Braised Lamb Shanks in Wine Sauce

Sara really likes lamb, especially when braised on cooked in the crockpot. I picked up some lamb shanks from the commissary when they were on sale and have kept them in the deep freezer until now. I adapted this recipe from one I googled.

Braised Lamb Shanks
4 lamb shanks
8 cloves garlic, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 can beef stock
1 cup red wine
season salt
pepper
olive oil

Cut slits into the lamb shanks and insert garlic slices into the slits. Salt and pepper the shanks to taste and brown them in a frying pan with the olive oil. Transfer the shanks to your crockpot. Pour a little beef stock into the pan and loosen up the crunchy brown stuff, pour that into the crockpot. Surround the shanks with chopped onion and mushroom slices. Pour the remaining beef stock into the crockpot. Pour the wine over the shanks and into the pot. Use a wine you would drink, not cooking wine (cooking wine is the devil). Cook on low for about 7 hours or until the meat is fork tender.

You can serve this over noodles with a salad or with steak fries and sauteed zuccinni. Cucumber and tomato salad is also a nice accompanyment.

Cucumber and tomato salad
1 peeled and sliced cucumber
1 cup sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup (or so) Rice vinegar
2 tbs Equal
garlic salt to taste
Mix everything up in a bowl, chill in fridge for at least 45 minutes.

Even Rowen like this!

I served Dornfelder red wine with the meal. (Not for Rowen, she's 3 1/2) I really like Dornfelder, it's a sweet. low tannin red.

Messy Giussepes

My daughter, Rowen, is not fond of spicy food, even mildly spicy stuff like sloppy joes. I can up with the recipe by replacing the normal barbecue spices in sloppy joes with milder ones.

Messy Giuseppe's
1 lb ground lean ground beef (turkey or chicken is fine too)
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tbl Saigon cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
4 tbl brown sugar
4 tbl Worcestershire sauce
2 tbl cider vinegar
2 tbl balsamic vinegar
1 cup ketchup or honey barbecue sauce
1 cup water or apple juice
Handful of raisins or dried currants
salt to taste


Mix the ground meat, raisins and spices in a bowl. Mix your wet ingredients in a large measuring cup. Saute the diced shallot in a skillet with some butter until soft, add in your meat. Cook until brown. Drain off excess fat, if you want. Carefully pour in your wet ingredients. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve on open faced on an English muffin, topped with Munster or mozzarella cheese.