Herb Roasted Leg of Lamb and Tapenade

Even though it's just SLIGHTLY cooler in Texas, I am mentally ready for it to be full-blown fall. Nothing says fall to me, like a leg of lamb. It's also one of those things that looks incredibly impressive and intimidating for a dinner party, but is super easy - just rub and roast. When it comes to a side, creamed corn came to mind, because let's face it, corn is cheap, lamb is expensive, and it works for fall without being as heavy as a sweet potato etc. Corn is also just sweet enough to balance the salty, savory flavors of the tapenade and lamb rub. Look for the Chive and Parmesan Creamed Corn recipe coming soon! This lamb recipe was inspired by Esquire's Eat Like A Man Cookbook. My fiance bought this book, which I told him looked like a caveman's diet guide, but after this recipe, I'm thinking about hitting the treadmill harder and cooking all of them anyway. Grab a new bottle of olive oil, cause you'll burn through a bottle with this one! Like I said, this will be so much easier than you can imagine! Make the rub and the tapenade the day before, and you will be a most relaxed hostess.Get the recipe after the jump!

Lobster Pappardelle with Lobster Mushrooms, Basil and Bacon

Sometimes recipes are worth a little extra labor - in honor of Labor Day weekend, this is one of those recipes. It is actually not that difficult at all to make - and if you are having a dinner party with really lucky, and deserving friends, then this would be spectacular. The labor comes with breaking down the lobsters. You can find a great video on how to do that easily on my last lobster post (Lobster Mac and Cheese). There is nothing to me that works better than a great pair of kitchen shears - takes a lot of that labor off your hands! I took advantage of a Lobster sale ($8.99/lb) to make this dish. I splurged on Lobster Mushrooms. If you can't find them, use Shiitake.  If you do the sauce and meat a day ahead (which you can) - the rest is a snap! The result is a dish that is delicious in a way that makes you want to skip the meal before and after, just so you can have more of this. The fresh herbs balance the cream and richness of the lobster. Try it and you will add this to your recipe box for sure! Get the breakdown after the jump.