As promised, a food blog.

The other day fall temps really hit us hard, and every year at that time I get catapulted into the kitchen to welcome it with style. I don't know what it is about fall...I guess because summer is so hot and the last thing I want to do is slave over a stove or eat anything warm.

Anyway- one of my favorite fall and winter dishes: the quintessential beef stew. This one is a little less ordinary than your brown-gravy drowned old-timey beef stew. Not that there is anything wrong with brown gravy. I love me some brown gravy. And this stew also sports its own version of brown gravy, with lots more flavor.

I have to admit, I'm really hesitant to post my recipes on here. The thing is, I love to cook...but I don't exactly pay too much attention to measurements...so I'm afraid something is going to get lost in translation since I just instinctively throw in ingredients. I will do my best to guesstimate though, and hopefully it will turn out right.



(The supporting role in Beef Stew was portrayed by Garlic Cheddar Biscuits- recipe also to follow)

So...here's how I do it.

Beef Stew

1.5-2 lbs stew meat (If your grocery's stew meat looks like dog scraps, skip it. You want good quality meat here. Sometimes I just buy a chuck roast and cube it up myself, discarding all the icky looking pieces)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
1/4-1/2 cup flour
1/2 small can tomato paste
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 yellow or white onions, sliced in large chunks
1.5 tsp dried thyme
1 cup red wine
1 (quart) box beef stock
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes undrained
5-6 carrots, sliced
4-5 red potatoes, diced
1-2 tsp sugar, optional

Place the meat in a bowl and cover with salt, pepper and flour. Place a stock pot on medium-high heat and let it get hot. Coat the bottom with olive oil and then brown the meat really well. Add onions, garlic, thyme and cook for a couple of minutes. Then add the tomato paste. Make sure your pot is still really hot and then add the wine. Scrape off all the bits at the bottom of the pan, then add the stock and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for at least 4 hours, longer if possible. I prefer to make it in the morning and simmer it all day.  About 30 minutes to an hour before you're ready to eat, remove the lid and add the carrots and potatoes. Increase heat to a low boil and it's ready when the sauce thickens and the carrots and potatoes are soft. (If you like peas, add a handful of frozen peas a few minutes before serving) And always, before serving, TASTE IT! It usually will need additional salt and pepper, and I usually add sugar at the end, it brings out all the flavors and takes away some of the tomato acidity.

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And now for the biscuits...yep...these are a replica of the Red Lobster biscuits. Not that I frequent Red Lobster, but back when Hubs was in college he worked there and man those biscuits were goooood.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

1 cup Bisquick (I never have Bisquick, but I found this "recipe" for Bisquick and it works well.)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup milk
2 tbs butter
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp garlic salt

Mix Bisquick, cheddar, garlic powder and milk. Don't over-mix it. Scoop them out on a greased cookie (8 medium sized biscuits) sheet and bake at 400 for about 8 minutes. Melt the butter with the garlic salt and parsley. Brush onto biscuits and bake for about 5 more minutes until browned.