Bulgur Pilaf with Lamb

Being that there's just the two of us, frequently there are leftovers when we have a roast. It's not like when I was a kid and Mom would buy loads of groceries and the fridge would be empty within a week. Where we went through a side of beef every single year. When 4 gallons of milk was about average consumption. Those were the days of learning to cook for 8 and not ever having leftovers. Unless Mom made her "experiment" of noodles, corn, pork, cheese and cream of celery soup. Oh how I hated "experiment". I don't think it ever officially had a name even. But I digress. Remember how we didn't have corned beef for St. Patrick's Day because we'd be eating if for a week? Well we had a leg of lamb and thus we have leftovers. But what does one do with leftover lamb?

Well after two days of searching I finally found the best recipe for leftover lamb. Well, leftover medium to medium rare lamb. It's Bulgur Pilaf with Lamb and I found it through the magic of Yahoo Food. It was the bright spot in my day.

Did you know today is the first day of spring? It is also my sister in law W's birthday. W is seriously a fun girl and I really like her. Fortunately for W, she lives in South Carolina. She doesn't live up here in the land winter won't let go of. Yes it snowed last night AGAIN. And my ice scraper broke this morning. Oh yeah and we just got the warning across the TV that we're in for a winter storm watch tomorrow night. Where do I live? Alaska? I wish! Alaska is beautiful. I think to date it is my favorite state to have visited. And I've been to every state, but Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Colorado and Idaho. I'm sure those are beautiful states too, but Alaska was amazing. Moose and bears and super tall mountains (I actually took a plane up to a glacier on Denali!)

No I don't live anywhere near as exciting as that. I live in flat North Central Ohio. People do come visit here, but only because we're near an amusement park.And yes. It is still winter here. Unfortunately I don't think we're getting out of winter any time soon. Last April, when the Brain and I got married, it snowed during our reception. So I think we're looking at another month of snow. sheesh.

Bulgur Pilaf with Lamb

modified from All Recipes

2 Tbsp butter

3/4 lb leftover lamb cut into small pieces with fat and gristle removed

1 small onion cut into quarters and thinly sliced

2 cup fine bulgur

1 quart home canned tomatoes with juice (or 4 large peeled tomatoes cut up)

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup crumbled feta

Melt butter in saute pan over medium high heat. Add lamb and onion and saute until onion starts to brown. Add the bulgur to the pan and cook for 3 minutes to toast, stirring frequently. Add tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Turn heat down so it barely simmers. Let cook stirring occasionally for 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed and bulgur isn't crunchy. If bulgur is still crunchy and liquid is absorbed add another 1/2 cup broth. Once bulgur is not crunchy and liquid is absorbed remove from heat and sprinkle with crumbled feta.

Mushroom Casserole

Last time I went to Meijers, the Brain came with me. It was sort of an outing for us. I tried to follow my usual and horribly OCD path through the grocery store sticking to my shopping list as best I can. Straying only in the produce section, but more on that in a minute. The Brain happily went off and grabbed things like hot dogs and buns and tossed them in the cart. He grabbed all kinds of things and we went down aisles that I tend not to go down like the soda and chip aisle and we skipped aisles that I always go down (ahem, baking aisle). I was downright twitchy when we got done.

As painfull as this trip was for me, it turned out to be a good thing the Brain was along. It turns out that we needed the shredded cheese because I got overzealous with the seasoning on some chicken chili. And as it turns out he makes himself a hot dog for a snack and then he's a happy man. The best thing thing the Brain did was throw some pizza crust and the fixings in the cart. Why was that so great? Well I went a little exuberant on the crimini mushrooms. See they were 10 for $10 and the 11th was free. On the 8oz. packages. I had enough sense to not pick up 11 of them. I picked up 6. We ate heavily mushroomed pizzas.

So they are holding up well in the fridge, but I still had 4 packs when we got home tonight and I need to use these babies up. So when I was sitting at work today and the mailman brought my latest order from Amazon, which included the cookbook Healthy Cooking For Two (Or Just You) by Frances Price R.D. I scoured it for mushroom recipes and I came across this Skillet Casserole of Bulgur & Crimini Mushrooms. I thought it was really good. I sprinkled a little parsley on mine. The Brain thought it was ok, and his was plain. We both were surprised at how generous the portion size was too.

Skillet Casserole of Bulgur & Crimini Mushrooms

from Healthy Cooking for Two (Or Just You)

1 Tbsp butter

2 cups sliced crimini mushrooms

2 Tbsp finely chopped onions

2 cups Chicken broth

1/2 cup bulgur

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp salt

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Place a heavy medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt. Add the mushrooms and onions; cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until mushrooms release their juices.

Stir in the broth, raise the heat and bring the mixture quickly to a boil. Then stir in the bulgur, thyme, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed and the bulgur is tender.

2 servings

Per Serving: 128 calories, 6.8 g. total fat, 3.8 g. saturated fat, 18 mg. cholesterol, 631 mg. sodium, 3.9 g. protein, 14.8 g. carbohydrates, 2.6 g. dietary fiber