Friday night we had lamb for dinner, thanks to my friend Barb.I met Barb through email-land a year-and-a-half ago when she heard Dr. Laura reviewing my husband’s book, No More Christian Nice Guy (which Dr. Laura wrote the forward to).
Through that radio broadcast, Barb bought the book, read it, was overwhelmingly impressed, and contacted us through email. Little did we know we’d become hard, fast friends, living miles apart.
She introduced herself to me by sending us a special box in the mail. The box was overnighted to us and filled with lamb. Barb and her family raise lamb and she was gracious enough to mail us some.
We love lamb! And the tradition has continued as we just received another box in the mail a couple of weeks ago.
Thank you Barb, not only for your awesome friendship, but also for showing us your gift of hospitality via the mail and your farm! Thanks for coming out to Oregon to see us and for hosting us in Wisconsin while Paul spoke in Madison.
For meeting us in Chicago for a quick fun weekend and for all the MANY boxes we have received in the mail.What fun!
(photo: Tom & Barb and Paul and I in Chicago last Fall)
This spring Barb has 25 new babies bouncing through her pasture. I love the picture of the twins at the very top. She says one thinks she is his Mommy and the other his step-Mom!
Do you enjoy lamb?
Here is one of my favorite recipes, the one I cooked Friday night (above photo):
Lamb with mustard glaze and garlic
INGREDIENTS:
1 leg of lamb, about 6 to 7 pounds (I cooked 2 lamb roasts)
1/3 cup prepared mustard
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 large clove garlic, crushed and minced
1 teaspoon thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
PREPARATION:
Place leg of lamb on rack in roasting pan. Roast uncovered at 325° for 1 hour. Combine mustard, soy sauce, garlic, thyme, and ginger; spread mixture over leg of lamb. Roast leg of lamb for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours longer, or until done.
Baste leg of lamb with drippings a few times during baking. Roast leg of lamb serves 6 to 8.
Another crowd pleaser (and kid pleaser) when serving baked sweet potatoes: mix brown sugar and cinnamon together; serve with butter.
YUM!
PS: Besides getting what we consider a REAL TREAT, lamb, my next favorite gift from Barb has been a handmade quilt stuffed with lambs’ wool. She is not only hospitable, witty and smart, she is crafty, she gardens, writes beautifully, is married to her handsome and charming hubby and co-owner of Sonsie Farm. They raise sheep and have raised 4 kids, one soon to marry. She is the essence of hospitality and I am blessed to know her! Barb has recently been published in Hobby Farms, Farm and Ranch Living, Country, and Country EXTRA.
PSS: This summer another Happy Coughlin Box will be given away. Stay tuned, post a comment and WIN!
9 comments:
Oh my! I hafta say I never expected such a warm response from Mr Paul, much less his beauteous and generous wife and role model children. Quite the fun and wild ride! And the Coughlins are much better lamb chefs than we are here--look at that plate!
What good taste we have in friends!
Those Wiedenbecks are top-notch!
I've got to second that with a big AMEN, SISTER. Barb is the best of the best.
Is this the same Barb that leaves such witty comments on your blog, Dee? What fun to get to see her! I wish I liked lamb...I had a REALLY REALLY REALLY BAAAAAAAAAAAD (no pun intended, but it's funny nonetheless!) experience with it at a convention in Hawaii when I was pregnant. I can't...I just can't...:-(
Yeah Katybug, that would be me, tho I'm not sure if "witty" is the right word! Our kids had to adjust to lamb--they noticed a real difference in the flavor between it and beef, especially since we didn't start raising sheep until they were in the double-digits age-wise. However, most adults we serve seem surprised to find out that it's not beef--even with all the sheep in the backyard! I guess grown-up tastebuds aren't as sensitive, as a rule. You'll hafta try it again sometime, maybe when you're not pregnant, cuz properly done, it's great stuff!
Or, Katybug, head on over to the Coughlin's and give lamb another try :)
We had the best lamb lasagna and also lamb chops while visiting Barb last Fall.
Those "W"'s ROCK!
What a nice story of finding a new friend. The lamb are cute. Our church is having a church BBQ and one of the members is donating a lamb to be roasted. I'll let you know how it goes.
Looks wonderful! I'm sorry to say I've never had lamb. I'll have to try it sometime!!
We love lamb in our family and I'm going to have to try this...
Blessings.
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