Birthday Cakes

We had a big party for my friend Dana and I provided cakes. 8 inch 2 layer cakes, 3 of them, in vanilla/almond, chocolate/chocolate, and carrot/cream cheese flavors respectively.

Classic Beef Stew

A regular beef stew is one of the easiest dishes in the world to make. I am a master cutter, chopper, and prepper, so it's one of my favorite things to do. I love to have neat piles of veggies and the stew lasts for days!

1 top or bottom round roast (or chuck will do in a pinch), approx 4 lbs. Fat trimmed and meat cut in 1 inch cubes
vegetable oil and flour for searing
1 bunch of celery, cut in 1/2 inch discs
8-10 redskin potatoes, washed, peeled, cut
10 large carrots, cut in 1/2 inch discs
3 onions, diced
2 cups red wine
salt, pepper, seasonings of choice, beef bullion

Cut the meat and toss in batches to coat with flour. Heat a deep skillet with a few tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium high heat. In small batches, sear the beef cubes in the oil and then drain on paper towels - ideally searing all six sides, but it's not mandatory. At this point the beef can be refrigerated overnight, or you can start the stew immediately.



After all the veggies are cut, assemble your stew in the slow cooker. Add a small amount of water and a beef bullion cube to the very bottom, and some pepper. Put the meat in next. Pour a small amount of red wine over the beef and season (I use coarse salt, cracked pepper, dried parsley, and garlic). Add 1/2 of the chopped onions on top of the meat. Add the chopped potatoes next, and pour more wine and seasoning. Add the carrots, celery, and onions last, and pour red wine again over the whole shebang. Cook on low for 8-9 hours, stirring occasionally towards the 7th hour or so.

If the stew is done but not quite thick enough for your tastes, continue to cook on low and remove the top from the slow cooker to allow liquid to evaporate. Stew, naturally, is great reheated. These quantities fit snugly in my 7 quart slow cooker. For a smaller cooker, quantities may need to be adjusted.