For me the most comforting of foods are the most simple. Some evoke memories of special holidays or events, some are sweet, some are salty but the one thing they all have in common is warmth; the type of warmth that on a cold winter day warms you up from the inside out.
I’ve decided to share some my simplwar and all time favorite comfort foods. Some of the ingredients may need to be adjusted for taste as I don’t measure when I cook and some of the amounts listed are really just best guesses.
Beef Stew – best served immediately with buttered rolls/bread of your choice.
Stew is something many people consider to be a long drawn out process but the recipe I’ve found to make the very best beef stew is quick and easy. This recipe takes 10 minutes to prep and an additional 30 minutes to cook through. The trick I find is all in the gravy.
1 cup baby or sliced Carrot 1 cup cubed potato
½ cup sliced white or yellow onion 2 cups beef broth
2 cups water ½ tsp Thyme
½ tsp ground mustard seed ¼ tsp of Cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper
Combine the above ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Once the main ingredients are in the pot cube 1 lb of inside round steak and brown it in a skillet. When the meat has been cooked through I transfer a cup of the broth and vegetable mixture to the skillet and mix it before pouring the entire contents of the skillet back into the pot.
Next step is to add in
2 ½ cups gravy mix
I prefer to make my own gravy but a packaged gravy mix works just as well.
For gravy:
Combine ¼ cup of Flour and a 1/4 cup of butter in a saucepan while heating mix until no lumps remain.
Add 2 cup of beef broth and mix well. It can then be added directly to the stew.
Allow to cook at a low boil for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. For thicker gravy I mix a ¼ cup of water with 2 tablespoons of corn starch and add it to the stew five minutes before the stew is done.
This recipe makes 4-6 servings and is able to freeze and warm up well.
