Coconut Milk Corned Beef and Cabbage

I was craving corned beef and cabbage recently, but the thought of doing the same old New England boiled dinner had me yawning. I tried to think of some new, interesting braising liquid, and that's when I remembered I've never had something stewed in coconut milk that I didn't like. The coconut milk gave the broth a subtle sweetness and richness that I was really happy with.

 Ingredients

• 4 pounds beef brisket
• 4 cups water
• 1 (15 ounce) can coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon red curry paste
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, cut into large chunks
• 2 stalks celery, cut into large chunks
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1/2 small head cabbage, cored and cut into large chunks

Directions

• Place brisket, fat-side up, in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Stir in water, coconut milk, tomato paste, fish sauce, red curry paste, coriander, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that accumulates.
• Stir in onion, celery, and carrots. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 3 hours, turning once.
• Stir in potatoes and cabbage; cook until potatoes are tender and cabbage is soft and sweet, about 35 minutes. Transfer beef to a plate; thinly slice across the grain. Ladle potato cabbage mixture into bowls and top with sliced beef.

Lamb Chops with Balsamic Reduction

It's an easy and quick recipe for two people

Ingredients

• 3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thymesalt and pepper to taste
• 4 lamb chops (3/4 inch thick)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 1/3 cup aged balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon butter

Directions

• In a small bowl or cup, mix together the rosemary, basil, thyme, salt and pepper. Rub this mixture onto the lamb chops on both sides. Place them on a plate, cover and set aside for 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place lamb chops in the skillet, and cook for about 3 1/2 minutes per side for medium rare, or continue to cook to your desired doneness. Remove from the skillet, and keep warm on a serving platter.
• Add shallots to the skillet, and cook for a few minutes, just until browned. Stir in vinegar, scraping any bits of lamb from the bottom of the skillet, then stir in the chicken broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by half. If you don't, the sauce will be runny and not good. Remove from heat, and stir in the butter. Pour over the lamb chops, and serve.

Gorgonzola Stuffed Chicken Breasts Wrapped in Bacon

Chicken teams up with two of my favorite things: Gorgonzola cheese and bacon!
Ingredient

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 thick slices of applewood smoked baconsalt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Using a sharp knife, cut a slit into the thick side of each chicken breast about 2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches deep.
• Mash together the Gorgonzola cheese, parsley, shallot, and garlic in a small bowl; season with salt and black pepper. Divide the filling in half, and stuff each chicken breast with cheese filling. Wrap 2 slices of bacon around each breast, and secure with wooden toothpicks. Place the chicken breasts into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the bacon is browned and the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 35 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a breast should read about 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).