Morroccan Lamb

Have I ever mentioned that lamb is delicious?  Worth the extra few dollars when you really want the taste of lamb.  This dish was quite tasty and made a ton.  If I did it again for my small family, I would probably cut it in half and save the extra lamb for something else (2 lamb recipes for the price of 1!)

1 lb ground lamb
2 C sliced onion
1/2 C carrot, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
2 C chicken broth
1/2 C rasins
3 Tbsp tomato paste (freeze the rest of the can if you don't have immediate use)
1 1/2 Tbsp lemon rind
salt
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, sliced

Cook lamb over medium heat.  Remove from pan.  If needed, drain excess drippings.  Add onion and carrot to pan, saute 4 minutes.  Add cumin, cinnamon, coriander, and pepper.  Heat spices for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.  Add chicken broth, raisins, tomato paste, lemon rind, chickpeas, and cooked lamb.  Sat to taste.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 4 minutes.  Stir in cilantro and lemon juice.

We served with a lemon slice (it needed just a hint more lemon) and leftover rice form earlier in the week, though it would be even better to serve with couscous. 

Some more pictures from the Children's museum.  They have this fun area with dozens of tricycles, walkers, cars to scoot around in, etc.  We tried to put Isaac in some of the cars or on the tricycle.  But that was too confined and he would start crying.  He just wanted to wander around, pushing whichever thing on wheels was closest at the time.  Occasionally to the distress of children seated in the car he was trying to push.

And now, the little boy.  His last 1 year old molar finally came in.  Hallelujah!  He didn't just get cranky with those teeth, he became a storm.  And who can blame him?  The top two molars burst blood vessels causing the gums  around the molars to become black and purple and swollen for about 3 weeks.  When we saw the doctor (for one of his many ear infections) she said the teeth, or I should say gums, just looked horrible.  She said that as the tooth came in it would constantly be pressing on that burst blood vessel.  So imagine someone putting a lot of pressure on a really bad bruise.  All day long.  For 3 weeks.  Then, the bottom molars started to come though.  One side wasn't bad, but the other side got a blood blister on top of the gums for 3 or 4 days before the tooth finally came in - through the blood blister.  Needless to say, I'm hoping little boy gets a nice long break before his canines start working there way in.  Poor little boy.

It has been nice here in Houston.  To those of you enjoying 10 inches of snow - don't get too jealous.  Come summer you'll have beautiful weather and we'll be living with 90% humidity and 100 degree temperatures.  So of course we've been enjoying going to the parks.  Isaac just loves the parks.  He likes to run, and explore, and eat mulch and sand, and mostly run some more.  Countless parents have said to me, usually as I start running after Isaac to get him away from the parking lot, that that little boy is FAST!  After fetching him from the road (where Isaac is pointing and saying "car car") I set him down in the furthest corner and have maybe a few minutes before I have to fetch him again.  I have two friends with little boys 2 months younger than Isaac.  There sons sit in their laps or on a blanket and contentedly play with toys or enjoy snacks while the mothers sit and chat.  I can't even imagine Isaac contentedly sitting on a blanket.  But he sure is cute, even with a mouth full of mulch.  And I suppose he gives me good exercise.