A few years ago Dad came to visit Andy and me in England. It was early March, that last dreary month of winter. The trees were bare, the last of the snow was melting and everything was grey. But that week a tradition bloomed. One chilly day, Dad and I embarked on a mission: lamb shanks. We spent the better part of a day researching recipes, driving to the butcher’s, the wine shop and the supermarket. We prepped, we opened a bottle of wine and we got cooking. It was one of the best meals of my life, not only because the lamb shanks exceeded our wildest expectations, but because I was spending time with my Dad, which during the England years was a rare gift. We sat around the table and marveled at these shanks. I think we were simply surprised that we had cooked something that good.
Now whenever Dad and I are asked to cook (which isn’t all that often, making it even more special), we make lamb shanks. It has become our signature dish. We both have a deep love for lamb, but also that slow cooking process and that rich jus that makes meat fall off the bone. So when I saw that there was a new cookbook out by Jean Anderson called Falling Off the Bone
This past weekend Andy and I headed out to our family’s home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania for a mini vacation. Mom was away on book tour, so it was Dad, Andy and me again. Just like several years ago in England. A chilly night, a bottle of red and something “Falling off the Bone.” Though there are so many amazing recipes in this book (including lamb shanks), I already knew what we’d be making: Hassle-free Stew of Lamb with Peppers and Prosciutto.
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I am really excited about this book, particularly as the holiday season is approaching. Most of the recipes are one-dish dinners (which you know we love around here) and will be perfect for feeding hungry family and friends in the coming weeks. When the book arrived I spent a good hour looking through it and checking out all the mouth-watering recipes. I contacted Justin (who also has an awesome food blog) at Wiley to see if they would be interested in doing a giveaway. So we’re giving away a copy of Falling Off the Bone
The winner was Comment #81 – BEYOND today i am thankful for the friendship i share with my husband.
I am feeling very grateful to share my life with the most remarkable and loving man, my husband. For our sweet children who always remind us that there is always a place to dream and keep hope. For the strength, we as a family learned we had when we had to deal with cancer. I’ll forever be grateful that chemo is behind me and I have many years of hair and loved ones to look forward to. There is much to be grateful for always!
I am thankful for my family!! I love my husband and kids so much!
I am so very thankful for my two boys. Matthew is 5 1/2 and Devin is almost 3. Just last night I was talking about how blessed we are with them. They are great kids and lucky for us, each other’s best friends. They play well together and look out for each other!
I am thankful that my son is coming home from college before Thanksgiving and will be home until after Christmas! We’re looking forward to spending time with him, cooking and baking together, and just enjoying every minute!
I am thankful for my husband and daughter! I am also thankful to be alive. I am a 30 year old stroke survivor who wasn’t supposed to be able to have kids and I did! So I am really thankful!
I’m thankful that the weather has been sunny and warm all week!
I am thankful for my friends and family – I have had quite a rough year or so and they have been my rocks. I love them dearly.
I’m thankful to have a new job, even in this poor economy!
I am thankful for my family whose help and love are so generous and unconditional.
Family and health…..my furry family members too.
This week I’m thankful for a visit from my favorite (and only) uncle. He was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and he’s going in for surgery on December 16. I’ve been crying & praying a lot for the last couple of weeks and when I got to see him in person on Monday it was like an emotional release for me. My aunt & uncle had a huge part in raising me and they were essentially my mom & dad. I’m so thankful to have him in my life.
I am thankful that my husband,s skin cancer was not a recurrent melanoma, that my sis-in-‘love’ was told they got all her lung cancer and that my cancer follow-up is so far negative. God is good.
So thankful for my family.
I’m thankful that my children are well and happy.
Too many blessings to count! and giving thanks
throughout the day. I have one (of 2) daughters who
would LOVE this book! (she is preparing lamb shanks
tonight!–I have never cooked same).
I am thankful for my friends and family. without them, i doubt I would make it through all of the tough times that I’ve been going through in my personal and work life. they are my rocks!
I’m thankful for my daughter and co-chef in the lamb shank business. (Full disclosure: I am related to the three women who run this blog and am therefore ineligible to win the prize.)
I’m thankful for our two sweet doggies that love us and welcome us with loving eyes and wagging tails every time we’re away from them!
