass-fed ruminants contains more conjugated lineolic acid (CLA), vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, beta-carotene, and vitamin A than the meat and milk from grain-fed animals. CLA and omega-3 fatty acids are good fats with anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, and anti-fat properties.
Sams club sells New Zealand lamb, and I hear Trader Joes does also, though the future TJ in gainesville isn't open yet, so can't vouch for that.
Lamb is also a lean red meat, high in nutrients and low in calories for a red meat, so allow a little splurge!
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