Lazy Dinner tonight

Lamb Rib Chops + Clams

Stuck the Lamb Chops in the broiler for 5 min on each side, then let rest for 1 min, covering with run off juices. (Very tasty)

Clams I cooked in white wine, butter, shallots, and pearl onions until they opened.

I got a bit lazy tonight

and copied this

It smells real good right now

Flattened Steak, Fajitas etc

So last night was a mixed bag. We had watched the Good Eats episode on flattened steak and I figured I'd give it a shot. Bought and cut up a large piece of beef and then began to pound on it. Got them pretty flat (not as flat as I'd like with my improvised tools) and pan fried them. I liked the increased surface area and cooking them like minute steaks, but I think I'm going to need to play with them a bit more before I report that I've perfected this dish. (They did seem to take to marinades and sauces a lot better, which was good for the soy I put on some of them)

Jaz made fajitas. Nothing too complicated with them, just some baked chicken with onions and peppers in a wrap. One thing she did that I thought was a good idea was use Yogurt instead of Sour Cream. It was very tasty and healthier.

That's all I got for now.

Pork Chops

So Jaz and I are both big lime fans. Knowing that, I figured out how to make a quick and easy pork chop with lots of lime flavor and very little prep/cook time.

Take a grill skillet and heat it up as high as it'll go. Then take garlic powder and lightly coat both sides of four pork chops (thinly sliced). Then toss the pork chops in the skillet and fill the bottom of the skillet with lime juice. Allow the lime juice to cook away and then replace. Continue to replace as you flip the pork and allow to cook until done.

See... quick and easy, and it tastes great!

Iron Chef

So here's the deal. I'm going to play a little game. I need an ingredient. You suggest the ingredient and I make an entire meal featuring that ingredient.

Only one rule - the ingredient must be available in abundance in Ohio and not too expensive.

So hit me, whatcha got?

Leeks and Steak

So did a couple different dishes tonight, an Asparagus and Leek soup that I got the inspiration from here.

Turned out VERY good, but I think I blended it a bit too long because the soup was a bit watery when I finished.

I also got a few pieces of tip steak and marinated them in equal parts soy and Worcestershire sauce diluted a bit with water and with a tablespoon of sugar added to the mix. Threw those on the grill after marinating for a while.

All in all a pretty good dinner tonight (I've got a few other things that I cooked that I'm planning on sharing, but things have been a bit hectic this week so it might not be until tomorrow when I end up posting them.

New Orleans Night

So really only one New Orleans dish on the menu tonight, and it's not traditional NO by any stretch of the imagination, but I did it anyway!

Hungarian Sausage and Chicken Gumbo.

Roux
2 Cans Vegetable Stock
1 Can Chicken Stock
3 Chicken Breast
1 lb Sausage (I used the same sausage as below)
5 Green Onions
1 White Onion
1 Package of mushrooms

So first make a roux. Yah, sounds easy... it isn't. I'm not very good at making roux and I don't claim to be. I usually stop at peanut butter color instead of going to for the "gold" and going for a Cajun roux.

If you don't know how to make a roux this is how you do it. Take 3 parts lard, butter, oil etc and 5 parts flour. Melt your fat and then slowly add the flour while stirring.

Then continue to stir.

Then keep stirring.

As a matter of fact, you don't want to have ANYTHING else going on at this point because all you are going to be doing is stirring.

Keep stirring till you reach the desired color.

If you burn it. THROW IT OUT. IT WILL TASTE LIKE CRAP.

So, what was that again class? If you burn it.... THROW IT OUT!

The roux is the base for everything else you are doing. It's important to get it right.

Then take your onions, I chopped them, and add them to your roux with your mushrooms.

Add your broth and bring to a boil then drop down to a simmer after it starts to thicken a bit.

Stir for about four minutes.

Then add your chicken (I cooked mine in just some light oil) and your sausage.

Then simmer until your girlfriend gets home (or at least an hour,) stirring and skimming occasionally.

The finished product should look something like this.