July 28: Lamb and Scallion Burgers with Fried Asparagus

1 package (1 1/2 pounds) ground lamb
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 scallions, chopped
   Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
8 thick asparagus spears, minimum 1/2 inch in diameter
   All-purpose flour, for dredging
   Leaf lettuce, green or red, for garnish
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
4 large slices sourdough or farmhouse bread, cut in half to fit the burgers

Heat a grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, in a large bowl, mix the meat with the garlic, scallions, lemon zest, thyme, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of EVOO.

Form 4 1-inch-thick patties and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium, 5 minutes for medium well.

Heat a second skillet over medium-high heat. Trim the tough ends of the asparagus. Cut the stalks in half across, then thinly slice them lengthwise. Dredge the thinly sliced asparagus in the flour.

Add the 3 tablespoons of EVOO to the skillet and fry the asparagus until deeply golden, a couple of minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Season the fried asparagus with salt.

Toast the bread slices. Serve the burgers topped with crisp lettuce and Dijon mustard on toast, with fried asparagus alongside.

4 SERVINGS

I took this recipe from November 16th because today's recipe seemed a little more suited for around Thanksgiving time: Pumpkin Polenta. The lamb was good, although next time I would probably cut back on the meat. The burgers were really big! I made this recipe for lunch. I couldn't find thick asparagus anywhere, so I had to settle for the thin ones. I just didn't slice them up.

July 27: Olive Anchovy-Slathered Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Caramelized Onion Orzo and Sliced Tomatoes

   Coarse salt
1/2 pound orzo pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
2 medium to large yellow onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/4 cup white vermouth or 1/2 cup dry white wine
   Coarse black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons store-bought green or black olive tapenade, any brand
2 rounded tablespoons anchovy paste from a tube
8 1-inch thick beef tenderloin steaks
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 beefsteak tomatoes, sliced and seasoned with salt

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the orzo. Add a generous amount of salt to the water and cook the orzo al dente (with a bite to it).

Preheat the broiler to high.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the onions and garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until caramelized. Deglaze with the vermouth or wine.

Combine the soft butter with the tapenade and anchovy paste and refrigerate.

Arrange the steaks on a slotted broiler pan. Drizzle EVOO over the steaks and season with salt and pepper. Broil the steaks for 3 minutes on each side for rare, 10 minutes for well done.

Add the cooked drained orzo to the browned garlic and onions, then stir in the parsley and grated cheese. Adjust the salt and pepper. Toss to distribute.

Serve alongside the steaks with sliced tomatoes on the side.

4 SERVINGS

This would be a great meal for company, but for an everyday dinner, I would reduce the amount of steaks from 2 to 1 per person. I didn't change anything except to call for Parmesan instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

July 26: Chicken Sausage on a Roll with Egg and Fontina

1 pound ground chicken

1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

2 tablespoons honey

¼ cup raisins or golden raisins, finely chopped

   A handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

   EVOO for drizzling

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 large eggs

   Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 crusty Kaiser rolls, split

1/3 pound Italian Fontina, thinly sliced

Heat a large nonstick griddle pan or a large skillet to medium high. Preheat the broiler to high.

Mix the chicken with the grill seasoning, fennel seeds, honey, chopped raisins, parsley, and a drizzle of EVOO. Form four ½-inch-thick patties.

Cook for 5 minutes on each side and transfer to a plate. Cover with foil and keep warm. Reduce the heat on the griddle to low.

Grease the griddle with a touch of butter. Crack the eggs on the griddle carefully to fry. Season them with salt and pepper. Cook the eggs up or over, however you like ‘em.

Place the rolls under the broiler to toast. Butter them lightly and top the bottoms with sausage, then egg, then lots of sliced Fontina.

Melt the cheese under the broiler, then set the roll tops in place and serve.

4SERVINGS

The last variation of the chicken sausage trio - this is a nice tasty sandwich. It's the kind of thing I might make for a fancy breakfast. It is lacking in the vegetable department for a dinner, so I might add some veggie sticks or a salad to go with it. It's a little confusing written out with all the "omits," "swaps," and "adds," but it's actually very quick and easy once you write it out as a regular recipe. I didn't change anything, but I ran out of grill seasoning so I just used salt and pepper instead, and we scrambled the eggs because my husband doesn't like me eating runny yolks while I'm pregnant.

RR says: "This menu is good for B, L, or D: Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner."

