Mama's Beef Stew

Today is Thursday.

Ah another busy day and another winter weather advisory. Sounds like beef stew to me! I even used the annoying crock pot for you guys. Someone can explain to Steve why he had to clean a pot AND a crock pot because I do not get what the advantage is. I'll give instructions for both ways and you go ahead and choose how you want to do your stew. This homey meal warmed up my frozen little body (and soul) tonight. The meat seriously melted in my mouth and happiness rushed down my body to my toes. And my children devoured it. Heard around the table tonight:

"Luca try a meat! It's so good!" 

"I ate all my carrots and my peas and my meats and my green things!" (followed obviously with a request for treats, and a grammar lesson)

"Mom, your hair looks wet. Oh it's just greasy." 

"Sit down!" "Stop kicking me!" "Sit down!" "Sienna get back in your seat!" "Eat over your bowl!"

"Moooom, Luca made me eat a mushroom!" ["How?"] "I saw him eating one and I didn't know what it was so I ate it on accident!" ["And?"] "It was fine." 

Do you see what I am dealing with here! Rachel Ray doesn't have to listen to this while she eats!

Mama's Beef Stew 

Ingredients

2 lbs. beef chuck pot roast, cubed in 2" cubes Or however much your family eats. I had 2 lbs., 4 oz.

1/2 cup flour

2 tsp. salt, plus more

1 tsp. pepper, plus more

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 T. fresh parsley, chopped Dried is fine too - 2tsp.

1 T. olive oil

5 carrots, peeled and chopped Or however many you want/have

5 stalks celery, rinsed and chopped Or however many you want/have- be spontaneous!

2 onions, roughly diced Or however many you want/have

1/2 cup red wine, or more 

1 can tomato paste or 1 15 oz. can tomato sauce

2 potatoes, peeled and diced Or whatever...sweet potatoes, no potatoes, less or more...all OK

8 oz. mushrooms, washed and quartered You love mushrooms. Actually and onions. Keep both.

2 cups frozen peas and/or frozen or fresh green beans. Catching my drift? There are no rules in stew.

Sexy picture of carrots. I know I have a problem.

 Instructions 

1) Mix flour, salt, pepper, and parsley in a large bowl. Add meat by the handful to the bowl and stir after each handful is added to fully coat all the chunks of meat.

2) Heat olive oil in a heavy, wide pan over medium heat. Add meat to the pan so that it lays in a single layer. Brown meat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often to ensure most sides have some good color. If using crock pot, pour meat into crock pot. 

This meat was seriously amazing.

3) Add carrots, celery and onion to pot and top with wine and tomato paste or sauce. If using paste, refill can with water four times and pour each one into pot. If using sauce, refill it twice with water and pour that water into pot both times. Liquids should just cover amount of beef and vegetables you have used. Adjust accordingly with wine and water or beef broth if you like. Season with salt and pepper to taste. My mom adds herbs de Provence here. I didn't have have any of that fanciness. You can also add a bay leaf or a tsp. of rosemary/thyme/parsley/oregano here if you'd like.

4) Let your stew cook over low heat for an hour, stirring whenever you'd like. After an hour, add the potatoes and mushrooms. Let it cook another hour. Add the frozen vegetables. Give it another hour to cook, stirring occasionally. Taste and season accordingly. After three hours on the stove, the stew will be ready. If it's in the crock pot, give it another hour to cook, stirring. 

Obviously I didn't actually allow anyone to eat bread. I gave them potatoes!