Shortcuts: Nothin' says 'yum' like lamb shanks and corn muffins

Ad-libbing with a box of JIFFY™ corn muffin mix, I added two extra ingredients to turn simple muffins into bakery quality. Corn kernels added crunch and texture and maple syrup offered a hint of sweetness to the granular biscuits.

I like to use natural sweeteners like honey, molasses, or syrup when baking. I spotted a bottle of genuine maple syrup in the cupboard from my last visit to Maine. The sweet syrup would complement the corn-laced batter perfectly.

A recent show on The Food Network, featuring tender braised lamb shanks, made my mouth water. Compelled to create this tender entrée, I picked up a package of shanks at the supermarket. Don't be intimidated by the lengthy list of ingredients. The majority are simply dumped in the pot before cooking. To shorten the preparation time, mise en place so you merely assemble the dish. (Mise en place, or French for "put in place," means having all your ingredients measured and tools in place before you begin cooking.)

Braising is a basic and simple way to cook meat. The process can be done on the top of the stove or in the oven and results in juicy, fork-tender meat. All you need is a sturdy pan with a tight-fitting lid. For best results, I recommend cooking the shanks on the stovetop. For those of you on the go, I've included an option using the Crockpot.

The key ingredients for luscious lamb shanks, besides the lamb, are fresh green herbs and good quality tomatoes. Long, slow cooking does the rest. This rustic entrée is a sure way to a hungry man's heart. Serve with hearty corn muffins on the side.

CORN MUFFINS DELUXE

1 (8.5-ounce) box JIFFY ™ corn muffin mix

1 egg

1/2 cup frozen or canned corn, drained

1/3 cup milk

1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease muffin pans or use cupcake papers. Blend ingredients and let rest for 5 minutes; batter will be lumpy. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full; bake 15 to 20 minutes until brown. Makes 7 muffins.

LUSCIOUS LAMB SHANKS FOR TWO

2 large lamb shanks

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 onion

1 large carrot

1/2 cup chopped parsley

2 cloves garlic

1 cup red or white wine (dry)

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with oregano and garlic

1 cup chicken broth

1 beef bouillon cube

2 stems fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon dried marjoram or thyme, optional

Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in heavy pot over medium-high heat. Cook shanks until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate. Pare onion and carrot, cut into chunks, and place in food processor with parsley and garlic; process until coarse.

Add veggie mixture to pot with wine, undrained tomatoes, chicken broth, bouillon and herbs. Mix well. Return shanks to pot, pressing down to submerge meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer about 2 hours until tender.

OPTION: Veal shanks may be used instead of lamb. Once shanks are browned, all ingredients may be combined in a Crockpot™ and cooked on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Mary Ann Kauchak lives in Lake Ridge. Her third cookbook, "SHORTCUTS, TOO," is now available at Salt & Pepper Books in Occoquan. She can be reached at makauchak@comcast.net.