Hello!
Happy Wednesday!
I saw this on Facebook today. Cracked me up!
So, I jumped both feet into my 8 week marathon training plan yesterday. Knocked out a quick 7.28 miles. I honestly didn’t mean it to be so quick but … well, it was cold! I had to run fast! 🙂
Actually, I pretty much just went out on an “explore” and checked out the running routes around my house (preliminary testing for those early morning runs once I find a J.O.B.) and then headed up to the park.
I took the long way to the park and was a little afraid I was going to overshoot my mileage. Luckily, there are 2 routes once inside the park and I took the short one back. I could have done more but – it’s an aggressive plan and I didn’t want to overdo it.
So, I overdid it when I got home by finally getting all the boxes in the bedroom unpacked and rearranging the dresser drawers.
This is what I looked like by dinner time:
So, I tried to stretch some while I was making dinner.
And do some pistol squats.
Because, those seemed like a good idea.
Yeah.
Not so much.
But, dinner was a GREAT idea!
My sailor unpacked my cookbooks while I was unpacking the bedroom boxes and arranged them all on my cookbook bookcase.
Yes, I have a bookcase for just my cookbooks.
some cookbooks not pictured. 🙂
I need another one because it’s stuffed.
Or less cookbooks.
Hmm.
Anywho, it was pretty chilly yesterday so I was in the mood for a stew of some sort.
But, not one that would take forever to cook – which I normally love! – but, well, I didn’t have time for that.
I found a recipe for a beef and vegetable stew in my Paleo Diet Cookbook.
So, a little about me and beef stew.
I WANT to love beef stew.
I try so hard to love beef stew.
I’ve tried quite a few different recipes and they all smell just so good while they’re cooking but, when I get to the finished product, I’m always a little disappointed.
Everyone else always loves it but there’s something about the texture and doneness of the meat. Yes, doneness is a word.
But, I keep trying them because – well, apparently, I’m a glutton for punishment.
And, sometimes, I find a gem in the coal mine that is beef stew recipes.
And, this one, my friends, is a sparkling diamond!
O.
M.
G.
This was SO GOOD!
It doesn’t require all day to cook and I think that’s a major part of why I liked it so much. The beef cooks just enough.
Plus, it has butternut squash in it.
I ❤ butternut squash.
Beef Stew with Vegetables
serves 4
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds chuck steak, cut into cubes
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium flame (I used my Dutch oven). Add meat to skillet and brown evenly on all sides, for approximately twelve minutes. Remove from skillet.
2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, onion, and garlic to pan. Saute for 5 minutes. Toss in carrots, celery, and squash and saute for 5 additional minutes.
3. Return beef to skillet. Pour in broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Add bay leaf, rosemary, and oregano. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with black pepper.
4. OM. NOM. NOM!
Question: How do you feel about beef stew? Do you have a favorite recipe?
– jennifer
Oh, irony, you funny funny thing.
A Hungry Runner 