Doug's Good Friend Lamb Stew

Doug Kreinik created this stew one day when the family got bored with spaghetti and needed a special meal for a good friend who was leaving town. It also makes a cozy meal on a cool autumn evening.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Lamb shoulder cubed
• 4 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 8 oz. can tomato paste
• 16 oz. can garbonzo beans
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 medium onions diced
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 5 cloves fresh garlic
• 1 large potato diced into 1" pieces
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. tarragon
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• 3 cups water
• 2 green peppers chopped/diced
• 2 Hungarian peppers chopped (optional) diced
• 2 tbsp. cilantro
• 1/2 tsp. coriander

1. In a large pan heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil.  Before searing the cubed lamb, flavor the oil with coriander and 1 clove of minced garlic.  This flavoring give the lamb a pleasing taste.
2. Sear the lamb until lightly brown, then remove.
3. In a large pot add 3 tbsp. of olive oil and saute the onions, mushrooms and peppers.  Add remaining cloves of garlic.  When all is nicely sauteed, add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste and water.
4. Add all of the spices, garbonzo beans, peas, meat and potatoes.  Cover and simmer for two hours, stirring occasionally.
5. Cool and place in the refrigerator for the 24 hours, heat and server over rice.

Serve with 3 cups of rice.  My favorite is Basmati rice.  It has great aroma.

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New Christmas Ornament Designs

New from Kreinik: Starlight Ornaments, a series of six counted thread designs by Kathy Holicky. Stitched in beautiful, easy-to-use Kreinik Silk Mori with sparkles of Kreinik Very Fine #4 Braid and Blending Filament, the ornaments look high-end but can be stitched in no time. We would consider these an intermediate skill level - but if you can count, you can make these ornaments. Very detailed stitch diagrams and close-up photos are included.

Our favorite part about the ornaments: no extra finishing costs and no 'extra time' needed to send them out to a finisher. The pillow-style finishing can be done at home, easily; simply turn fabric edges to the back and stitch together. Kreinik featured a series of pillow-style ornament designs from Kathy Holicky many years ago, and we constantly get requests to do them again. With this new series, Kathy is back designing and we have brand new ornaments to share with you.

They are perfect hostess gifts, to make as an ornament set for newlyweds, or simply to add another stitched heirloom to your family tree. Click here to see all of the designs: www.kreinik.com/kshop/home.php?cat=395

Look for the Starlight Ornament series in your local needlework store, or buy online at www.kreinikmall.com. With each design available as a full kit including threads, fabric, needle and instructions, you can stitch one or more right away for holiday gift giving.

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