July 25: Olive-Butter-Slathered Broiled Lamb Chops with Caramelized Zucchini Orzo

   Coarse salt
1/2 pound orzo pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
2 small to medium zucchini, cut into thin disks
1 small yellow onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
   Coarse black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons store-bought green or black olive tapenade, any brand
8 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick loin lamb chops
   Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the orzo. Add a generous amount of salt to the water and cook the orzo al dente, with a bite to it.

Preheat the broiler to high.

Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of EVOO. Add the zucchini, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the zucchini are lightly caramelized.

Combine the soft butter with the olive tapenade and reserve in the refrigerator.

Arrange the lamb chops on a slotted broiler pan. Drizzle EVOO over the chops and season with salt and pepper. Broil the chops for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare, 5 minutes for well done. Squeeze lemon juice over them.

Add the cooked drained orzo to the browned zucchini and onions, then stir in the lemon zest, parsley, and grated cheese. Toss to distribute.

Remove the chops from the broiler and the butter from the refrigerator. Top each chop with a little olive butter. Serve the chops with the caramelized zucchini orzo.

4 SERVINGS

This is one of the most delicious meals I've had in a long time. I think the key (besides the natural tenderness of the lamb chops) is that I made my own olive tapenade: a little olive oil, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, and garlic finely chopped in the food processor with about 10 green olives. It was perfect! The only negative to this meal was that the zucchini was so soft it was mushy. Maybe next time I will saute the onions for a few minutes, then add the garlic and zucchini. The only thing I changed was Parmegiano-Reggiano to regular Parmesan, and I reduced the amount of lamb chops from 12 to 8. I only made half the recipe. I'm pretty sure my lamb was thicker than it was supposed to be, so I broiled it for 10 minutes on each side for well done. It was perfect.

July 24: Mini Chicken Sausage Meatballs with Gnocchi and Tomato Sauce

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tender sun-dried tomatoes
20 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some to drizzle
1 medium onion, finely chopped
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound gnocchi
   Crushed red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
   Grated Parmesan cheese, to pass at the table

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the chicken in a medium bowl with the grill seasoning, fennel seeds, and half of the garlic. Pile the sun-dried tomatoes on top of each other in small stacks, then slice into thin strips. Coarsely chop the thin strips and add to the bowl.

Roll the mixture into mini balls, 1 1/2 inches across, and arrange on a rimmed nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until firm and lightly golden.

Bring a pot of water to a boil for the gnocchi. Season the water with salt, add the gnocchi, and cook according to the package directions.

Drain.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons of EVOO and the onions, remaining garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the tomatoes and tomato sauce and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat. Stir in the basil leaves, whole or torn.

Toss the gnocchi and meatballs with the sauce and serve with grated cheese to pass at the table.

4 SERVINGS

This meal, although very tomatoey, was pretty good. I like the meat and gnocchi together, but not so much separately. On their own the flavors are a little strong. The only change I made was to make the recipe call for Parmesan instead of Parmigiano-Reggiano. And I only made half the recipe.

July 23: Strip Steaks with a Side of Blue Cheese Spaghetti

4 slices bacon
4 8-ounce New York strip steaks
   Coarse salt
   Coarse black pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 ounces blue cheese crumbles
2 to 3 teaspoons dried sage
2 cups cleaned, trimmed, and shredded arugula

Put a large pot of water on the stove to boil for the pasta.

Preheat the broiler to high. Arrange the bacon on a slotted broiler pan and cook until crisp on both sides.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. Arrange the steaks on the broiler pan.

Place under the broiler and leave the oven door ajar to limit flare-ups and smoke. (Note that some broilers won't go on with the door open.) Cook for 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, up to 7 minutes on each side for medium well.

Soften 4 tablespoons of the butter in the microwave on High for 15 seconds. Mix in the chives and half of the minced garlic and reserve.

Salt the water for the pasta and add the spaghetti to the pot. Cook al dente, with a bite to it.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the EVOO and the remaining tablespoon of butter. When the butter melts into the EVOO, add the remaining garlic and the shallots, saute for 3 minutes, add the flour and cook for a minute more. Whisk in the stock, bring to a bubble for about 30 seconds, then stir in the cream. When the cream comes to a bubble, add the blue cheese and sage and a few grinds of black pepper. Turn off the heat. Stir until the cheese melts.

Remove the steaks from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon one fourth of the chive and garlic butter on each steak to melt down over the meat as they rest.

Drain the pasta and toss with the blue cheese sauce to coat and combine evenly, then taste to adjust the seasoning.

Chop and crumble the cooked bacon.

Serve the steaks with heaping portions of blue cheese pasta alongside. Top the pasta with the shredded arugula and bacon crumbles to mix in as you eat.

