The Easiest Lamb You'll Ever Make

I love lamb but it is a pain in the ass to cook. First of all, it is very expensive. Secondly, lamb has to be treated with care or you'll ruin the dish. And nothing sucks more than buying a nice piece of expensive meat and then it turns out badly. Also, you have to baby lamb by cooking it a long time or marinating it forever or both.
I really like this recipe because you just throw everything in the pot, stick it in the oven and walk away for three hours. Nothing to marinate, nothing to brown first. Super easy. And the lamb shanks are tender, falling off the bone good. The cooking liquid and veggies turn into a gravy which is just delicious spooned over the lamb.

Lamb Shanks

4 lamb shanks
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lemons, cut into wedges
2 15 oz cans of fire roasted, diced tomatoes
1 large bunch of fresh basil
1 t salt/pepper
5-6 carrots, cleaned and chopped into chunks
2 celery stalks, cleaned and chopped into chunks
1 large onion, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and left whole

Preheat oven to 350. Spray the bottom of a large Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray. Put the carrots, onions and celery in the bottom of the pot. Place the lamb shanks on top of the veggies. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the wine, balsamic vinegar and olive oil over the meat. Place a whole garlic clove on top of each lamb shank, followed by a large wedge of lemon.

Lamb prior to going into oven

Open the canned tomatoes and pour them all over the meat (no need to drain the cans, pour the juice in also). Cut the basil into thin strips and sprinkle the basil all over the lamb and tomato mixture. Put the lid on and roast the lamb at 350 for 3 hours.
The meat should fall off the bones. It will be very tender and your house will smell amazing.

Lamb after cooking 3 hours

I served my lamb shanks on a pillow of two cheese polenta with oven roasted asparagus. Mashed potatoes would also work well.

Banana Pudding

This is my grandma's banana pudding recipe. She used to make this for major family gatherings, like Easter Sunday or a reunion. As you can see from the ingredients list, this is not for anyone counting calories as it uses a frightening amount of heavy whipping cream and an entire can of sweetened condensed milk. When I was newly married, my grandma mailed me the recipe so I could make it whenever I wanted.

Banana Pudding

1 can of sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
1 1/2 cups of cold water
small package of instant vanilla pudding (4 serving size)
1 pint heavy whipping cream (this measures 2 cups)
3-4 bananas
vanilla wafers
juice of half a lemon

In a large mixing bowl, combine water, sweetened condensed milk and the vanilla pudding. Mix until well combined. Place pudding mixture in the fridge to chill for five minutes.

Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form.


Peel and slice the bananas into uniform slices. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the banana slices.
Take several vanilla wafers and carefully place them along the sides and bottom of a large bowl.
place a layer of sliced bananas over the bottom of the bowl.

Remove the pudding mixture from the fridge, carefully fold in the heavy whipping cream. The mixture should feel light, almost like a mousse. Place about one-third of the pudding mixture over the bananas. Continue layering the vanilla wafers, bananas and pudding until you've made three or four layers. Save enough pudding to make a final layer and sprinkle some crumbled vanilla wafers on top.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours. I like to make this the day before serving or at least 8 - 12 hours in advance. The pudding tastes better when the vanilla wafers have time to soak up the pudding and get soft.

This makes about 8 - 10 servings. It probably keeps 3-4 days but it never lasts that long at my house.

Salmon with Warm Potato, Artichoke and Pesto Salad

Salmon with Warm Potato, Artichokes and Pesto Salad

This was my creation for Friday night's dinner. I grilled salmon and served it over a salad comprised of new potatoes, artichokes, tomatoes, pesto and roasted garlic. This recipe makes enough for two large servings. My hubby is not much of a fish eater, but even he liked it.

3/4 lb. salmon (I used Atlantic salmon)
6 new potatoes
4 whole garlic cloves
2 T. olive oil
1/4 C. grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 can of artichokes, drained
1/4 C pesto (homemade or store bought)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Place 4 garlic cloves on a large square of aluminum foil. Add the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold up the aluminum foil into a pouch, place on a pie plate and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the garlic is soft.

