Surviving the Hard Times

I love roast lamb or would that be mutton? Let's just say I like roast flesh of sheep. Today, at the store I see a nice piece of meat in the Manager's Special section for $2.22. Cool! I'll buy that. Mmmmm lamb shoulder chop. Ok never cooked that before. Wonder if I can roast it? Well, play dates, phone calls and getting hubby off to work ensued and roasting never happened. So I browsed a few websites and got a general idea of how to cook a lamb chop. Pretty easy. Marinade it, season it or otherwise spice it up. Heat a skillet smokin' hot and sear the lamb chop for 3-4 minutes per side. Easy enough. I can do that.

So I start the big heavy cast iron skillet to heating. The door bell rings. It's my neighbor. She's come to bearing gifts for the children. Thank you! Back to the kitchen. See hubby off to work. Is that the door bell again? Yes, it is. Back to the door, where I find my neighbor again with yet another item. Cool! Thank you again. I really am going to get dinner cooked. The skillet is definitely smokin' hot. I haven't seasoned the lamb chops yet.

With scissors in hand, I dash out the door. Ok, I was not running with scissors. More like moving slightly fast with scissors. I rarely run with anything these days. My knees object at the very thought of running. Why was I headed out the door with scissors? Rosemary. There's a big bunch of it growing just off the front porch. It's a nice hardy variety that has endured our coldest winter and hottest summer. Rosemary, coarse salt and pepper sounded like the perfect seasonings for the lamb chops.

So I pour a little oil in the smokin' hot skillet and rip open the lamb chops. I'm sprinkling salt, grinding pepper and trying to keep the skillet from bursting into flames. The lamb chops are finally in the skillet when I realize that I didn't add any rosemary. I quickly strip some leaves from the stem and sprinkle them over the lamb chops. Ahh the beautiful sound of sizzling meat.

They sizzled their way to a wonderful smell. Time to move the lamb chops in the heavy cast iron skillet to the oven. I forgot to open the oven door before engaging the heavy two-hands necessary skillet. So I park it on a pot holder until I can open the oven door. I slide it in but don't like the way fat is still popping around and producing smoke. So I set it back on an unheated burner and move onto the potatoes. After the fat has calmed down, I slide it into the oven. No smoke this time. No fire. A calm dinner will be achieved.

Fast forward to serving time. The children have been called down. The potatoes are finished. The meat has now rested nicely in the oven. Gravy. Gravy would be nice with the potatoes. And best would be gravy with the rosemary flavored pan drippings. So out comes the heavy, two-handed cast iron skillet. But it doesn't want to leave the oven. The pan hangs on the rack. That's odd. Just then I notice that the pot holder is underneath the skillet. Apparently the potholder couldn't handle the heat of a red hot, smokin' cast iron skillet.

My cast iron skillet is still sitting on the counter downstairs with a pot holder adhered to the bottom. I can't decide whether to soak it off in the sink or to build a fire in the fireplace and complete the incineration process. By the way, the lamb chops were delicious and both children ate their portion. Success...minus one burned potholder.