Put down that bottle of Mint Jelly… those lamb chops are screaming for something much sexier: Mint Chimichurri.

C’mon, you know what chimichurri is, right? It’s that tangy, garlic-infused parsley-based sauce-like condiment that is a must-have on every table in Argentina. For a split second a few years back, chimichurri was the darling of every chef and on every menu in every restaurant everywhere.

Okay, I’m exaggerating a little. But, I’ve just made standard chimichurri a bit more interesting by substituting fresh mint for the parsley to create an easy to make Mint Chimichurri. The mint brings a sunny, spring-like freshness to this sauce while still keeping the heat. And, yes, it IS gluten-free!

Double this Easy Mint Chimichurri recipe because, once you taste it, you’re going to want to slather it on everything from scrambled eggs, to hamburgers to roasted asparagus!

And if you need help with the lamb chops, here’s my recipe for Roasted Rack of Lamb.

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Have you ever made Homemade Caramel Apples?

I’m not talking about Caramel Apples made with those cute little candy squares that you buy in packages.

I’m talking about REAL honest-to-God Caramel Apples that you make from scratch from REAL HOMEMADE Caramel. This is the Perfect Caramel Apples Recipe.

You absolutely need a candy thermometer for this recipe. A lot of recipes will give you visual cues, but using a thermometer will guarantee that you’ll get it right the first time (yep, I learned the hard way).

If you’re wondering what kind of apples to buy, get what you like to eat out of hand. Honey Crisps are delicious but HUGE! Granny Smiths are tart, but balance out the sweetness of the caramel. Red Delicious are pretty bland, but tend to be uniform in shape.

Decorate the apples or leave them plain… they’ll be delicious no matter what you do!

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Are lobsters only for special occasions? And what exactly is a special occasion, anyway?

Does it have to be tied to a date on the calendar? Or can a special occasion be any time we get the luxury of being with those we love… unencumbered by deadlines or other demands?

The lobsterfest we had with GP’s dad, (the kids call him “Papa”), a few weeks ago was one of those occasions. Nothing to celebrate, per se, except for the fact that Papa is 87 years-old (soon to be 88!) and still kicking. Making it to 87 is worthy of a celebration, don’t you think? And there’s nothing he likes to eat more than lobster! (OK, maybe Chinese food.)

Cooking up a live lobster can be intimidating, so first, let me dispel a popular myth:

• Lobsters don’t scream when you drop them in boiling water. The sound you hear is air expanding the shell.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, here are a few buying tips:
• Buy lobsters that are 3 lbs. or less. While there’s novelty in a 10 lb. lobster, the bigger they are, the tougher they are.
• The lobster should spread out its claws and flail around a bit when you pick it up (and eventually, you are going to have to pick it up).

Once you’ve got the lobster home, here a few cooking tips:
• Drop the lobster head first into a pot of seasoned boiling water. It’s more humane and there will be less splashing.
• Drop the lobsters in one at a time so the water can then return to a full boil.

Okay, so here’s how to cook lobster … so what’s your special occasion? You don’t need one! (Papa would certainly agree!)

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How do you like your steak… still mooing or like a piece of shoe leather?

At this time of year there are plenty of strange (and strangely wonderful) gadgets to boost your grilling mojo. Here’s one I really like: The SteakChamp.

The German-made SteakChamp is a high-precision steak thermometer that will help you cook your steak exactly the way you want it, either on the grill, in the oven or in a pan on the stove. The stainless steel probes come in four models to suit your temperature preference (rare, medium rare, medium and medium well), and are tuned to USDA temperatures guidelines.

But before I continue, may I digress a moment? The word “probe” has always bugged me. It reminds me of aliens, or something like that. Okay… back to the best tool for grilling the perfect steak, the SteakChamp.

Here’s how it works:

1. Remove your meat from the fridge about half an hour before cooking. The meat should be at least 1½-inches thick.
2. Select the SteakChamp probe (there’s that word again) for the level of doneness you want (rare, medium rare, etc.). Insert the SteakChamp into the center of the meat sideways, until it is completely inside the meat and only the end of the SteakChamp protrudes.
3. Sear both sides of the meat on high heat for 2 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. When the SteakChamp begins to double flash, remove the meat from the heat. Let the meat rest until the double flashing signal stops. Remove the SteakChamp and serve your perfect steak.

This is a great video to show you exactly how the SteakChamp works on a grill:

Visit the SteakChamp website to see how this gadget works on top of the stove and in the oven. You can find it at Sur la Table.  Follow the directions and you’ll be grilling like a champ all summer!