Meanwhile, boil the new potatoes in a pot of salted water until they are fork tender. Cut each red potato in half and place the potatoes in the bottom of a medium sized bowl. Add the roast garlic, pesto, sliced tomatoes and artichokes. Set aside.


Grill or broil the salmon until done. I grilled the fish with a pat of butter on top with, salt and pepper.
Plate the salad and rest the salmon on top. Drizzle with another small dab of pesto and serve.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

I had a chunk of Valrhona in my pantry and I found a good use for it last night. Valrhona is a high grade French chocolate, I use it for cooking and baking. It is more expensive than regular baking chocolate, but not outrageously so and it is certainly worth the price as the quality is superb.

I kind of forgot about this recipe and haven't made it in a long time. I am not sure where I picked this recipe up, I scrawled the recipe down on a piece of notebook paper and I keep it in my 3-ring "sweets" binder. It does not require very many ingredients, but you should use good quality bittersweet chocolate. In a pinch, I have used semi sweet chocolate chips instead of bittersweet chocolate. The better the chocolate, the more rich the dessert will be.

I assembled the ingredients for this before I put steaks on the grill. I whipped it up after dinner and by the time we had the kitchen cleaned up, dessert was ready.

Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

1 stick butter
1 T. flour + 1 t. flour
4 oz chopped bittersweet chocolate (semi sweet may be substituted)
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 C. sugar
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 450.
Line a muffin tin with 4 - 6 foil muffin liners. I like to use the big foil muffin liners, so I usually only make 4 large molten chocolate lava cakes. You could use smaller liners and make 6 small lava cakes (but that would be sad, go for the bigger size).

Spray the foil muffin liners (if using) generously with non-stick spray. Alternatively, you could butter several ramekins but I found the foil liners much easier to handle.

Over a low flame, melt the butter and chocolate together, set aside.


Meanwhile beat the eggs, egg yolks, sugar and salt until light and thick. You can use your mixer or do this by hand with a whisk. Add the melted chocolate and mix well to combine. Stir in the flour. Divide among the muffin tins or ramekins and bake at 450 for 6- 7 minutes. The centers should still look a bit jiggly when you get these out of the oven, that is OK.


Let the cakes sit for at least 5 minutes before plating and serving. Excellent with vanilla ice cream or coffee flavored gelato. Best served warm.

Moroccan Inspired Stuffed Acorn Squash

It has been cold in Austin lately, colder than it has been in years so I've been told. I bought an acorn squash about a week ago thinking I would make some kind of soup out of it. But then I stumbled upon this recipe. I decided to make a few tweaks and cut the recipe down to serve only two. I used ingredients I had on hand and the squash was very tasty. It made a lovely presentation, not to mention the fact it made my kitchen smell wonderfully exotic.

Moroccan Inspired Stuffed Acorn Squash

1 acorn squash, cut in half, long ways
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
2 mild Italian sausage links
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped fine
1 large garlic clove, minced
pinch cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
1/4 cup orzo
1/4 cup quinoa
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
2 tablespoons of pecans, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and place squash cut side down. Bake for 35 minutes. While the squash is baking, prepare the filling.

In a deep skillet over a medium-high heat, heat the olive oil. Remove the casing from the sausages and break the links into small chunks. Add Italian sausage, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a sprinkle of salt to the skillet.

Cook until brown (about 5 to 7 minutes), drain meat, leaving juices still in the pan, and place sausage in a bowl. Add onions to the skillet and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.


