When you start feeling depressed about the direction of our country and when things aren't going well in your life, there are two things you have to do--eat and study nature for guidance. Every culture has a comfort food and all of us have that special food we loved in our childhood. The dish in this blog entry is Irish and it's the favorite of Erin, a member of the Hefty Trio. The dish can be found in Murder Before The Bell.
Henry David Thoreau lived in a troubled time and he went to Walden Pond to learn the secrets of nature. "The Battle of the Ants," a chapter in his book Walden shows what he learned by studying ants. Below the recipe, we have included another animal from whom we can learn a great deal--the household cat.
Eat
Erin's Beef Stew
Zinfandel provides a spicy contrast to the heavy flavor of the broth. Some people like to serve this stew with Colcannon, this one is served with noodles.
Serves 6
Serves 6
2 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons of butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons of butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 large carrots, peeled, sliced
2 cups pearl onions
2 cups pearl onions
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
3/4 cup canned beef broth
1 can of stout or dark ale
Beef, onions, garlic and carrots
Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper and coat it with the flour. Melt butter in a heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add the beef and sauté until it is brown on all sides about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic, carrots, and onions to skillet and cook for one minute. Add broth, tomato paste and stout. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 hours until beef and carrots are tender, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
1 can of stout or dark ale
Beef, onions, garlic and carrots
Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper and coat it with the flour. Melt butter in a heavy medium skillet over high heat. Add the beef and sauté until it is brown on all sides about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic, carrots, and onions to skillet and cook for one minute. Add broth, tomato paste and stout. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 to 3 hours until beef and carrots are tender, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
Prepare noodles as per the directions on the package. Pour the beef stew over the noodles and serve.
Study Nature
Mellow Out--Lessons Learned From Household Cats is a fun read that explores the influence cats have on our lives. The book delves into twenty areas where their behavior provides a calming effect. Each section begins with a quote that reflects mainstream thinking on the topic. This is followed by comments on how this concept plays out in society, and then, how the cats respond. Finally, there is a discussion on how to use the behaviors of the cats to improve our lives. The broad themes of the book focus on how to take care of ourselves, how to tolerate adversity and how to embrace our emotions.
Table of Contents
Dedication
Introduction
Part 1—The Lessons
Chapter 1 Paperwork Is Evil
Chapter 2 Protect What’s Yours At All Costs
Chapter 3 It’s OK To Be Pleasantly Plump
Chapter 4 Complain About The Little Things
Chapter 5 No Guilt—Getting High Is Natural
Chapter 6 Love Is Overrated
Chapter 7 A Little Brown-nosing Isn’t So Bad
Chapter 8 Jealousy Is A Good Thing
Chapter 9 Patience Is Not Always A Virtue
Chapter 10 Pretend Like You Don’t Care
Chapter 11 It’s OK To Embrace Both Sides Of Your Personality
Chapter 12 Bury Your Crap
Chapter 13 Don’t Let the Fleas Gain Control
Chapter 14 Macho Guys Finish Last
Chapter 15 Respect People Who Are Not Very Bright
Part 2—And Then There Was Willie
Chapter 16 Change Sucks
Chapter 17 Curiosity Is The Fabric Of Life
Chapter 18 Tragedy Strikes Again
Chapter 19 Friendship Requires Work
Chapter 20 It’s OK To Be Vulnerable
The Recipe For Becoming Mellow
Purchase Mellow Out--Lessons Learned From Household Cats for only $1.99. Click here.
