Marinated Crusted Well-Dressed Rack of Lamb and Faux Cheesy Shell Pasta

What do you call a duck that just doesn't fit in?
Mallardjusted.

 As you probably can tell, this isn't duck.  It is delicious, delectable  mouth-watering lamb....which I am totally and utterly currently obsessed with.  I once thought lamb was simply too fancy for me to make at home, but it turns out that this meat is incredibly easy and full of flavor (and accompanying adjectives).

In honor of Easter (and all things cute), I made these ever-so-put-in-your-mouth-whole-without a fork or knife, Marinated Crusted Well-Dressed Rack of Lamb (meat lollipops!!!!!) with quick Faux Cheesy Shell Pasta.

Here's what you need for the Lamb:
1-2 racks of lamb (I used one for 2 people, and we had 2 pieces leftover)
3 large cloves of garlic, plue 3 more large cloves
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt, plus more too taste
1 teaspoon pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2-4 tablespoons of butter (4 if you are also making pasta below)
1 bunch fresh parsley
1/2 bread crumbs
zest of 2 lemons

Here's what you need for the Pasta:
Mini Shells
Parmesan Cheese
Butter
Salt
Pepper

Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers

Where did the pepper go to have a few drinks?
The salad bar.

 Last night, I still had some of those beautimous red peppers left over (Costco had a bag of 6!) and thought I'd stuff'um with some goodness, and serve them up with a salad for dinner.

 Here's what you need for these Chicken and Rice Stuffed Peppers for 2 (with leftovers, so if you are cooking for 4 use the same amount plus 2 more peppers):
1 small pat of butter, plus 1 small pat of butter
1 cup rice
2 cups of chicken stock

2 large red peppers
1 yellow onion
1 pack of organic ground chicken ($6 at Publix) (or use whatever meat/veggies you want)
1 tablespoon of chopped Italian parsley
1 vine tomato
1/2-1 cup of garlic Alfredo sauce
1-2 tablespoons of Italian bread crumbs or cheese (for topping peppers)

Clam Linguine with White Wine and Red Peppers

Why wouldn't the clam share his treasure?
Because he was a little shellfish.

 Sunday nights are typically family dinner at my husband's parent's house.  This week we volunteered to cook and give them a night off (which worked out, because the day before we made the mistake of going to Costco hungry and somehow came home with 5 lbs of littleneck clams!).

I decided to try my hand at some Clam Linguine with White Wine and Red Peppers.

Here's what you need for plenty of food for 6 people:
5 lbs of littleneck clams
1 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus 1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 box of linguine
2 beautiful red peppers
2 cloves of chopped garlic
1 cup of dry white wine
1 cup of clam juice
1/2 bunch of fresh Italian parsley
1-2 teaspoons of olive oil
1-2 lemons for squeezing

Easter Egg Rice Treats

What did the rabbit say to the carrot?
It has been nice gnawing you.

 My sister came over the other week to make cookies and mini cheesecakes (which I still need to post pictures for!), and left the most wonderful leftovers.  Rice Krispies and Mini M&M's.  So, I thought I would make some Easter themed treats.

Here's what you need to make Easter Egg Rice Treats (for 6 large eggs):
3 tablespoons of butter, plus 2 tablespoons
8 oz of mini marshmallos
4 cups of Rice Krispies
egg shape cookie cutter/ egg shape cardboard cut out and a knife
wax paper
wooden spoon

Either buy some Iciing or make your own:
1-3 tablespoons of milk
2-3 cups of confectioner's sugar
1-2 drops of vanilla
food coloring

Optional toppings:
mini M&M's
colored sprinkles

Iced Green Tea with Lemon and Honey

What did the bee say to the flower?
Hello Honey!

Since I am from the south, I love to make iced tea.  This is a quick recipe for Iced Green Tea with Lemon and Honey.

Here's what you need:
boiling water
stardard size teapot
5 bags of green tea
1/2-1 lemon
1 tablespoon of honey
pitcher

French-a-fied Toast

How do you make an apple turnover?
Push it down a hill.

My favorite, favorite, super favorite breakfast is something we like to call French-a-fied Toast.  All morning there has been cold rain and thunder happening outside, so I thought today was the perfect day to make a cozy comforting breakfast.

French-a-fied Toast in our house is whatever leftover bread you have, soaked in a eggy mixture, and either fried on the stove top or baked in the oven (if you're feelin' fancy).  This morning, I had some leftover hamburger-style buns.  As I started slicing the buns, I thought about layering the bread.  Then, the layering thought had me thinking about what to put in between the layers.  And layers with filling had me thinking about lasagna.  So, thus, fancy Lasagna-Style French-a-fied Toast was born.

Here's what you need (enough for 2 people, double/triple for more):
leftover bread (I had 2 hamburger-style buns)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of heavy cream (if you don't have heavy cream, just double up the milk)
1 tablespoon of milk
1 teaspoon of cinnamon, plus 1 other teaspoon of cinnamon
1 dash of salt
1 sliced apple (I used fuji)
a few drops of Agave or Maple Syrup
1/4 cup of granola (recipe on blog from  3/19/13)
1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup.