Add the quinoa and orzo, and stir until combined. Pour in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15-18 minutes. Fluff quinoa and orzo, add the cooked meat, cranberries, pecans, cilantro, add salt and pepper to taste. After the acorn squash has baked, remove it from the oven and scoop out the soft flesh with a spoon. Leave about 1/4 inch thick shell. Chop the scooped out flesh into chunks and add it to the filling mixture. Spoon the filling mixture into the squash bowls. There will be a generous amount of filling for each squash half. Bake for 15 minutes. Serves two.

Wine Cube = Genius

My husband knows me really well. At Christmas one of his presents was a portable, disposable four pack of wine called the Wine Cube - seriously, how cute is this?! It is the made by Trinchero Family Estates out of Napa. And it is darn cute. Not only is it eco-friendly, it is super easy to transport. The label says each single sized serving offers grab and go convenience. I can imagine the possibilities. I could stick this in my back pack or even my purse!

I decided to have a little wine tasting tonight to try it out. This is like a juice box for grown ups. Each wine cube is 250 ml (approximately 8.5 ounces, or a generous pour as I like to say). The wine is not bad, it is a bit fruity and has a smooth finish. I could totally see myself sneaking one of these into the pool next summer. Heh.

The box says this product is only available at Target. Yeah, another reason to love Target! I think this retails for around $9.99, so it is very reasonably priced to boot. I give the Wine Cube and my hubby two thumbs up!

2010 Food Goals

So I've been thinking about my diet and things I want to try with food in the coming year. I've only lived in Austin four months but it hasn't taken that long to realize what a culinary wasteland Cincinnati was. Going to the grocery store here is such a joy. I don't have to hope and pray the grocery will have cilantro or a decent piece of fish. There are choices, such nice choices. And no excuse not to cook something fabulous. One of my favorite places to shop is Central Market, it isn't as overwhelming or as expensive as Whole Foods. Their produce is off the charts. It is also a nice place to graze on a Saturday.

Anyway, back to the year at hand. A new year, in a new state with so many things to try and do. Here are some things I've set as goals for 2010:

1. Eat less processed food and less refined sugars. I've gotten pretty good at not eating candy bars, soda, chips and assorted junk food. I still need to wean myself off canned soups and the occasional frozen prepared meal. If it is convenient, it probably isn't good for you at all. Too many chemicals and way too much sodium is not good. I'm trying to eat freshly made foods without chemicals.

2. Try new vegetables and fruits, eat the rainbow. I have a list of veggies and fruits I want to try. For example, last night for the first time in my life, I ate brussel sprouts and I really liked them - a bit of a shocker. I followed this recipe and it was delicious. My husband still refuses to touch brussel sprouts, but I am a new fan. On my short list to cook this year is kohlrabi, beets, rutabaga, passion fruit, papaya, black eyed peas and scotch bonnets. Also, I want to cook more lentils. They are so delicious, high in fiber and easy on the wallet.

3. Join a CSA. I belonged to a CSA (community sustained agriculture, a farm) back in Ohio. I loved getting my box of veggies every week. The farmer would surprise me with fresh picked strawberries or fresh eggs and tender lettuces. It was fun to see what I would get and what I would cook up with the ingredients each week. I am looking in to joining a CSA in Austin. It is a great way to get fresh, seasonal produce while supporting your local farmer. Go to Local Harvest to find one in your area.

4. Do not eat junk at work. People mean well, but they bring total crap to work. And then it is 10:30 a.m., you are starving and there it is. Not good. I just need to stay out of the kitchen at work.

5. Keep a food journal. I lost 30 lbs last year following Weight Watchers and an integral part of the weight loss was keeping track of everything I ate. You've heard about this a million times, but it really does work. Having to write it down made me skip the second or third cookie, or the second glass of wine after work.

6. Try a new recipe at least once a week. I have a mountain of recipes to try. I need to make the time to shop for the ingredients and spend the time to cook something new. I sometimes get stuck in a cooking rut, trying a new recipe per week will help me keep things from becoming blah.

So that is what I'm thinking about for this year. I look forward to trying new things and sharing my successes (and the failures!) with you.