Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I spent in bed, wiped out with the flu. As I lay there, listening to the rain fall on the roof, my thoughts were of all the food I wanted to be cooking for my family on these rainy days of fall. This morning when I actually felt as though being vertical was an option my body could afford, my thoughts were of stew.
This super easy, super tasty stew began with grass-fed beef I bought at the Geneva Green Market from
CC Angus Beef. I have never tried grass-fed beef and was a little
leery of the testimonials I've heard. I've been told it tasted completely different than corn fed, was an acquired taste and that some just didn't like it. I decided stew meat was a good place to start. Inexpensive as grass-fed goes and easy to disguise if its flavor was not well received. I am happy to say the rare bit of my grocery budget dedicated to beef, did not go wasted. The flavor (it had flavor!) was rich and clean. Fresh from the package it
didn't have any of that weird smell that I often detect, in even fresh(?) organic beef.
A few ingredients, most of which are always at the ready were all I needed.
One of the beauties of this recipe is that the time consuming step of browning isn't necessary. Everything is tossed together in a heavy casserole or dutch oven and lightly covered with foil.
While it spent 5 hours of the afternoon in the oven, I was able to accomplish tons of what had been rattling around my head. I got the house in order, unearthed Halloween decorations and took down the remainder of summer deco, did two loads of laundry,
vacuumed, dusted, checked email, picked up Ella and Hen, got Jake from XC practice and stopped at Williams-
Sonoma and the bank. Those would be a mere 10 additional beauties of this recipe.
Out of the oven and on the table with quick muffins and homemade applesauce (again!). Jake was thrilled - it's one of his favorites and perfect after a cross country run in the rain.
Slow Cooked Beef Stew
Sarah Leah Chase's Year Around Cookbook - with minor modifications
2 1/2# lean beef stew meat, cut into 1" cubes
12 oz. carrots cut on the bias
1# baby new potatoes, I used
Yukons but reds are nice for color, halved or quartered
3) small or 1) large onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. celery seed
1 t. thyme
2 t. salt
2 t. freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups tomato juice
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. brown sugar
1 1/2 T. tapioca
Pre-heat oven to 275 degrees. Be sure your oven is accurate at this low temperature.
In a large casserole or dutch oven combine the beef with all the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
Whisk
together tomato juice, wine, Dijon, brown sugar, garlic, celery seed and thyme. When
thoroughly combined whisk the tapioca into the liquid. Add this mixture to the seasoned beef
and vegetables, stirring well to combine.
Cover the pan lightly with aluminum foil and cook 5 hours, without peeking. Serve immediately or
refrigerate overnight and re-heat the next day.
Yield: 6 generous servings
The book says it all, The Great Pumpkin Strikes Again! For years, the time proceeding Halloween includes weekly visits from the Great Pumpkin, at the yellow house. It's been happening for years and we aren't quite sure why we are lucky enough to be treated to such special visits. "He" arrives at night, long after we've all gone off to bed. Treats are left outside the front door, conveniently sheltered from autumn rains, on the porch.
Always bringing age appropriate and simple treats: window clings, Halloween crafts and books. The excitement builds until about 3rd grade. About this time the thrill shifts from being gifted, to being in on the gift. Henry was over the moon with anticipation of "his" visit and the rest of us are left wondering.....why us, in the yellow house?
