Dear fall, thank you for arriving so that I no longer have to feel guilty about craving beef stew. Beef stew is the ultimate cool weather comfort meal. Its hearty, flavorful, and filling. This recipe checks all of the boxes. Cooked low and slow, the meat is fall apart tender. The broth is fill a flask and sneak it into work good. You won't want to share the leftovers. Good luck with that. 

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons butter

2 onions, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

4 cans chicken broth

5 springs parsley

5 springs thyme

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 pound red potatoes, quartered

4 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

lavender salt and pepper to taste

Directions: In a large dutch oven, warm your oil and brown your seasoned meat. Set aside. In the same pot, melt your butter, soften your onion, add your garlic at the end and cook until fragrant, add your tomatoe paste and stir. Add your remaining herbs, broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, and meat to the pot. Bake in over for 2 hours at 325 degrees. Remove from oven, add your vinegar, season with salt and pepper. 

Sit by the fire, dip some crusty bread in this, and have yourself a wonderful afternoon. 

Forgive me, for I have sinned. What food blogger forgets to take a picture of her dinner before she eats it? This one. I'm so sorry. But it was just too dang good. I was so excited to eat it I didn't have the restraint to wait to chow down before I stuffed my face. Luckily for you I took a photo of my dirty dutch oven pot right when I grabbed this out of the oven, so you at least get an idea of the deliciousness. But a beautiful plate that will inspire you to make this recipe? You'll just have to use your imagination on that one, because my plate is already in the kitchen sink. #sorrynotsorry It was oh so good. 

Ingredients: (serves 3-4)

2 pound chuck roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion cut into quarters
4 potatoes, sliced into quarters
1 cup prechopped frozen carrots
1 tablespoon beef bullion paste
1 cup water
1 cup red wine
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
lavender salt and pepper 

Set your oven to 275. Pat your roast dry with a paper towel on all sides. Salt and pepper it down real well. Heat your oil in your dutch oven on medium high heat. Place your roast in the pot and sear it on all sides until its nice and crusty brown all over. You may have to hold it in place to get the thinner sides golden. Remove the roast to a plate and set aside. Then add your wine and deglaze your dutch oven. Mix your bullion paste with hot water and add that to your wine. Add your roast back into the pot and place your potatoes, carrots, and onions all around it. Sprinkle your herbs atop your roast and into the liquid. Cover your pot and place it in the oven for about 3 hours until the meat is soft enough it falls apart when you jab at it with a fork. 

There is just something that makes me so happy about having roast and potatoes for dinner. Happy eating!