Day 262: Playing Hooky

I took the day off of work today and whenever I do that, I feel that I owe my hard working husband a good home cooked dinner.

We hadn't had lamb in ages, so I made mustard crusted chops.  This is an Emeril recipe that I've made many times before and it's also a hit.

To go with the meat, I made parmesan polenta and sauteed brussels sprouts.  

Polenta (for 2 people):

Boil 2 cups of salted water.  Slowly stir in 1/2 cup polenta and 1T butter and stir constantly until thickened, approximately 4-5 minutes.  Transfer polenta to a metal bowl.   Boil a couple of inches of water in a pot, place the bowl over the top of the pot, and cook the polenta in this double boiler for about 20 more minutes, stirring frequently.  If you'd like, just before serving, you can stir in some grated parmesan cheese or soft goat cheese for added richness and flavor.

Brussels Sprouts:

Trim the sprouts, removing the other layer of leaves, and cut in half vertically.

Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a stainless steel pan over medium heat.  Place the sprouts in the pan, cut side down.  Sprinkle with salt and allow to cook for a few minutes until the cut side is browned.

Stir the sprouts and turn the heat up to medium-high.  Add a few splashes of orange juice and stir again.  Allow to cook for a few more minutes until sprouts are to the desired doneness.  s

I didn't work hard at the office today but I put a damn delicious meal together, so I'm not a complete slacker!