Snuggles and Warmth Await

Frodo at his usual snuggly area, my feet.

I think we can all agree that the last two months have been brutal. The lake is frozen over, my poor puppy dog looks at me with sad adorable puppy eyes that are saying, "My teeny dog feet are freezing, when will warmth come back?" And I can only answer, "Soon little one, soon." Two things here, yes, I talk to my dog and also, yes, I lie to him. Because we all know it is not going to be warm soon. It's gonna get warmer, but not exactly warm. We won't see real warmth again until mid-June so until then, let's focus on what's for dinner.

This past month I've done my usual fair share of cooking (it's warm in the kitchen) I also went out to eat a bit - and only because I could go directly after work, if I had to go home first, I would not leave again. I want to share with you some of the recipes that have gotten me by during these terribly chilly evenings. The promise of dog snuggles and a cozy, comforting and an easy to prepare meal have kept me from slipping into total despair. I don't ski you see, so when everyone is all, "Eh, at least the skiings good." I shrug and say, "Not as good as the couching".  So try these recipes out, you've got the next 3 months to kill before you can go outside without 4 layers of clothes on so what else are you gonna do?

Pretty, different colors of cauliflower!

Garam Masala Lamb Chops & Roasted Cauliflower with basil lime butter - Serves 4

1 head of cauliflower

Olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons garam masala

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Eight 1/2-inch-thick lamb loin chops (about 2 pounds), fatty tips trimmed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 cup basil leaves, lightly packed, chopped fine

1 garlic clove, chopped fine

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt


1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a large roasting pan or baking sheet. Cut the cauliflower into steaks and place them onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the cauliflower in the hot oven, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is lightly brown.

2. While cauliflower roasts, prepare butter and lamb. Heat large skillet to medium-high heat. In a bowl, combine garam masala, salt, and pepper. Place lamb chops on a baking sheet or platter, and drizzle with oil; rub chops to coat evenly all over. Sprinkle tops of chops with half the spice mixture, and gently rub onto meat. Turn chops over; repeat with remaining spice mixture.

3. In a small bowl mix basil, garlic, butter, lime juice, and salt together until incorporated.

4. Sear chops until they reach desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. When cauliflower is done, smear with basil-lime butter and serve immediately alongside lamb chops.

Split pea soup doesn't photograph well.

Slow Cooker Split Pea and Ham Soup - Serves 6-8

1 pound dried green split peas, rinsed

2 medium carrots, peeled and medium dice

2 medium celery stalks, medium dice

1/2 medium yellow onion, medium dice

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 fresh Italian parsley sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 meaty smoked ham bone or 2 ham hocks (about 1 pound)

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (1 quart)

2 cups water (plus more as needed)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Arrange the split peas in the slow cooker in an even layer. Arrange the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, parsley, and bay leaf over the peas in one even layer. Place the ham bone or hocks on top of the vegetables. (At this point you can remove the insert from the slow cooker, cover, and refrigerate up to 12 hours until ready to continue.)

2. Pour the chicken broth and water into the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until the peas are very soft and the meat is falling off the bone, on high for 5 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 10 hours.

3. Remove the ham bone or hocks to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, place the meat back in the soup (discard the skin and bones), and stir to combine. Add more water as needed to get desired consistency. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.