throwing snow

Again with the snow. It started up this morning, and the trees are so heavy with it that they are throwing giant blobs down to the ground. Occasionally also crashing into the roof. We've decided to take cover for now and maybe will venture out later when it calms down again. Even though our Christmas plans have changed, we have a big pot of chili to tide us over until we can go visit family this weekend.



I knew it was going to be an unusual year when the Christmas cactus started to bloom. We've had the plant at least 6 years (Nick thinks its been 10, procured before my time) and it has never bloomed. But a few weeks ago the buds started erupting from the succulent leaves.

Hope your year is full of pleasant surprises and happy times.

meat to please you

Older houses have their charms, but poor insulation is not one of them. The temperatures have been below freezing all week and a layer of ice and snow has hardened on the ground. Another, smaller, layer of ice has started to grow on our bedroom window. On the inside. Yes, its very cold up there. That's why we hover around the heated downstairs and think of things to bake in the oven. Tonight is no exception, with a favorite beef stew recipe. We've been making this recipe on our winter weekend getaways over the past few years. The stew is fairly simple to make, but does require 3 hours of oven time. On a day like today, that is a most welcome part of the meal.



The dish also requires a can of Guinness stout, whose malty flavor reminds me of the first pint of Guinness I ever had. It was in the lounge of our hotel/dormitory on the day we arrived in Dublin 10 years ago on my birthday. I drank it all and could barely follow everyone to the restaurant we ate in that night. That was probably the first full pint of beer I'd ever had. So much for starting off with lager. Maybe if I had had a little of this stew in my stomach before we started in with the pints.



(The title of this post comes from a sign outside the butcher shop in one of the small towns we lived near in Ireland. It read "Pleased to meet you and meat to please you.")

Beef and Carrot Stew
from Martha Stewart Living Magazine

1 1/2 pounds chuck steak (or other stewable beef) cut into 1 inches cubes and trimmed of most fat
All purpose flour
3 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
7 whole allspice
10 whole peppercorns
olive oil
3 leeks, white and pale green parts, chopped
3 stalks of celery, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 can Guinness stout (or other brand)
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 strip of orange zest
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes
1 pound carrots, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
extra parsley for garnish

1) Heat oven to 375 degrees. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper, toss in some flour to coat the beef lightly.
2) Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a deep, ovenproof pan (a dutch oven works nicely) over medium-high heat. Brown half of the beef, 3 to 4 minutes, flipping to brown another side for a few more minutes. Remove browned beef, add more oil if needed, and brown the remaining beef. Remove beef to platter.
3) Add leeks, celery and garlic to pot (adding more oil if needed) and stir. Let cook about 7 minutes until softened. Add can of stout and scrape any remaining browned bits from bottom of pot.
4) Add beef back to pot. Add stock, strip of zest, and enough water to cover meat. Tie parsley, thyme and whole spices in a bundle made from cheesecloth and add to pot. Bring to a boil, and then cover and place in oven. Let cook for 2 hours.
5) Add potatoes and carrots to pot. Cover and let cook another hour. Once cooking has finished, removed cheesecloth bag from stew and serve with crusty bread. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.