One-Pan Italian Chicken Sausage Sauté

Weeknights become infinitely better with a patio on hand. Don't you think? The patio atmosphere offers a magical advancement to dinners, especially simple menus that otherwise seem to be a mindless routine. This one-pan sauté of Italian flavors can be infinitely elevated with sunlight, a table and a glass of sauvignon blanc. Put yourself in vacation mode -- even on a Tuesday after work -- and enjoy this new staple supper!

Makes 4 servings

1 pound mild Italian chicken sausage, crumbled 1 pound brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup chicken broth 1 can white cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. In a large pot (Le Creuset, if you have it), heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts face-down in an even layer, and cook untouched for 4-5 minutes, until beginning to brown.

2. Move brussels over to one side of the pan, and add sausage and garlic to the other side. Continuously stir sausage with a wooden spoon until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 5 more minutes. Season with salt and red pepper flakes.

3. Add chicken broth and simmer for 5 minutes, scraping browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to low and gently fold in cannelloni beans. Serve immediately with parmesan.

New Zealand Lamb with Pomegranate Chimichurri

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Spring is almost in full bloom, and thus my dinner plates are depicting a seasonal shift! Brighter colors abound from salad to entrée to dessert, and especially in my addictive chimichurri sauce. During my weekly run through Whole Foods Germantown, I've discovered a New Zealand grass-fed lamb loin. It's beautifully marbled, mild flavored, completely natural (no growth hormones or antibiotics--ever), and pairs well with bright colors, too. Whether for Sunday supper on the patio or an Easter gathering, I highly recommend this dish as the spotlight of your springtime introduction! And if you're in Memphis or Germantown, tell them that Caramelized sent you.

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Makes 4 servings

2 pounds New Zealand lamb loin chops 2 tablespoons canola oil Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary 1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves 1 cup Italian parsley leaves 6 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds 1/8 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove lamb from refrigerator and allow to reach room temperature, about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, pulse rosemary, mint, parsley, and garlic in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Place in a small bowl and whisk in in red pepper flakes, vinegar, and olive oil. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for at least one hour before serving.

3. Heat canola oil a large, oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Season lamb loins with salt and pepper, and add to skillet face-down. Sear on each side for 2-3 minutes, ensuring a grilled exterior on each side.

4. Place skillet directly in preheated oven and continue to cook for approximately 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow juices to settle, approximately 5-10 minutes.

5. Add pomegranate seeds to chimichurri, stirring well. Plate lamb with a spoonful of chimichurri, grilled bread and vegetables.

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This post is made possible by Whole Foods Germantown. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!

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Savor the Citrus

Our upcoming Daylight Savings holiday (only nine days away!) has instilled a sense of anxious excitement for the arrival of extended sunshine and outdoor splendor. I'm anticipating balcony sunsets with wine in hand, outdoor dinners in the side courtyard, and post-work walks along the River Bluff.

Until Spring officially arrives, though, I'm savoring winter citrus for breakfast bruléed, for dinner on salad, and for dessert on gelato. This low-maintenance salad boasts an obviously gorgeous presentation, but it tastes like heaven. The acidic pops of blood orange and creamy avocado are an undeniable combination.

Makes 4 servings

1 bag arugula 1 avocado, quartered and sliced 2 blood oranges, segmented 2 heirloom tomatoes, sliced into 1-inch pieces 1 handful crumbled goat cheese 1/4 cup of my favorite salad dressing

1. In a large bowl, carefully toss arugula with avocado, oranges, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with goat cheese. Serve with dressing on the side.

Spice It Up

In honor of this Sunday, let's spice things up...in the kitchen. I've consistently craved the additive tastes of sriracha and wasabi on my plate, especially in a bowl of ramen during this cold week in Memphis. Click through a few of my favorite red-hot finds, and let me know how you best prefer to cook or entertain with an extra kick...

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And to serve tonight...

ANGEL HAIR WITH TOMATO, GARLIC & RED PEPPER Makes 2 Servings

1/2 pound fresh angel hair 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1/6 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, sliced 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan

1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and parsley, stirring until fragrant, approximately 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, stirring occasionally for 2-3 more minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of water to a boil and cook fresh pasta for 3 minutes, until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup pasta water.

3. Immediately add hot pasta to skillet. Stir in reserved water until sauce is combined. Add cheese, and toss to coat pasta. Serve immediately.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes

I know yesterday was Fat Tuesday. I ate king cake, too; and no, I didn't find the baby. But, I did find a way to continue the sweet tooth throughout this week as we lead up to Valentine's Day. Inspired by Memphis' culinary master Wally Joe, I took a toffee sticky pudding cake from the dessert menu of Acre into my own kitchen. I added a caramel toffee sauce simmered with Pipcorn, a delicious all-natural mini popcorn. It's vegan, gluten free, non-GMO and high in fiber. But most importantly, it's addictively delicious.

Try it out with your hon' this weekend. Or treat yourself. Either way, you'll be sweetly satisfied.

Makes 2 servings

2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 2/3 cup dates, pitted, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices 1/4 cup warm water 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed 1 large egg 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/3 cup heavy cream 1 1/2 teaspoons rum 1/4 cup sea salt Pipcorn

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease and flour two 8-ounce ramekins and line bottom of each with round of parchment paper cut to fit. Set prepared ramekins in deep-side baking or roasting pan lined with clean dish towel.

3. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil over high heat.

4. Combine half of dates with warm water and baking soda in glass measuring cup and soak for 5 minutes. Drain dates, reserving liquid, and transfer to medium bowl.

5. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in another medium bowl. Set aside.

6. Process remaining dates and brown sugar in food processor until just blended, about five 1-second pulses. Add reserved soaking liquid, eggs, and vanilla and process until smooth, about 5 seconds. With food processor running, pour melted butter through feed tube in steady stream.

7. Transfer mixture to bowl with softened dates. Gently stir dry mixture into wet mixture until just combined and date pieces are evenly dispersed.

8. Distribute batter evenly among prepared ramekins. Fill roasting pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of ramekins, making sure not to splash water into ramekins. Cover pan tightly with aluminum foil, crimping edges to seal.

9. Bake pudding cakes until puffed and small holes appear on surface, about 40 minutes.

10. While baking, melt butter, cream

adapted from Food.com

Dark Chocolate Stirrers

This month's thematic elements of luxury and romance hand us the excuse (and undeniable desire) to consume and covet an unnatural amount of chocolate. I'm rarely inclined to pine over a box of unrecognizable flavor-filled chocolates, but I've found that using the sweet as an additive to dessert, drinks or snacks makes the ingredient totally acceptable. Right?

During my weekly visit to the brand new (and absolutely beautiful) Whole Foods Germantown, a few bars of whole trade organic dark chocolate somehow landed in my cart. Upon reading the label, I learned that Whole Foods' whole trade program was created to honor its commitment to ethical trade, wages and working conditions. The products--including my new chocolates--are sourced in an environmentally-conscious approach.

So, what to do with them? I melted down the chocolate varieties and created an assortment of handmade chocolate stirrers with spoons on-hand. You can use paper spoons if you prefer to wrap them in cellophane as a gift! Miscellaneous pantry products adorned each spoon, from sweetened shredded coconut to pecans and dried cranberries.

This weekend, when temperatures will cool down to the twenties, I'll warm up a mug of almond milk and stir in a chocolate spoonful. Join me, why don't you?

This post is made possible by Whole Foods Germantown. Thank you for being supportive of my sponsors!