Happy Birthday Kristin!

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Our eldest daughter is having her birthday today. Happy Birthday Kristin.

Birthdays are times for a little reflection and appreciation. Remembering back to her birth was an eventful process with my bride Laura having to endure a night of labor before they finally decided a c section would be mercifully offered.

Those that say the personality you witness at birth is an acorn of what they will become is all too true. Kristin entered the world powerfully, screaming and indignant that someone ‘disturbed her slumber!” Amazingly, when the nurses handed her to me… she stopped screaming. I think all that talking to her in the womb gave me points.

Kristin has married a wonderful guy and I couldn’t be happier for her… her life is ahead of her and today is but a milestone.

 

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The one pot meal: Swedish Lamb Stew!

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“Swedish Turnips” or Rutabagas ( in the turnip family and a stronger taste) are a key ingredient in this fun Swedish dish. Of course, we include baby turnips!

Red potatoes, sweet onions, green onions, garlic, carrots, celery, parsley, chard help insure that you get your vegetables! 😉

All of this surrounds chunks of beautiful seared lamb!

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Some of the veggies require more time in cooking… So it’s nice to precook (Carmelized onions is nice) the veggies!

I love the one pot meal and I hope you do too.

Bon Appetite!

Happy Anniversary Sweetheart

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Anniversaries are times to remember and reflect. Wedding anniversaries are amazing things and if you are happy and busy… They roll around quickly and unexpectedly.

I sit here thankful for someone who has been a great friend and brought a sincere sweetness to my life.

Happy Anniversary Honey!

Food is love: Beef Bouguignon

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People who know me know I love these “one pot meals”. They seem to call to me from some long lost time when we all had a single pot on the fire and threw a bit of today’s catch in to help complete a meal.

“Beef with Bourguignon” is simply cooked cubes of seared beef with broth and wine ( I simply use Pinot Noir… But others suggest “Cote du Rhone”, Cabernet Savignon or any handy red) and a few veggies along with typical seasonings that go well with beef.

The process is fairly straightforward . Besides a lot of peeling, there is the slow cooking that tenderizes the beef and blends the flavors!

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Personally, I like to sauté the ingredients beforehand after peeling and sear the beef! So in the tradition of the one pot meal ( think: Stone Soup) here are the basics:

Several pounds of cubed beef. Searing will convert some of the flesh to sugar and toughen the meat, but the long cooking will tenderize it.

French Trinity: diced large onion, sliced carrots and chopped celery.

About four shallots

A couple bunches of green onions sliced

Crushed garlic

( can you tell I love onions?)

Beef stock

sauteed mushrooms

Wine ( equal to beef Stock) enough to submerge what you are cooking!

Potatoes diced

Baby Turnips (under 2″ in diameter) sliced (peal then place on flat spot and slice about 1/4″)

Seasonings: thyme, rosemary, white pepper, black pepper, garlic powder and sage. I add some chopped parsley. Personally, I love the taste of Fenugreek ( spice of the Greeks) and I add this at the end of the process.

In my crockpot this takes about 6 hours on high… The I turn it down to low. I find it wonderfully satisfying!

Bon Appetite !!