Back in the Saddle

Its been over a month since I started my new job and made my last post and I finally feel like I've settled into a place where I can devote myself to growing with TangleTown Interiors as well as in my new role as Visual Coordinator for a major retailer.  I've been missing this and after an encouraging conversation with my most trusted advisor (hi honey) I know I'm ready to take on the world again!  I would be remiss if I didn't also attribute my renewed motivation to continuing this blog and working on growing my business to a great talk with Helen of Helena de Natalio Handbags.  Whether she knows it or not, she was very inspirational to me this weekend and the timing of our meeting couldn't have been more perfect to give me the last little push that I needed to get my butt back in gear. 

As a thank you to previously mentioned trusted advisor, I'm making him what I hope proves to be a fabulous, farm fresh Sunday night dinner.  We picked up some lamb shanks and red potatoes from Olsen Farms at our local farmers market and I finally opened my new cast iron casserole pot and found it included a recipe for lamb shanks and potatoes!  Here is the recipe:

15 oz crushed tomatoes in puree
3 TBL tomato paste
2 TBL apricot jam
6 garlic cloves thinly sliced
3 strips orange zest
3/4 tsp crushed dried rosemary
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups water

coarse salt and ground pepper

3 1/2 lbs lamb shanks, trimmed of excess fat & cut into 1 1/2" slices

1 1/4 lb small new potatoes, scrubbed and halved (or quartered if too large)

preheat oven to 350.  In 5.5 quart casserole pot stire together tomatoes and puree, tomato paste, jam, garlic, orange zest, rosmarey, ginger, cinnamon & 2 cups of water.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add lamb and potatoes, strirring to combine.

cook until lamb and potatoes are tender, about 2-2 1/2 hours.  Season again with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve!

The end result was incredible! 

See you soon,

diana