Apparently it is week 14 of ‘I am blissfully domestic’. I did not know this or I would have been blissfully domestic way before now. But since I’ve been meaning to give you a couple of my favorite recipes and Kim at ForeverWherever always hosts Tasty Tuesdays, I’m joining both parties. I’ve been promising you a beef stew tutorial video…which I went to the trouble of making….and it’s horrible. Or ‘harrible’ as I would have sounded on the video. I’m not so fond of my video’d voice. So I give you the limited pictures I took and my very granny-ish instructions on
The Best Beef Stew Ever
Start with a package of boneless stew meat. I usually buy a large package for my large family (I’m guessing 2-3 pounds). Coat it with Canadian steak seasoning and salt it, then dredge it in flour. In a very hot dutch oven with a generous amount of oil added, brown the meat on all sides. Once browned, add 1/2 cup (or so) of red wine and then enough beef stock to cover the meat and place the cover on the dutch oven and place it into a 250 degree oven. Let it cook for 3-4 hours. Three’s probably enough, but if you leave it for four…that’s okay too. After four hours, take it out of the oven and it will look something like this.
Then chop the following items into bite sized pieces: 4 carrots, 1 large onion, 4 large red potatoes (don’t use russet: they turn to mush), and a package of cremini mushrooms. At this point you can just add all these veggies to the stew or you can go the extra mile and give these a short saute in some olive oil to release some of their natural sugar. I think the extra step is worth it but I’ve done it both ways based on time. Generously salt and pepper the veggies and then add more beef stock so that most of the veggies are covered. Don’t totally submerse them though or there’ll be too much liquid. Also add a few shakes of red pepper, a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce, 2 T. of garlic-herb seasoning, and 2 T. of honey. Put back into the oven at 250 for another 3 hours.
When you take it out of the oven, the veggies should be soft but not mushy. Now for the part that makes my family think I’m a superhero: Add 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 t. sugar, stir and then taste it. It may need more salt, pepper, honey, whathaveyou. To finish it, thaw a half bag of frozen peas in the microwave and add those to the stew and then add 2T. of tomato paste. Put it back into the oven until your ready to serve. You can turn the oven off and just let it bask in the warmth. Serve with southern cornbread and prepare for lives to be changed. I forgot to take a picture just as it came out the oven, but here it is after 7 hungry people devoured it!
Enjoy!
Note to parents: The flour that you use to dredge the meat in is what will thicken your stew so be generous.
Mocha Cake
If you could see what my copy of this recipe looks like, you’d think I were 75 years old and had made it once a week. That’s the sign of a good recipe. You must make this cake. K?
2c all purpose flour Butter Cream Frosting
1 1/2 c sugar 2 stick butter, softened
3/4 c cocoa powder 1T vanilla extract
1 t baking soda 1/8 t salt
1/2 t baking powder 2 pounds powdered sugar
1/4 t salt 1/2 c strong brewed coffee
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened 1/2 c cocoa powder
3 large eggs Garnish with cocoa powder and powdered sugar
1 c water
1 1/2 t. vanilla
1. Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour 2 8 inch round cake pans.
2. For the cake: Beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. When smooth add dry ingredients and water. Beat for 3 minutes and divide batter evenly between the pans.
3. Bake 25-30 minutes and then cool cakes completely before frosting.
4. For the frosting: Mix butter, vanilla, and salt and then slowly begin adding sugar and coffee, alternating. Beat until smooth. Remove about 2 cups of the frosting into a cake decorating bag or into a ziplock bag. (freezer ziplocks work better for this because they’re more sturdy). Then add 1/2 c cocoa to the remaining frosting. Use this chocolate mocha frosting to ice the cakes. If it’s not spreading well you can add a little more coffee and maybe a t. or so of milk to thin it out. Reserve a small amount of the chocolate frosting to make a few chocolate ‘points’ on the cake. Using the buttercream mocha frosting that you reserved earlier, pipe ‘points’ onto the cake. Use up all the frosting with as many ‘points’ as you can fit. Then add a few chocolate ‘points’ for good measure.
Ta-da.
Your family will never leave the house again.
Note to readers: The mocha cake is not an original recipe. I have no idea from what website or magazine it was originally taken. My apologies to the chef. No matter what I do I cannot get blogger to let me line up those ingredients how I’d like. ** The right column is the icing, the left column is the cake. **Also, my email address has been completely recovered and restored by the administration at hotmail. (High fives). I will continue to use livinglifeingrace@gmail.com for blogging purposes. Thank you and God bless.
and I like cowboy boots, C.S. Lewis, good food, strong coffee, banjo music and books. I am a deeply flawed momma of 4 and grateful receiver of more good gifts than one heart can hold. I fight for joy and find it in the most unexpected places. I make quirky look normal, relish in my small town Southern way of living, and am learning that it's all grace--every last bit of it. 