I’m pretty much thankful for my life in general. Good job, family, and amazing husband!
I have far too many blessings to start naming and am thankful every single day.
I’m thankful for my health.
I am thankful for the food that I get to cook and blog about. I am also thankful for the amazing family and friends that love eating the food I cook.
I’m thankful for my husband, Kenny.
I’m thankful that I was safe last weekend and my babies were safe without me. I am SO thankful my baby slept 8 hours straight last night. YES!
I am thankful for my family and my boyfriend. I am thankful bc we are healthy and we have each other.
Thankful my family is well !!!
I’m thankful for my new church family. Love them!
Unseasonably warm and sunny weather here in Wisconsin.
I am thankful that I realize that Thanksgiving is not one day a year. I make sure to be thankful for all of my blessings every day.
I am thankful for having a place to rest my head, a clean toilet to use, fresh water, having the money to get groceries, and being able to provide all of these for my family. I appreciate being able to work in a profession that I have a passion for and then to come home to my family who never asks for all that much except a big ol hug. Wish I could give them the world, but all I can do is help to open the door. No matter all the criticisms of our society, we live in a great country & have so many blessings just by being here.
today i am thankful for the friendship i share with my husband.
I’m thankful that my brother is alive. We had a nightmare come alive last Tuesday, November 2nd when he called us telling us that he wouldn’t be back for a while. He got into heavy drug use, got mixed up with the wrong people, and in the end was stripped of everything… down to the shoes on his feat. Subsequently, he was baker acted on Saturday and will be in a mental health hospital followed by rehab until he is 100% clean. Secondly, I’m thankful for the doctors, nurses, and assistants who are taking care of him. Who are slowly making a difference day-by-day.
I am thankful this Thanksgiving for being closer to family. My husband lost his job in the northeast two years ago. My husband and me had to move to Houston for a job. My three children (two college age) were still in the area. It was really really hard being away from them. This year my husband has taken a job a little closer that will allow us to be together. That is something to be grateful for.
I’m thankful for how blessed my life has been in the past few years. It’s easy to focus on the negatives (in particular the house that we can’t sell because we owe more than it’s worth), but there are so, so many things that trump that. Everyone in my family is healthy (even my cousin who is almost exactly 1 year post bone marrow transplant), my loved ones all have jobs and homes, and I’m more in love with my husband than ever. I’m an extremely lucky person, and I remind myself of that often.
I am extraordinarily thankful that my son and his younger daughter escaped serious injury in a frightening auto accident in far away Australia this weekend. (Anybody else believe that thier mere presence will protect kids/grandkids from all dangers? Or is my delusion?) What I appreciate about this site is your appreciation for the grace in every day life.
Grateful beyond expression for my family and God’s provision!
I am thankful for the internet. I could barely cook anything when my daughter was born. Now she is 3 and we are expecting our third baby. How would I have ever learned ro cook without the internet? Plus it is nice to have some contact with the outside world.
I’m feeling thankful for some time off!
I am grateful for my new life. Despite all odds being against me, I seemed to have found my way back to life and love! I am also grateful for your blog and the pioneer woman!
I am thankful that my daughter will be home from college in two weeks and the whole family will once again be together, if only for a few days. She and I love to cook together, so we will be looking for some new recipes!
I’m thankful to have crossed paths with Jean Anderson several years ago when we were researching a trip to Portugal. Her book, Foods of Portugal was and invaluable “travelling on your stomach” guide to the country.
And Jean, herself, graciously exchanged numerous emails with me about my trip planning.
I’m looking forward to adding this book to my growing collection of her work.
Right now, I am just thankful for life and a healthy life. I do enjoy your blog.
This morning I am thankful again to see the daughter I almost lost in a car accident happily get ready for work!
I am thankful for the health and happiness of my family everyday!!!
I am thankful for my family and the beautiful fall day outside my window beckoning me to get out there.
I am thankful for my beautiful family and that we are all safe, happy and healthy.
I am thankful for my freedom and those who put themselves in harms way to ensure it…..I am thankful for so many things….the list is long.
I’m thankful for my family and their health, & I’m thankful that in this horrid economy we still have a roof over our heads and money coming in.
Blessed by my husband and kids! Just make each and every day brighter and quite a bit busier, too! 🙂
I’m thankful for having a job in this terrible economy.