I know the very best people. I know you think you do, but you’re wrong. Because I do. So there.

So, one of the people I know that falls into that “best” category is my friend Lynnette. And Lynnette just happens to be the daughter of some more “best” people: Tom and Gail Sloan. As in Representative Tom Sloan. That’s right. See what I did there? I just let you all know that I am so important I actually know a state representative.

Tom and Gail have mountains of accolades. They are community-minded. They have big, fancy degrees, and run big, fancy businesses. They’re also really cool and fun, and they also have a farm. That’s right, they are sheep farmers.

Gail and Tom have raised sheep for 33 years. They raise registered Columbia sheep, a dual-purpose meat and wool breed. Their animals are raised on grass and grain with no added hormones or other medications in the feed. All of this just means that they are more cool than you can imagine.

They recently invited me and my children out to see the sheep (and the llama!) and take home a sampling of their wares.

I had never before cooked a leg of lamb. I mean, I know that’s dumb, because lamb is good and it’s a neat thing for Easter. While I’ve eaten it, I’d never purchased and cooked one.

So out we go to see the sheep and home I come, toting a lamb’s leg in a thermal bag. My husband, Mr. Meat and Potatoes, almost came unglued. This was epic. I was going to roast a leg of lamb right there in the house, and he was going to get to eat it, and see what I mean? Best. People.

So I did it. I had a sack of peaches sitting around and I needed to use them up and my kids, it turns out, neither one are fans of the fresh peach (what is wrong with them? I’ll never understand). So I turned those suckers into a rosemary-peach glaze and I roasted that leg of lamb like a boss.

Let me also just let you know that I did this on a weeknight and it wasn’t all that hard, but if you want to look like a total goddess to your husband, go ahead and work all day, run home and toss a leg of lamb in the oven with some carrots, and whip up some mashed potatoes. And then stop doing laundry and dishes for a week because you are already winning.

http://www.lawrence.com/users/photos/2014/jul/16/276420/

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Rosemary-Peach Glaze

My theory was that this thing was too large to sear, so I wanted to sort of “sear” it in the oven. That meant high temp for about 20 minutes and low temp for another 2 hours. So yes, try to start this before 6 p.m. unless you are into eating at 9 p.m., which we are not.

Begin with the meat at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Give the meat a liberal coating of salt and cracked pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of your roasting pan (or, if you are me, in a large Pyrex because you threw out your roasting pan in a fit of anger over its filthiness), and toss in a few whole carrots because they will cook along with the lamb, and boom, there’s your veggie.

Pop it in there and let it cook until you get a good sizzle on it. Then remove it, turn down the heat to 300 F, and cover the meat with your rosemary-peach glaze.

Return to the oven until you get an internal temperature of 145 F, about 2 hours depending on the size of your leg of lamb.

Rosemary-Peach Glaze

6 or 8 peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped rosemary (fresh is by far the best here)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer over medium-low heat until the peaches begin to break down and the sauce reduces and thickens. Stir often.

That is it! This is a beautiful meal that looks like you require a degree from some fancy culinary college, but really it’s just a matter of time and large-capacity cookware.

Visit the Sloan farm if you ever get the opportunity. I can’t promise you a free leg of lamb, but I can promise you’ll be happy you went. They are, after all, among the best people, and they welcome visitors!

They have hosted groups as diverse as the Douglas County Dads and their children and Kansas School for the Blind students and family members. One day I hope to take the kiddos I work with at Ballard Community Services out to see the animals and maybe get a little civics lesson to boot.