Braised Lamb Shanks
This might be one of my favorite meals. Braised lamb shanks are tender, full of flavor and easy to prepare. They are also reasonably priced. Because the shanks can be tough, they need a longer cook, with liquid, to get really tender. That is what braising is. They can be cooked faster in a pressure cooker, when time is an issue.
Recently a friend and I decided to make them for dinner. We ended up cooking them for about 2½ hours. They were perfectly tender. You can cook them longer, if you like. They really are simple to make. Yes, they take a while to cook, but once in the oven you don’t need to do anything but wait. We ended up using the cooking liquid to make a sauce. I just used an immersion blender to puree the veggies and cooking liquid. It tasted so good.
So here is the recipe for braised lamb shanks.
Braised Lamb Shanks
3 lamb shanks
2 T. oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 cups stock- lamb or beef preferred
½ c. sherry or red wine
2 T. curry powder
Salt and pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste
In Dutch oven brown the lamb shanks in oil until browned. Remove from the pan, add the vegetables and brown them for about five minutes. Return shanks to the pot. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add sherry and seasonings. Place lid on pot and place in a preheated 350-degree oven for 2½- 3 hours. Check them after 90 minutes and add a little more stock, if needed. It is normal for some of the stock to cook down. I did not need to add more stock. Remove pan from the oven. Remove shanks and keep warm. Puree the vegetable mixture to make a gravy. Adjust seasonings. Serves 2-3.
Amy’s Easter Hummus
Hummus is always a favorite at parties around here. I’ve made classic hummus and have made variations with roasted peppers, black olives and garlic scapes.
I always remember the time my dear friend, Amy, wanted her hummus to be really colorful. It was for her Easter dinner. I believe that was the same year she dyed the egg whites for the deviled eggs. Amy really knew how to get the details right.
She and I had talked about how best to make tasty, colorful hummus. She decided to make spinach hummus and beet hummus in addition to her classic hummus. She wanted something that tasted good, but looked like Spring. She ended up with a beautiful array for Easter dinner that year. Tasty, too.
Here are the directions for making them.
Hummus
1 can garbanzo beans, drained, or about 2 cups cooked garbanzos
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 cloves garlic
salt and hot pepper sauce to taste
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Adjust seasonings. Chill. Serve with pita bread, crackers or fresh vegetables. Also nice spread in a pita bread with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. Freezes well.
Green Hummus (Spinach)
Make the original hummus recipe from above but add 2 c. fresh spinach and ½ c. chopped parsley, optional.
Pink Hummus (Beet)
Make the original hummus recipe from above but add 2-3 small cooked beets, about 2/3 cup.
Note: You might want a little more salt in either of these recipes or a bit more lemon juice.
Miss you, Amy.
Creole Jambalaya
There are so many variations for Jambalaya. I don’t think I ever had a Jambalaya I didn’t like. This Creole dish varies a little with each person who makes it. The assortment of ingredients adds so many layers of flavor.
Traditionally, Jambalaya would include smoked sausage or ham, chicken, shellfish, rice, tomatoes and assorted veggies and seasonings.You can see why there are so many variations. For me, it just isn’t Jambalaya without mussels. Lots and lots of mussels.
It is definitely a great dish for a party. It is impossible to make a small batch of Jambalaya!!!
This recipe is a tweaked version I got from a boss of mine a long time ago. I must say, every time I make this for friends or family it gets rave reviews.
The heat level in this dish is really about personal preference and for the people who are going to be eating it. I like it a bit spicier, so I add more cayenne. If I am making it for friends who like their food less spicy, I use less. Of course, you can always serve it with hot sauce on the side, so people can spice it up a little more.
Creole Jambalaya
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced into 1-inch pieces
1 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 c. oil
2 c. cubed uncooked chicken
3 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomatoes
2-3 t. paprika
Cayenne pepper to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined, uncooked
1 1/2 c. shelled peas, fresh or frozen
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1-2 lb. mussels, scrubbed
In Dutch oven cook sausage, onion, celery and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients, except shrimp, peas, sweet red peppers and mussels. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp, and peppers, cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in peas and stick in mussels. Cover and cook 5 more minutes. Discard any mussels which have not opened in 5 minutes. Serves 8.
Chocolate Sparkle Cookies
These cake-like cookies are always a favorite in my house. They are full of chocolate flavor and easy to make. They have an almost brownie like texture. The sparkle comes from the sugar they are roll in just before baking. So if you are looking for a chocolate cookie for your holiday cookie collection- you might want to try these.
Chocolate Sparkles
1 c. butter, softened
1 ¼ c. sugar
2 eggs
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
½ t. vanilla
2 2/3 c. flour
2 t. cream of tartar
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
¼ c. sugar
Cream together butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, chocolate and vanilla. Stir in next four ingredients. Chill dough. Shape dough into 1” balls and roll in ¼ cup sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375- degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Makes 5-6 dozen.
Tequila and Wine Punch
I would never have thought that combining tequila and wine would taste so good, but it really is a great drink for parties. I had a request for this recipe, and I am going to share it with you, the best that I can.
I normally am pretty good about measuring ingredients and writing things down, but a friend actually made it.
My friend Sue is a very good cook. She has great instincts when it comes to flavors. She is also lovingly known as the Queen of Substitutions. She will start with a recipe and then just add what she has on hand. Often things work out, sometimes, not.
This is one of those times when things worked out very well, indeed. She was watching TV and saw a recipe for a tequila and wine punch. She had the tequila and wine, but not quite all of the other ingredients, so she kind of made it up as she went along. The end result was a drink that was not too sweet and very refreshing. She used bottled margarita mix, but I included a recipe to make your own.
So here is the recipe.
Wine and Tequila Punch
1 1/2 c. tequila
1/2 bottle of wine, use what you have on hand, we did
1 c. margarita mix*
1 c. orange juice
1 or 2 oranges, sliced thin
ice
In pitcher, combine tequila with wine, mix, juice and oranges. Add lots of ice, stir and serve.
Note: You can make your own margarita mix. Combine 1 cup of water and one cup of sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to help dissolve the sugar. Add 2/3 cup each of lemon juice and lime juice- fresh squeezed preferred. Store in fridge until ready to use.
