Lamb shortage-Key Lime Pound Cake-Spinach Pesto Ravioli

I awoke the other morning to hear Bella what I thought sounded like humming to the tune/rhyme of Mary Had A Little Lamb. Her legs were twitching like she was running after something. I guessed she must have been in the middle of an early morning dream thinking about those darn lambs again. Seems she can't stop thinking about her favorite lamb/rice dog food that has suddenly vanished from the store's shelves. It certainly was a mystery to us how a popular and I might add favorite dog food could disappear from several chain stores.

Fortunately, a search on the Internet solved the mystery as well as a recent newspaper article. Who would have ever guessed there could be a lamb shortage!! And to think the demand for lamb more than doubles during the spring holiday. Bad timing! Meat packers, butchers, and chefs blame the increase of lamb prices due to the shortage of imported lamb and the weak American dollar. So I have tucked my roasted rack of lamb with herb crust recipe away till next holiday and will settle on two other recipes. At least I know their ingredients are plentiful.

As for Bella she has been forced to settle on a new chicken/rice variety mix till we see the lambs come gamboling back.

FYI: Mary Had A Little Lamb a 19th century children's nursery rhyme was written by Sarah Hale from Boston. It was interesting to note that the words to this rhyme were the first ones ever recorded by Thomas Edison on tinfoil on his phonograph.

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Ravioli with Spinach Pesto

Ingredients:

• 1 package refrigerated four cheese ravioli or tortellini
• 12. oz. babypan squash or yellow summer squash halved lengthwise
• 3-1/2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/2 cup fresh basil
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup bottled Caesar Parmesan vinaigrette salad dressing
• 1 TB. olive oil
• Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Cook ravioli according to package directions
• Add squash last 2-3 minutes of cooking and drain
• In blender add spinach, basil, salad dressing and 1 TB. olive oil
• Cover and process till smooth
• Toss with ravioli
• Add shredded Parmesan cheese on top

Key Lime Pound Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup softened margarine
• 2-3/4 cups sugar (it called for 3 cups but I cut back 1/4 cup)
• 6 large eggs-separated
• 3 cups sifted cake flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup lite sour cream
• 3 TB. lime zest
• 1/2 cup Key lime juice-if can't find real Key limes use fresh limes but not bottled lime juice

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 and grease a tube pan
• In large bowl beat butter and margarine till creamy
• Gradually adding sugar and beating until fluffy
• Add egg yolks one at a time beating well after each addition
• In another bowl sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt
• Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream and ending with flour
• Beat well after each addition
• Add lime juice and zest beat well
• Beat egg whites with a dash of creme of tartar until stiff peaks
• Fold into batter
• Bake 1 hour and 15 to 30 minutes but check @ 15 minutes with a long wooded toothpick inserted in center till comes out clean
• Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack
• Invert and cool on a wire rack