#12 Spiced Lamb Chops on Sauteed Peppers and Onions with Mint Couscous

 Blessed day! Church today was amazing, one that we will sit down later in the week and watch as a family. ;)

Okay, look close at this picture. You may need to click on it to see the shock of the day.

 Did you click on it? Did you see it?
This meal has proven to be the trickiest and most expensive meal to buy. First off, lamb loin chops. I have never had them nor have I ever purchased them. I found them easy enough after asking the butcher. The cost $7.55 for four. The recipe called for eight but hubby is on business so we have been halving the recipes when he is away. Next up was the pine nuts. I could not find them at our normal grocery. They were also not at our awesome farmer's market/grocer. So on the way home from church we stopped at the international bulk food store. After looking up and down every aisle, I asked for help from the owner, whom directed me right to them. Then for the shock; for a sixth of a pound it cost $11.99. YIKES! I only needed 2 tablespoons. So now I have a whole package of pine nuts. Good thing I have basil and Parmesan to make pesto. Lastly, the couscous. Since we are gluten free I needed to find a GF variety. I checked the three previous stores we had already shopped at this weekend and no luck. I googled it to see if it even existed, it does. I finally found it at the health food store for $7 and some change oops it was really $3.79. We used just under half the box. Thankfully, I was able to get the herbs from the garden. Hey sis, I took some of your mint. I hope you don't mind. My mom offered up some of her parsley. I have planted it in the past and never used it. Now I am using it all the time. Thanks Mom and Sis!

As for preparing the meal, it was uncomplicated. DD tenderized the meat and seasoned it.

 I sauteed all the veggies and made the couscous. Unfortunately, Rachael got the measurements for the couscous wrong. It should be two part liquid to one part couscous and she had it listed as equal parts. Shame on me for not checking the package first. My couscous was crunchy but I quickly boiled some water, added it in and let it set a couple of minutes for the kids servings.

Here it is, Spiced Lamb Chops on Sauteed Peppers and Onions with Mint Couscous

I thought it looked and tasted elegant. Too bad hubby was not home to enjoy this one as it was more of an adult dinner date than a family meal the kids appreciated. They were not impressed, even the teen.
I may make it again some day. When we have money for a nice dinner date sans kids.
-Mom

Lamb chops- not very much meat on them. The couscous was undercooked. And you know how I feel about veggies. Good thing I wasn't very hungry. -DD