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!