Nutty Granola

Did you hear the joke about peanut butter?
I'm not telling you...you might spread it.

I love peanut butter.  Sometimes I will grab a spoon and just eat a bit straight out of the jar (ok, sometimes I don't use a spoon).

This post has absolutely nothing to do with peanut butter (sigh, I know, stay with me...).  I could try and make the connection for, "I was thinking about peanut butter, then thought about those peanut butter granola bars, then thought about how we were out of granola", but that would be sort of stretching the truth.  Really, we were out of granola and all the jokes I know about nuts are well, too dirty for The Dirty Floor blog.

Back on track.  Granola is delicious.  Granola is also expensive, so why not make your own Nutty Granola at home? (This is suuuuuuuuuper easy, and the result is delicious!!!)

Here's what you need:
4 teaspoons of vanilla
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup (get the good stuff)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
5 cups of old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon
2 cups of chopped pecans (walnuts, or whatever kind of nuts you're feelin' like)

Toast with Goat Cheese, Tomato and Balsamic

Why is breakfast in bed so easy?
It's just a couple of rolls and a turnover.

Ok, Okay.  I will admit, I am a bit of a morning coffee addict.  I love it.  I especially love the automatic Nespresso milk frother that was given to us as a wedding present.  Coffee topped with warm frothy milk and cinnamon powder is like waking up in a relaxing snuggly cloud.

Some days, I skip breakfast all together and opt for multiple cups of cloudy goodness.  Today, I was craving something savory in addition to my coffee...Toast with Goat Cheese, Tomato and Balsamic.

Here's what you need:
1-2 slices of whole grain/whole wheat toast
1-2 teaspoons of plain goat cheese
slices of fresh tomato (any kind would work, I used small vine here)
1 teaspoon of reduced balsamic vinegar (or a thicker, aged more balsamic would also work)
salt
pepper 

Key Lime Pie and Bacon Potato Salad (no, not together....say what)

What is the best thing to put in a pie?
A fork.

 Last night we had a few friends over for your typical the-weather-is-so-beautiful-we-have-to-be-outside BBQ.  Along with turkey burgers, fixins, and bourbon beans, I decided to try my hand at some Key Lime Pie and Bacon Potato Salad.

Whenever we have guests over (and if I am doing the cooking), I like to get everything done ahead of time.  Sliced, Chopped, Whipped, Creamed, Diced, Covered, Smoothered.....(suddenly craving Waffle House) etc. etc.  This allows you to hang out (drink cocktails), enjoy each other and actually relax, versus being covered in crumbs and trying to talk and whisk at the same time.

Here's what you need for the Bacon Potato Salad:
1-2 bags of red potatoes
1 bunch of celery
4-7 slices of crispy bacon
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of mayo
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of sugar
kosher salt
pepper

Here's what you need for the Key Lime Pie:

graham crackers
1-2 teaspoons of white sugar, plue 1-2 teaspoons of white sugar for whipped cream
4-ish table spoons of unsalted butter
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup key lime juice
heavy whipping cream
lime slices (optional for presentation)

Split Pea Soup with Coppa

What is the difference between roast beef and pea soup?
Anyone can roast beef.

I had some leftover coppa (dried/cured pork) in the fridge, so I decided to make some split pea soup (I know, normal people would just eat it on a cracker).

When I first started dating my now husband, I went through a vegetarian phase.  I know! I know, I know, you can't even believe me when I say that after the way I wrote about shredding lamb while making gyros.  The veggie only phase lasted a year (and I can't believe it lasted that long).  It all started because of a particular movie that will not be named.  Although, informative and well worth watching, I would not recommend watching this particular movie to anyone that wants to continue to eat hamburgers...or perfectly dried and salty pork.

Enough about my one dark...green year.  Back to the soup!

Here's what you need for my Split Pea Soup:
1 bag of split peas
1 tablespoon olive oil
left over pork (bacon, ham, coppa, etc.)
1 onion
2 fat carrots
1-2 cloves of garlic, depending how garlicy you're feelin'
8 cups of chicken stock (we had some homemade from when I roasted a chicken last week, next time I will try and make a post of it)

Salsa

Why did the tomato blush?
Because, he saw the salad dressing!

Sometimes you just need a snack.  Or, as the man of the house says, sometimes, you just need to eat chips and salsa for dinner (or any other meal for that matter).

Luckily for me, my hubby is fantastic at making salsa.

Here's what you need (side note: the very thoughtful, very kind hubby did this recipe on his own so this makes a MASSIVE amount of salsa; feel free to cut yours in half if you do not consume salsa at the same rate as you consume water, like we do):
food processor
2 cans of diced tomatoes (he used 1 can with Jalapenos and one without, your choice)
2 cans of stewed tomatoes
1 roughly chopped onion
1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 dash of onion powder
1 dash of garlic powder
1 clove of garlic
lime juice, to taste
1 dash of oregano
Chiles of preference: Jalapeno, Habanero, Serano...etc.

