Lamb Shanks with Couscous

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Jeffrey Scott Thomas

Mideastern Lamb Shanks with Couscous

4   lamb shanks (about 4 Ib. total)
2   large (about 114 Ib. total) onions
2   tablespoons paprika
2   teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1   teaspoon pepper
1   can (28 oz.) tomatoes
1   cup dry red wine
1/3   cup calamata olives
1   package (10 oz.) frozen petite Brussels sprouts
About 4 cups hot couscous Salt

Rinse shanks; place in a 4- to 5-quart casserole. Bake in a 450° oven for 30 minutes. Chop onions; mix with lamb juices. Sprinkle shanks with paprika, thyme, and pepper. Bake 30 minutes.

Add tomatoes and their liquid, wine, and olives. Cover tightly. Bake until meat is very tender when pierced, about l/2 hours. Add sprouts, cover tightly, and bake until sprouts are hot, about 15 minutes. Serve with couscous and salt to taste. Serves 4.

Per serving: 638 cal. (17 percent from fat); 60 g protein; 12 g fat (3.8 g sat.); 72 g carbo.; 584 mg sodium; 145 mg chol.

Baked Zucchinni with Mushrooms

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Jeffrey Scott Thomas

Baked Zucchini with Mushrooms

1   pound mushrooms, rinsed
1   medium-size (about 6 oz.) onion
About l/3 cups regular-strength chicken broth
3   large eggs
4   large (about 2 Ib. total) zucchini, ends trimmed, shredded
1/2   cup fine dried bread crumbs !4   cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2   teaspoon each dried oregano leaves and pepper
2   tablespoons minced green onion

Thinly slice mushrooms and chop onion; combine in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan with l/i cup water. Stir often on high heat until liquid evaporates and browned bits stick to pan. To deglaze pan, add l/3 cup broth; stir browned bits free. Boil dry and stir often until onion begins to brown. Repeat deglazing step until onion is golden brown, 2 or 3 more times, using 1A cup broth each time.

In a bowl, beat eggs to blend; stir in zucchini, crumbs, cheese, oregano, pepper, and mushroom mixture. Pour into a buttered, 10- by 12-inch shallow oval casserole (or 9- by 13-in. rectangle). Bake in a 325° oven until mixture is set in center when shaken, about 45 minutes; top with green onion. Serves 8.

Per serving: 106 cal. (30 percent from fat); 7.1 g protein; 3.5 g fat (1.2 g sat.); 13 g carbo.; 129 rag sodium; 82 mg chol.

Persoanlized Gift Boxes & Sacks

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Jeffrey Scott Thomas

Personalized wraps for Santa’s pack

Utilitarian boxes boxes are hardly glamorous wrapping I materials, but try thinking of them as blank canvases for artful holiday collages. With color, glued-on material, handwritten messages—and imagination—you can transform them into personalized packages for gifts. It’s also a way to involve junior members of your family in the holiday preparations.

You can find unadorned boxes and containers of all sizes and shapes: take-out boxes (from delicatessens and restaurant supply stores), candy and cake boxes (from pastry supply stores), paper paint buckets (from paint or hardware stores), and odd-size boxes (from gift, paper supply, and party stores).

Use a wide-ranging palette of decorative materials. Felt markers, paint, construction paper, stencils, fabric scraps, stamps, ribbons, wire, buttons, beads, leaves, children’s drawings, and cut-up snapshots decorate the packages in our photograph. You’ll also need craft glue, tape, scissors, a craft knife, pinking shears, a punch, and a stapler. Use an inner lining of colored tissue paper to nestle the gift.