BEEF STEW

The story of the beef stew:

My hubby and I went to Whole Foods a couple weeks ago and we were looking at the beef display. The butcher started talking to us. He told us about this delicious beef stew he made from his home town of Italy. He said the secret ingredient was the herbes de Provence. When you save roast beef it all starts to taste the same and the flavors run together, but this herb does not allow the flavors to mix and that the stew would taste as good the fifth day as it did the first.

We looked at each other, bought the meat, and went and got all the ingredients.

We made it last Monday and we still were having it last Friday - it was delicious - it tasted better than the first day.

BEEF STEW

Ingredients:

1/3 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds of boneless shoulder roast - cut into 1 inch cubes
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onions
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups beef broth
a can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
1 pound new potatoes, quartered
2 small zucchini, cult lengthwise in half, then crosswise 1/2 thick
2 small summer squash, cut lengthwise 1/2 thick
10 baby carrots
1/2 cup nicoise olives, pitted and cut in half (or Kalamata Olive)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
grated Parmesan cheese - optional

DIRECTIONS:

Combine flour, salt, and pepper, Reserve 1 tablespoon of flour mixture.
Lightly coat beef with remaining mixture.

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in stockpot over medium heat until hot.
Brown half the beef and remover from stock pot.
Repeat with remaining oil and beef and remove.

Add onions and garlic to stockpot; cook 3 to minutes until onions are tender.
Add wine, increase heat to medium high.
Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned bits attached to stockpot are dissolved.

Stir in broth tomatoes, herbes de Provence, and reserved flour mixture.
Return beef to stockpot, bring to boil.
Reduce hear, cover tightly and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beef is fork tender.

Add potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots to stockpot; continue simmering, covered, 15 to 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Add olives and basil; cook uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve with cheese if desired.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:





PS We finally heard from school number three. We are set up for an interview (the first one we have been invited too) on 2/27/12 at 2pm - they will test him and talk or interview us. So prayers on that day would be great and thanks so much in advance.