My in-laws will have no excuse for cooking this week’s recipe.  It was one of Waitrose’s recipe of the month for March.  I thought it was suitable for Spring or Autumn although I skipped using Curly Kale and went for spinach instead. As always with recipes from Waitrose it didn’t let me down.

The best thing about this recipe was that I was “forced” to go out and buy a new kitchen gadget.  I handheld blender.  This is something I’ve thought about getting before but with enough kitchen gadgets gathering dust in the cupboard I’ve always been reluctant.

Nevertheless I threw caution to the wind having signed up two new clients this week and spend $50 (about 20 GBP) to get one.  I’ve not been disappointed as this hand blender was perfect for this recipe but it’s also been fantastic for my smoothies.  So much easier than getting out the blender with all the fiddly bits to wash.  This one came with a suitably sized plastic container so now I can chuck in a banana, yogurt and some fruit, give it a blitz and hey presto.  At least 2 of my 5 a day ticked off.

I’m sure there’ll be loads of other reasons to use my new hand blender but for sure this recipe is the excuse to go out and treat yourself if you don’t already have one.

This recipe is Mustard Lamb Chops with bean mash.  Starting of course with some nice pink lamb chops.  New Zealand lamb of course!

As well as lamb, you’ll  need these.

After grilling one side of the chops you mix up the mustard paste, slather it on and then bung it back under the grill.  Whilst that is cooking you can get on with the beans.  These are dead easy too.  Just soften some onions and add the beans to warm up.

Then you add the comforting ingredient. Lots of lovely mature cheese.  Just look at it’s yumminess!

Now for the marvellous hand blender to come into action to smooth the bean mixture.

And then to finish it all off mix in the kale, or in our case the spinach, and serve with the mustard encrusted chops.

Although this sounds a bit fiddly it’s dead easy.  Quick.  And very very tasty.

The best thing about this recipe exchange is that it’s forcing me to look for new and different things to try each week.  I’ll let you into a secret though – I actually did another new recipe but I’m saving that for next week.  The best thing about that recipe is that it required some harvesting from the potager which is always an exciting moment.

Yes, that is still a small daily pleasure in my domestic executive life.  Well, a girl’s got to have some fun!