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I’ve been waiting for life changin’ beef stew.
love, Cindy
and I have been waiting for the mocha chocolate cake.. with it, i might be a contender for the gardian angel-ship!!! hope today is much better for you edie!! love ya!
Thanks for the recipe I love beef stew!
Oh Edie you MUST love us! I am so gonna make both of these. Thanks again for sharing!
Hey Edie!! I’m glad the hackers didn’t prevail…don’t worry about the mullet email ever being lost. I have it backed up on a disc because you never know. Oddly enough, I don’t have many family pictures backed up….thanks for the recipes!
That cook looks absolutely divine! Mocha, chocolate – two of my favorite things!
Well, Heavenly Hanna! This all looks wonderful. I’m now starving.
Come over and see my giveaway…send all your buds my way as well. You’ll like it!!!
Thanks for the Beef Stew recipe. I’ve always guessed at how to make it…maybe that’s why it hasn’t worked out so well! I’m going to make this on one of the cold nights coming up. It looks warm and yummy! Your desserts always look great!!! What an awesome Mom!
-Kim
Whoa, you are killin me with the Mocha Cake recipe. *drools*
YUM!! Whatever the cause Edie, I truly love when you share recipes. Always the best day of my week
Perhaps I will go make your mocha cake as a belated birthday gift to myself since no one made me a cake yesterday…
HUGS!
Kirsten
oh Edie!
now you will know how often i check my blog…haha i just got your comment from weeks ago! and i do believe the Verity has 2 quite awesome fans (ahem. you and i) and all the others…i had such a good time skating your pictures are great…as always
love ya!
Hi Edie –
You have soooo ruined my eat-healthy-take-care-of-my-body routine!
I tell ya…it’s 10pm right now and I was heading to bed, but just might whip me up a mocha cake instead. Yum!
(You are not a good friend!) *wink*
Pooh. I don’t like mocha- but the cake does LOOK good.
And the stew? I ‘ll take it!
I saw this link on Blissfully Domestic, and I’m glad I dropped by. I like how you took photos of your food in different stages. The recipes sound great.
-Lori
http://www.thetowells.com
Um, can you just whip this up for me, cuz you know I don’t cook. PLEASE….please….You are the best! : ) xo
i will have to try this version of beef stew!! it looks so yummy- with the cream! and… the mocha cake may be on our valentine’s dinner menu!! i have been wanting to try this cake! i send love over your way…
makin the beef stew as I type!!!! cant wait to devour it tonight with some warm french bread.
K, I’m going to attempt your stew. What does dredge mean? Just roll the meat in flour? Any particular kind of wine that’s good? I don’t know my wine. If you get this in time great, otherwise, have fun in AL. I’ll let you know how it turns out, I’m sure Kimball and his scouts will love having it up at their winter campout tomorrow.
Hi, I came over from your comment at The Nester's site. I am looking forward to trying both of these recipes.
I, too, am making this right now and came over from The Nester's place. I have a couple of questions though. What is the Canadian seasoning and what is in your garlic-herb seasoning because I don't have either one of them on hand. I just salt and peppered the beef then added some seasonings with the veggies but I'm sure to do it right would taste better. Maybe the garlic-herb is something I can make?
This is now one of my husband's favorite meals. Maybe you should put that disclaimer on the post, seeing as how you invest about a year of your life making it. But it IS scrumptious – and I don't usually even like beef stew! I leave out the tomato paste, but otherwise make it per recipe..
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Made this today for my family , everyone loved it. Best ever!
HI Edie – I am in constant awe as I look over your blog, every day is a beautiful surprise to see your beautiful new home. You are a real source of encouragement after what you have been through. God is good and may he bless your family now and forever. Betty Baker,from Ontario ,Canada.
Very yummy stew. Looking forward to leftovers for lunch tomorrow.
oh yay! thanks for sharing
Edie, I made this wonderful stew and mocha cake last night for my son who is home from college for another week. He invited three buddies over to have “his Mom’s awesome food”……. I live alone and absolutely loved drawing in these thankful college kids who appreciate a home cooked meal. I think they will be back!
I just finished making and eating the beef stew. It’s the best I’ve made, my family loved it. Thank you.
Tanya
The name does not lie, this is the best ever!
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