Grilled Lamb Chops

 Grilled Lamb Chops
Adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

We recently bought a whole lamb from Nancy Penley at http://www.naturallambcoop.com. Grass fed, all natural, and YUMMY! Also much less expensive than buying the same at Whole Foods. Nancy is in Loveland, CO.


Ingredients

    • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
    • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
    • 1/8 to 1/4 t. cayenne pepper (depending on your tastes)
    • 1 t. coarse sea salt
    • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 6 lamb chops, about 3/4-inch thick

Directions

In a small, cup sized food processor fitted with a metal blade add the garlic, rosemary, thyme, cayenne, and salt. Pulse until combined. Pour in olive oil and pulse into a paste. Rub the paste on both sides of the lamb chops and let them marinate for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Remove from refrigerator and allow the chops to come to room temperature; it will take about 20 minutes.

Heat 2 T canola oil in a pan over high heat until almost smoking, add the chops and sear for about 2 minutes. Flip the chops over and cook for another 3 minutes for medium-rare and 3 1/2 minutes for medium.

Plate and cover with aluminum foil if you want the chops to continue cooking a little longer so they are just pink on the inside and not bloody (I'm not a big fan of bloody, gives me the willies!)

I made a box of gluten free parmesan risotto and swiss chard from our garden to go along with the chops.

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken Stew Ingredients:
    • 1 (5-pound) roasting chicken
    • 1 large yellow onion, unpeeled and quartered
    • 2 carrots, unpeeled and halved
    • 2 stalks celery with leaves, cut into thirds
    • 1 large parsnip, unpeeled and cut in half, optional
    • 8 sprigs fresh parsley
    • 5 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 5 sprigs fresh dill
    • 1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in 1/2 crosswise
    • 1 tablespoons kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
Plus:
3 carrots
3 celery
5 potatoes

Directions:
• Place the chicken, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a 16-quart stockpot. Add 3 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 1-1.5 hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a wire mesh colander, save the chicken and discard the rest of the solids.
• Take all the meat off the chicken, cut up into bite sized pieces and put all or most of the chicken back into stock. Simmer on med-low.
• Into the stew:
    -Peel and slice 3 carrots
    -Slice 3 stalks of celery
    -5 potatoes, peel and cut into cubes
• Simmer 10 minutes, then start dumplings.

Dumpling Ingredients:
4 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix
1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 1/2 T fresh)
1 tsp dried parsley (or 1 T fresh)
dash of ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1 1/3 cups milk

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients then slowly add milk and mix lightly. Drop by heaping spoonfuls into boiling stew. Cover and cook until dough is cooked through. About 10-15 minutes.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

4 lbs sweet potatoes (garnet yams actually) cut in half lengthwise and half again--slice 1/4 in thick
2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground pepper
8 T goat butter
1/4 c whole goat milk (this is exact, don't eyeball it because it will be way too much--I just made this mistake!)

Stir, cover, low heat, 35 minutes, stirring occasionally

2 T whole goat milk (or cream if you can find it) and mash

Great with Pan Fried Pork Chops

Pan Fried Pork Chops with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

4 boneless pork chops (about 3/4" thick)
3 slices nitrate free bacon
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. paprika
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. ground pepper
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 c gluten free flour

Dredge pork chops

Let sit on plate for 10 minutes

Cook 3 slices of bacon--eat the bacon! :-)

Add 1/2 cup vegetable oil to bacon fat, heat over medium high

Dredge pork chops and pack on the flour

Look for wisps of smoke from oil

Cook 3-4 minutes per side.

Serve with Mashed Sweet Potatoes and a veggie.

Pasta with Chicken, Goat Cheese, and Roasted Asparagus

• 2 bunches asparagus (2 pounds total), tough ends removed
• OR roasted zucchini is good too!
• 4 tablespoons goat butter, cut into small pieces
• 12 ounces gluten free cavatappi or other short pasta
• 1 small log soft goat cheese (5 ounces), crumbled
• 2 to 3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish
• 2 grilled organic chicken breasts, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Place asparagus on a large rimmed baking sheet; dot with 1 tablespoon goat butter, and season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, tossing occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes; cut into 2-inch lengths.
   
   Grill chicken or use left overs.
   
   
2. While asparagus is roasting, generously salt boiling water. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Set aside 1 1/2 cups pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.
   
3. In a medium bowl, combine goat cheese, remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, and whisk until smooth. Add goat-cheese mixture and asparagus to pasta; toss to combine, adding more pasta water if necessary for sauce to coat pasta. Serve pasta garnished with chives.
   

Pork Bolognese

• Adapted from Everydayfood.com  --- I'm always happy when a recipe starts with bacon ;-)
• 
  
• 3 slices nitrate free bacon, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 pound ground bison
• 1/4 cup organic tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/4 cups whole goat milk
• 1 can (28 ounces) tomato sauce
• 2 cups organic chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
• 2.5 t coarse salt
• 1/2 t ground pepper
• Cooked gluten free penne rigate, for serving
• Grated hard sheep cheese, for serving

1. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, cook bacon over medium heat until fat is released, 5 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook until soft, 6 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high; add pork and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 7 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook until pork is coated, 4 minutes.
   
2. Add wine; cook until reduced by three-fourths. Add 1 cup milk; cook until reduced by half. Add tomato sauce, broth, bay leaf, thyme, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Stir in 1/4 cup milk. Serve sauce over pasta, topped with cheese.
   

Sweet and Sour Chicken

 Serves 4 (as long as two of them are kids-next time I'll make it for 6)

 Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup GF soy sauce
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and diced large
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts or cashews (optional)

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar. Set aside.
   
2. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over high. Add chicken, bell peppers, and green beans and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.
   
3. Whisk soy sauce mixture, add to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff rice with a fork. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over rice and top with nuts if desired.