Along with the lamb from the previous post I also grilled up some littleneck clams and made a nice herb butter sauce to go along with them. This was the surprise dish of the weekend and it turns out I should have bought more clams, these guys disappeared as quickly as they came off the grill. The butter sauce complimented the clams perfectly and grilling the clams made them come out tender not chewy. Give them a try this summer at a BBQ to impress your friends and family.
Over Memorial Day weekend I took full advantage of the warm weather and put the grill to good use. Unlike the lamb chops I cooked a few weeks ago, this time I mixed the spices and herbs in the oil and dredged the lamb chops through the spice mixture before grilling. I really liked how this technique worked with the lamb. Spicing the oil imparted a lot more flavor onto the lamb then the rub. If you are looking for a change up for the grill give these a try. Enjoy!
Monday was Cinco de Mayo so I decided to get into the spirit of the day and made Shrimp tacos. This dish is light and refreshing and I will be making it quite a few times this summer as the heat sets in. Along with the tacos I also made the refried bean again which are fast becoming a go to side dish because of how easy they are to make and how delicious they are. Give these a shot some time this summer and enjoy them with a nice cold beer or margarita!
Last night I decided to grill up some lamb chops. I have used this recipe in the past and the lamb always turns out great. You can use this rub/marinade on any type of lamb from chops to legs and it will work great. Give it a try and as always enjoy!
I found some pork chops in the freezer the other day and threw together a marinade then cooked them on the grill. For a last minute meal it turned out very well. I was only able to marinate the pork for 30-45 minutes but ideally you want these to sit for ~8 hours. Enjoy!
It’s been busy over here the last few months but last night I was able to get back into the kitchen and make something new. This is a spicy Italian chicken dish that is quite fun to put together. I chose to serve it over polenta but it would also work over pasta. Give it a try and stay tuned for more posts. Smartchef Blog is back up and running!
I am a huge Chipotle fan, so last weekend I attempted to make one of their burrito bowls from scratch. I looked up a few Carnitas recipes and worked out a recipe of my own that combined a few spices and decided the best way to cook it would be to use a crock pot. The recipe is very easy to follow and the only thing you really need is time. It takes about 10 minutes to prep then 8-10 hours to cook. You can serve the carnitas with whatever you like. I sauteed some peppers and onions and made lime cilantro rice and refried beans (you can find the recipes below) Enjoy and please leave a comment if you make it and let me know how they turned out. Enjoy!
With all the cold and snow weather we have been having recently I wanted to make a dish that would warm everyone up. I chose to make coq au vin because it is a hearty winter meal and I also want to learn a bit more french technique. This recipe is a quicker version that only takes 1 hour and 45 mins in total. The meal turned out quite well. However while cooking it you need to consistently taste it to make sure it has enough salt, it is very easy to under season this dish and have it turn out bland. Enjoy
For the Superbowl last weekend I made these pork dumplings. They are quite easy to put together and make a good party dish. I had to mess around with the dipping sauce a bit because the first attempt came out too vinegary. This is a good dish to make if you are having a few people over, it’s even better if they want to pitch in and help put the dumplings together! Enjoy!
These omelet bites are a great portable breakfast that can be made early in the week and enjoyed for the next few days. You can experiment with the fillings but stick to the measurements of eggs and egg whites. If you are going to add cheese sprinkle it on at the very end so it can melt over the top. Enjoy!
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