Roasted Lamb Gyros

How many lambs does it take to knit a sweater?
Don't be silly...lambs can't knit.

Monday happens to be my grocery shopping day.  I usually try and get all the stuff we need for the week and half-way plan meal ideas in my head.  Lately, I have been trying to get more daring during the weeknight and cook up more creative dishes.

Typical lazy weeknight dinners:
Pasta with sauce or whatever leftovers are in the fridge (sausage and broccoli, peas and ham, garlic and butter, spinach and goat cheese....maybe throw in tomatoes into some of those...etc. etc).  Grilled fish, Quinoa, and roasted veggies.  Stir Fry (ie. throw in all veggies, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and pile on top of rice).  Grilled cheese and tomato soup.  Nachos (chips baked in the oven, covered in shredded rotisserie chicken, peppers, onions, black beans, salsa, and cheese...one of the hubby's favorite).

Tonight, at first I was thinkin' tacos but then I went to the store and saw pita and thought Roasted Lamb Gyros.  A lot of the ingredients for these can be altered based on what you like to stuff your pita with, so, gyro-ish. 

Here's what you need:
Inside:
meat (I am using 1 slice (cut) of lamb shoulder, anything would work.  Don't feel like lamb?  Try simple grilled chicken, steak, shrimp or veggies (still delicious) with olive oil, kosher salt and pepper)
3/4 cup red wine (for lamb, I had some Cab-Sav open...pinot would work well too, any excuse to open wine is a good one)
2 tablespoons of rosemary or some 2-3 sprigs if you have it fresh. (for lamb)

lettuce (I am using romaine)
tomato (I've got some grape)
green pepper
feta cheese

Tzatziki (sauce):
8 large dollops of plain greek yogurt
2 dollops of sour cream
1 english cucumber grated (I did half fine, half large grated)
juice from 1/2 a lemon, squeeze it fresh
1 teaspoon of fresh chopped dill
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of white vinegar

Outside:
whole wheat pita

Clementine Kiwi Fruit Salad

Why did the orange stop rolling down the hill?
Because, it ran out of juice.

 As you may be starting to tell, breakfast in the house varies.  Today, I was craving fruit salad and as luck would have it, we had some kiwis and clementine oranges in the fridge.  Fruit salad for me is pretty basic.  Check what fruit you have, chop it up, and let it hang together for an hour (or a few seconds if you're hungry) so the salad marinates in its own juices.  I do not like to add sugar to fruit (unless we are talking apple pie...mmm, pie...).  If you feel like you are in need of more juicy-ness, squeeze some extra orange juice on whatever fruit combonation salad you're making.


Here's what you need:
Fruit (I used kiwi and clemintines here)
Knife
Bowl

Spam and Eggs

Why did the chicken jump in the lake?
Cause the rooster egg-ed her on.

On the weekends my hubby takes time to make himself an actual breakfast, made of food, well, food he has to chew.  This morning, he decided to make one of his favorite breakfasts-es-siz....breakfastzes... Spam and eggs.

Yes, you heard me right, spam.

Cue the wrinkled up faces and thoughts of grossness.  If you can't tell, this is not my go-to weekend long-cook meal (can someone say french toast? stupendous.).  But, if you, like my husband, are feelin' the need for some grease on your bones, go for it.

Here's what you'll need:
2 eggs
4 oz of Spam
1-2 teaspoons of greek yogurt
1-2 teaspoons of milk, or cream, if you're feelin' extra decadent (I mean, you are about to eat Spam)
Salt (we like rosemary salt, which is basically salt baked with rosemary)
Pepper
1-2 skillets, you can cook all in 1 if you desire Spam-flavored eggs
Salsa or hot sauce
Cheese for topping

Oatmeal Crazy'n Pecan Cookies

What kind of keys do kids like to carry?
Cook-ies.

My absolute favorite dessert to eat is vanilla creme brulee.

My favorite dessert to make is cookies.  More specifically, Oatmeal Crazy'n Pecan Cookies.  These are super easy to make (yay), healthy-ish (well, they are cookies), and taste really good with coffee (don't judge).

Here's what you need: 
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup crazy'ns, or raisins, or whatever you're feelin' like -ins
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of baking soda
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup chopped pecans
Parchment paper
Cookie Sheet
Cookie Rack
Cookie Jar

Smoothie Tip

What did one banana say to the other?
You're a-peeling!

The man of the house loves to make smoothies for breakfast. One day we were sitting around talking about smoothies (I can't for the life of me recall why) and we were wonderin' how we could cut down the sugar without compromising the already delicious tastyness of it all.

Eureka, what if we use only half a banana?! Even better, what if we put the bananas in the freezer and make them last longer?!

Twice as many bananas = twice as many lower sugar smoothies. Brilliant.