Five years ago today

Below is a picture and post from 8-29-2009.  Funny, this is exactly what I was thinking this morning on the drive to work.  This morning it was 56 degrees, with a clear blue sky filled with contrails.  Tomorrow, it will be 92 degrees for a high.  Fall is coming - no doubt.

"Its starting to feel like fall. Its funny....one day, its hot, humid, and seems that summer will never end, and the next, there is a cool, crispness in the air that promises fall is just around the corner."

Sloppy Joes

1 lb ground lamb
2 -3 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup barbecue sauce  
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar

 In a large skillet, brown ground lamb, celery and onion.  Spoon off any excess fat.
 Stir in remaining ingredients, simmer covered, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
 If Joes appear too 'loose', leave cover off and let moisture evaporate.
 Cook until it's the consistency you like for serving on toasted buns, with french fries and cole slaw.

Easy Smothered Rabbit

6 medium potatoes
2# boneless rabbit strips
1 small onion, sliced
1 - 10oz can of Campbell's cheddar cheese soup
1 1/4 cup milk
6-8 slices of bacon, chopped up and cooked with drippings reserved
1/2 cup - 1 cup of cheese depending on how much you want
salt and pepper

Whisk soup and milk until smooth. Save 1 cup of cheese and soup mixture and set aside to use later.

Wash and peel potatoes then cut into thin slices ( I did mine about 1/4 inch thick). Spray the bottom and sides of a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Now you want to layer a single layer of potato slices along the bottom and then top with 1/3 of the soup mixture. Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Do this 3 times, so you have three layers with potatoes, each topped with some of the soup mixture and seasoned with salt and pepper. Top potatoes with sliced onion. Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice bacon into 1/2-inch strips and cook in a skillet over medium-high heat until bacon is browned and crispy. Remove bacon pieces from skillet with a slotted spoon; set aside.

Season rabbit strips with salt and pepper, then sauté in bacon drippings over medium-high heat until lightly browned (we’re not trying to cook them through, just get a nice sear on each side); set aside.

Remove dish from oven and uncover. Arrange rabbit strips on top of potatoes and pour reserved cheese soup mixture over chicken. Cover tightly again and continue cooking for 30 more minutes.

Remove dish from oven and uncover. Sprinkle shredded cheese evenly over chicken and potatoes then top with bacon pieces. Return dish to oven and continue cooking, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Mediterranean Lamb Burgers

                        

1 pound ground lamb

                                     

1/2 pound ground beef

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint                                                                                              

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

1 teaspoon minced garlic

                    

1 teaspoon salt

                        

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper                                                   

                        

1 (16 ounce) container Greek yogurt

                        

1/2 lemon, zested

                        

1 clove garlic, minced

                        

1/2 teaspoon salt

                       

1 large sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices

                        

4 slices green tomato

                       

4 ciabatta sandwich rolls, sliced horizontally

                        

1 (8 ounce) package feta cheese, sliced

                        

8 baby arugula leaves

Directions

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
2. Mix the ground lamb, ground beef, mint, ginger, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a large bowl until just combined. Divide evenly into four portions and shape in to large patties. Set aside. Mix Greek yogurt, lemon zest, 1 clove garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl; cover and refrigerate.
3. Cook the lamb and beef patties on the preheated grill until the burgers are cooked to your desired degree of doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for well done. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Place the slices of onion and green tomato on the grill. Cook until lightly charred, about 1 minute on each side.
4. Spread yogurt sauce over the sliced ciabatta rolls. Assemble each burger by placing the patty on the the roll, and dividing the feta cheese slices over the patties. Top with a slice of grilled tomato, grilled onion, and 2 leaves of arugula, followed by the top half of the roll.

Baked Teriyaki Rabbit Meatballs

For the meatballs:
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 1/2 pounds ground rabbit
2 eggs, beaten
1 Tablespoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 Tablespoons minced scallions
2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup crushed pineapple (juices drained and set aside for sauce)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the sauce:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon water

Directions:

Make the meatballs:
Preheat the oven to 500ºF. Spray a mini-muffin pan or baking dish with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, stir together the milk and  breadcrumbs and let sit for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the ground rabbit,eggs, garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, crushed pineapple, pepper and soaked breadcrumbs. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the meat mixture and then shape it into balls using 2 to 3 tablespoons of meat per meatball.  Meatballs will be wet.
Place the shaped meatballs into the prepared pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the meatballs are fully cooked. While the meatballs are baking, prepare the sauce.
Make the sauce:
In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, whisk together the soy sauce, water, pineapple juice, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sugar has dissolved fully.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with the water to make a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the sauce and simmer until it has thickened to the consistency of syrup, about 5 minutes.
Remove the meatballs from the oven and transfer them into a large bowl. Pour the sauce on top and toss to coat. Serve immediately.