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. 

Sometimes your body craves a dish that is going to stick to your ribs a little bit. I love myself a hearty stew, and this one is free of potatoes, cream, and all the other bad stuff that usually accompanies stew. The fun thing about lamb osso bucco is that it is obviously made with lamb, so the flavors are very unique from what you would expect. This is an Italian dish and is delicious when served over polenta. 

Ingredients: 
2 pounds lamb shank, cubed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
5 sprigs fresh thyme 
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
zest of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and pepper

Directions: 
Heat oil in large la creuset type pan over high heat. Pat your lamb pieces dry, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge pieces in flour and add to pan. Sear on all sides until crispy and golden brown (under 10 minutes). Remove meat from pat. Cook your veggies with salt for 2-3 minutes, then add tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Deglaze pan with wine, add your broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Add your lamb back into the pan, cover and cook on low for 2 hours. Garnish with lemon zest, and parsley. Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve over polenta if desired. 

Bon Apetite! 

I love making dishes with ingredients that aren't your every day foods. Barley is an inexpensive and relatively easy ingredient to find, yet vastly under utilized in the kitchen. Barley is a wonderfully versatile grain with a rich nutlike flavor and an appealing pasta-like consistency. Tonight my husband made us a rich stew with delicious beef and barley, wonderful compliments to one another. 

Ingredients: 
1.5 lbs stew beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 celery stalks, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
4 carrots, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
3 bay leaves
2 springs thyme
1 cup instant pearled barley 
10 cups beef broth
Salt and Pepper

Heat your oil in a large le creuset pot. Pat your beef dry and add it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and cook and stir occasionally until brown on all sides. Remove your meat from the pot and then add your onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. Cook until soft and golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add your meat back to the pot. Add your thyme and bay leaves, and broth. Season again with about a teaspoon of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 1 hour. Add your barley and cook for another 20-25 minutes until both your barley and meat are tender. Add more salt and pepper if needed. 

This should give you about 4 servings. Its a relatively easy dish with a deep homey flavor. Its a great way to "beef" up your typical stew with a delicious and unexpected ingredient. I hope you enjoy it!