Ground Lamb and Pearl Cous Cous Stew

Hi there my blog-loves!

I've been kind of MIA for the past few weeks. I'm sorry about that. This hiatus is just temporary, I promise. I have just been a busy little bee with work, and studying, and wedding planning and life in general. I am cooking though, I promise, and I am cooking things that I absolutely want to share with you!

Fall is my favorite time of year to cook, so expect me back in full force come mid-October. Although I will try to get a few tasty recipes to you between now and then, I can't make any solid promises. However, I will be posting some throwback recipes on my Facebook page to get us ready for fall--I'm talking all thing pumpkin, apples, warm casseroles, and delicious soups!

Be sure to like my Facebook page HERE  and share with your friends to keep up with those posts, as well as any new posts so you never ever miss a recipe!

Today I have a wonderful recipe for Ground Lamb and Pearl Cous Cous Stew. This stew is rich and warm, with rustic Middle Eastern flavors throughout every bite.

I absolutely love ground lamb and encourage you to give it a try in this recipe if you've never cooked with it before (previously here, here, and here on GSG and boy do they need new pictures!). It has a uniquely gamey taste that pairs well with tomatoes, cinnamon (seriously!), oregano and thyme.

This stew is a one pot meal--hooray--that comes together in just about 30 minutes. In my original vision, I would have made meatballs out of the lamb, but I didn't defrost my meat soon enough so I had to keep it ground. Turns out, it worked just as well as I could have hoped and made the meal come together that much sooner.

Cuddle up to a big bowl of this hearty stew and welcome the cool weather with open arms.

Crockpot Lamb Stew

September is here. Isn't that weird? Time flies when you're having fun.

I'm not too mad about September being here. I love the Fall! Fall foods, fall activities, crisp weather. Plus, I feel like I jam-packed my summer with lots of activities--I'm ready to slow it down for a few months before the Holiday season hits.

Speaking of slow, I think it's time we get back into the slow cooking spirit. Let's rev up our Crockpots for some delicious Lamb Stew.

This recipe is hearty and healthy and bursting with flavor. I've combined carrots, turnips, celery, and onions with chunks of lamb shoulder and rosemary. Everything cooks low and slow while you're at work, and when you come home, you're house will smell AMAZING and dinner will be on the table in no time!

How do you guys feel about turnips? I've never even thought about trying them. I just assumed I didn't like them. Recently, however, I've had a change of heart. I love replacing potatoes with turnips in slow cooked stews (see also: Homestyle Beef Stew). They are a little bitter but become more delicious the longer they cook. And they hold up very well in the slow cooker, which is a critical part of creating a good Crockpot meal. Of course, if you don't like turnips - diced potatoes will work beautifully.

I also strongly recommend getting up a little earlier and browning your lamb chunks in a skillet before tossing them in the Crockpot. The depth of flavor that comes from a quick sear is not worth sacrificing for a few extra minutes of shut eye!

To keep your morning effort minimal, try chopping up all your vegetables the night before and storing in an airtight container. Also, if necessary, butcher your lamb shoulder the night before as well.

I served this lamb stew over big egg noodles. The whole meal with keep you feeling full and satisfied. Take a time out from this busy life of ours and curl up on the couch with a bowl of warm, rustic stew.

Shepard's Pie with Lamb and Rosemary

There is something so comforting about a warm plate of meat, potatoes and vegetables. And comfort was just what I needed when I whipped up this generous batch of Shepard's Pie.

I wouldn't argue that this is a traditional Shepard's Pie, mostly because I'm not exactly sure what that would be. I have zero Irish heritage in my bloodline, and I'm OK with that.

Not to hate on the Irish. I REALLY enjoy their soda bread, potato pancakes ("boxty"), whiskey, and coffee. I have lots and lots of Irish friends (I live in Boston after all!), and the movie P.S. I Love You makes me sob like a baby.

Alright, let's get down to business. I was inspired to make Shepard's Pie by my friend Ashley over at The Vegetable Life. This recipe is approachable, delicious, and fit to feed a crowd!

I love lamb and rosemary together, and I knew that was the direction I wanted to take this meal. Ground lamb is something I absolutely love. It's a great way to introduce yourself to lamb at home without worrying about overcooking a leg or burning a roast.

Start by sauteing a large onion in butter and olive oil. Add in the ground lamb until browned and crumbly (I can usually always find this at Whole Foods).

Plenty of veggies make this hearty and robust.

A bit of flour thickens together with vegetable broth into an irresistible gravy that is rich and flavorful.

Mashed potatoes are a must.

Finally, layer the meat mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. Spread the mashed potatoes on top. Gently glide a fork on the top to create ridges in the top (just for fun!). Olive oil gets drizzled on top and the whole thing is baked until the top is crispy and the inside is hot and bubbly.

Nothing about this meal doesn't scream "comfort food." The lamb is tender and flavorful. The piney rosemary is rustic and homey. Soft vegetables and creamy gravy with fluffy mashed potatoes...it's a meal that will keep you coming back for seconds (and thirds, but I won't tell!)

Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce

I think appetizers are one of the most fun things to cook. Taking inspirations and putting them into bite-sized treats allows the imagination to run wild!

I also love football Sunday. I am a tried and true New York Giants fan (sorry to my New England followers...) and it is always a big day when the game is aired up here in Boston.

Since I am finally done with my fall exam, I decided that this football Sunday needed to be special and fun (let's just not discuss the final score of the game...)

Instead of making a full meal, I cooked up two different apps to enjoy all throughout gametime. First, I made a batch of Buffalo Chicken Dip from Skinnytaste. This stuff is SERIOUSLY good and more guilt-free than a traditional buffalo chicken dip. It's also incredibly simple to put together.

I baked 3 chicken breasts when I woke up that morning and let them cool completely. Then I used two forks and shredded the chicken into dip-friendly strips.

 I replaced the white wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar because that's what I had on hand. I don't think there would be any difference, so feel free to use whatever is in your fridge! The end result was creamy, spicy, hearty, amazing dip. This will definitely be an appetizer staple in my house.

I decided that just eating buffalo chicken dip was probably not entirely acceptable for two people. So to counter the spicy richness of the dip, I made a batch of Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki sauce.

These meatballs are SO GOOD. They have all kinds of great Greek flavors in them (one of my FAVORITE cuisines) and we gobbled these up real quick.

And the tzatziki sauce for dipping? An added and totally necessary bonus.