The homecoming

As most of you already know, Ricky came home on Tuesday! I worked from 6-10:30, then came home and frantically did last minute tasks and made my hair look pretty.It was a good day. =)

We went out for lunch at Cactus Flower, as he got in around 1 and hadn't eaten.
I had the Mahi Mahi tacos, and they were divine.

Ricky had the ground beef tacos, and they apparently made him feel thuggish.
We also made friends with Kelly, the waitress who also happens to be mine and Angelina's favorite waitress at the restaurant.

We relaxed and caught up, and then it was dinner time.

I ordered this sexy little thing last week. A whole leg of lamb, boned save for the shank, and trimmed and tied. Gorgeous, isn't it?

I rubbed the whole thing with a mixture of melted butter, rosemary, and salt & pepper. I let it sit at room temperature for 25 minutes, and then into the oven on top of potatoes and some unpeeled cloves of garlic, at 450º for an hour and a half.

Here it is! Served with a nice green salad and crusty ciabatta.

I like my lamb as I like all meats that allow it: nice and pink in the middle. Yes, maybe a little bit of blood. Sue me. This was cooked perfectly, and I was quite pleased. I've never prepared a leg of lamb before, but I do have a habit of making things I've never made when it comes to meals that matter. Nothing has gone awry yet.

I wanted a simple, sweet dessert. I sweetened mascarpone cheese with honey and a touch of almond extract, thinned it with cream and served it over fresh strawberries (it's strawberry season here in Florida) and raspberries. Although I honestly could have just eaten that honey mascarpone with a spoon.

We had lots of lamb left, so for St. Patrick's Day I made a pot of Irish Stew. Lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions, thyme, and a little caraway. Simple and fitting.

I also made some amazing lemonade, not keeping with the Irish theme at all.

-Mrs. Powell's favorite lemonade-
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 cup frozen, sliced strawberries
2 large fresh basil leaves, torn
Puree in food processor or blender. Mix with desired amount of water, chill, and serve.
Yes, basil sounds like a strange addition to lemonade, but trust me. If you don't like it, I'm not sorry.

I also finally got to do one of my favorite things, which is make breakfast for my husband.
Ricky bought a grill yesterday, and to break it in we made steak for dinner last night.
Strip steaks with a rosemary potato gratin, asparagus, and a brandied mushroom cream sauce.
I used shiitake and oyster mushrooms, but that's just my favorite combination.
Cook the mushrooms down in a little butter, add 1/4 cup of brandy, and ignite.

FLAME ON!

(my favorite part)
Once the alcohol burns off, add 1/2 cup of cream and some fresh thyme, along with salt & pepper to taste.

Now isn't that a fabulous spring-time meal?