4 SERVINGS

This meal is one of my absolute favorites! I love the blue cheese spaghetti! I could eat it every day. Well, maybe I'd get sick of it, but it is so good. I cooked the bacon in the microwave instead of the broiler because it's easier (it always sticks to the broiler pan). I cooked the steaks well done (about 15 minutes on each side). I missed shallots when I was writing out my grocery list, so I just used part of an onion. I realized my cream had expired when I opened it (it really smelled bad), so I used milk instead. It worked just as good, if not better. I changed the recipe to call for dried sage instead of fresh. I only made half of this recipe, too.

July 22: Italian Sweet Chicken Sausage Patties with Peppers and Onions on Garlic Buttered Rolls

1 1/2 pounds ground chicken
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup tender sun-dried tomatoes
10 to 12 fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some to drizzle
2 cubanelle peppers, seeded and sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 crusty kaiser rolls, split
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 deli-cut slices of Provolone cheese
   Chopped raw vegetable salad
   Fancy chips

Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Place the chicken in a medium bowl with the grill seasoning, fennel seeds, and half of the garlic. Pile the sun-dried tomatoes on top of each other in small stacks, then slice into thin strips. Coarsely chop the thin strips and add to the bowl. Stack the basil leaves together, then roll them up into a log. Shred the basil by thinly slicing the log (this makes a chiffonade). Add the basil to the bowl. Drizzle EVOO over the bowl.

Mix the ingredients together and form 4 patties, 3/4 inch thick. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side in the preheated skillet.

Heat a second skillet over medium-high heat and preheat the broiler, placing the top rack at least 6 inches from the heat.

To the hot skillet, add the 2 tablespoons of EVOO, then the peppers and onions. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cook until just tender, about 6 to 7 minutes.

Toast the rolls on a broiler pan under the hot broiler. Place the remaining garlic and the butter in a small dish and microwave for 15 seconds on High to melt the butter. Brush the toasted roll tops with garlic butter and reserve. Leave the bun bottoms on the broiler pan.

Place the patties on the bun bottoms, then top with the peppers and onions and sliced Provolone cheese. Place the chicken sandwiches under the broiler again for 30 seconds to 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Set the buttered tops in place and serve!

4 SERVINGS

This is a master recipe of a chicken sausage trio. The burger turned out really good. I only made 2 of the burgers, because I'm trying to cut back. RR says before the ingredients: " Serve with chopped raw vegetable salad and fancy store-bought chips of choice." I totally missed that when making my grocery list, so I added it to the ingredient list. It's Friday night and my husband likes comfort food, so I made a box of Macaroni and Cheese to go with it. This is Rachael Ray's tidbit: "Trim a sliver off one side of the peeled whole onion to keep it stable as you slice it into disks: Give it 'feet' for stability."

July 21: Grilled Skirt Steak and Orzo with the Works

1 1/2 to 2 pounds skirt steak
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
   Coarse black pepper
   Coarse salt
1/2 pound orzo
1 large red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 fennel bulb, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 pint grape tomatoes
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Coat the skirt steak in balsamic vinegar, a good drizzle of EVOO, and a lot of freshly ground black pepper and marinate in a nonreactive dish for 5 to 10 minutes.

Preheat an outdoor grill or ridged grill pan to high.

Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil to cook the orzo. Once boiling, salt the water and add the orzo. Cook until al dente, with a bite to it, about 12 minutes.

While the water is coming up to a boil, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat with the 2 tablespoons of EVOO; add the onions, garlic, fennel, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the veggies are slightly tender.

Season the steak with salt and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the meat to a plate, tent loosely with foil, and let it rest for 5 minutes to allow the juice to redistribute.

To the veggies, add the chicken stock and grape tomatoes, bring up to a bubble, and cook for 2 minutes, or until the grape tomatoes begin to burst. Add the cooked orzo, basil, parsley, and grated Parmesan cheese and stir to combine.

Slice the meat very thin on a sharp angle. Serve alongside the orzo with the works.

4 SERVINGS

Since Fall Minestrone was the recipe for July 21, and July is not in the Fall, I decided to switch it with October 14th's recipe: Grilled Skirt Steak and Orzo with the Works. I made this recipe last year and loved it. I really like the orzo; it's so creamy and delicious, the fennel gives it great texture, and the tomatoes and basil give it great flavor. The steak was not bad, but I must have not sliced it thin enough because it was very tough. My 2-year-old loved it though. Strange. Anyway, I halved the recipe today, but I didn't change anything except to change Parmigiano-Reggiano to Parmesan cheese.