beef+carrot stew

How about that snowstorm?

Quite a doozy.

Surprisingly, school is cancelled tomorrow.

Some towns are cancelling Halloween.

Crazy, right?

Down wires + a bunch of kids on the road could

=

no fun.

So the best thing I did was make this

Beef Stew with Carrots 

for our Saturday eve in.

The recipe is from

APPLES for JAM

by Tessa Kiros

It was so so delish

with mashed potatoes

+ 

String beans

+ 

apple free form pie with vanilla icecream for dessert.

I highly recommend.

Beef Stew with Carrots

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds beef round, or stewing beef, cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes

salt

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, chopped

4 thyme sprigs

1/2 cup light red wine

1/2 cup canned tomato sauce

3 cups hot water

3 carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1 1/2 inch chunks

Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole.  Add the beef and brown it over high heat until it is deep golden on all sides, salting the done parts as you go.  Add the onion and fry until it is lightly browned and looking a bit sticky.  Add the butter, garlic, and thyme, and cook until you can smell the garlic.  Add the wine. Cook until it has evaporated, and then add the tomato sauce.

Add 3 cups of hot water and bring to a boil.  Cover, turn the heat to minimum, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, giving it a stir now and then.  The meat should be soft and there should be a good amount of liquid.  Add the carrots and sprinkle them with a little salt.  Cook uncovered for another 20- 30 minutes, until the carrots are cooked all the way through but not collapsing, the meat is meltingly soft, and the sauce fairly thickened.  

Remove from the heat, leave the lid off for 10 minutes or so and then serve with mashed potatoes.

Serves 4.

OH and Happy Halloween!

photo found here