I love to cook. I can cook for 40 easier than I can cook for 2 and I love every minute of it. A couple weeks ago we had brunch at a friends house and this week we had those same friends over to enjoy a meal with us. We already knew these friends like lamb so it was very easy to decide what to make.

We had 2 racks of ribs on hand from our first freezer lamb and I chose a collection of new recipes to try. I’ve posted links to all the recipes below. We took a vote and decided these were all winners!

First on the menu was Braised Lamb Ribs with Apricots and Onions. I had been craving some apricots so this was an easy choice. It was dee-lish!

Since I had another rack of ribs I wanted to try a second recipe. I found Lamb Ribs with Honey and Wine. The two rib recipes used different cooking times but I chose to cook both for about 2 hours which was perfect.

I was busily trying to think up a side dish when a friend called with a fresh delivery of local potatoes. So I chose Simple Oven Roasted Potatoes. Quick, easy, and the perfect accompaniment to both of the lamb offerings.

I made my favorite apple butter recipe just because I could. It’s quick, easy, and I like it on toast or on it’s own. I don’t bake much so we picked up some fresh breads from a local bakery.

We had discussed Mulligatawny Soup  at our original brunch 2 weeks ago, and since I had a good recipe I made that too. I’m allergic to cows milk so I left the heavy cream out, it was still really good. Another great crock pot recipe that’s easy and fast.

Nothing says brunch like eggs. And plain eggs are, well, plain. So I found this amazing quiche recipe. We love quiche, but again, the dairy allergy means I get to be creative. For that I found Goat Cheese Quiche with Sweet Potato Crust. I have to admit I’m no expert when it comes to cheese, so I went to the cheese counter and asked for advise. I got lucky and found a super helpful gal who gave me samples and an education on cheese. I ended up using a combination of a Gouda made with goats milk and some Feta made with sheep milk. Perfection if I do say so myself.

My sweet tooth got the best of me, so I added Lemon Blueberry Bread that I found on Facebook.

1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

GLAZE
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter melted
1 cup confectioners sugar

Bake at 350° for 60-65 minutes.

Our guests brought a home-brewed hard cider to share and some great conversation. Just about a perfect way to spend a super cold Sunday.