Tuscan Beef Stew

Tuscan Beef Stew

When I first started blogging I would write two, sometimes three entries a week.  If you follow, you know that its no where near that pace these days.  It’s got to the point where people ask why I don’t blog more often.  It’s a legit question and one I really don’t have an answer for.

So let me dive in to it a bit more and see what I can come up with.

1.  Its no longer my ‘flavor of the month’? My wife says that anytime I do something new, I obsess over it.  Sadly, she’s right (as most significant others are).  She can easily site numerous examples and I can’t disagree with any of them.

2. I haven’t been cooking anything good?  This isn’t entirely accurate. But for the most part I’m in a bit of a rut.  I’ve been cooking things I’m comfortable with instead of branching out.  Even though I’ve found a ton of recipes I want to try, I just haven’t made them as often as I would like.

3.  Work has been a bit demanding as of late?  Business has picked up lately that’s for sure and when I’m at work doing what it is I do there, one of the last things I want to do is write. I think I’d rather catch up on TV.

4.  My food photos look like garbage?  Garbage? I think they look like crap.  We eat with our eyes so the last thing a blog about food needs is unappealing photos of said food.

5.  There’s nothing to write about?  I can’t argue with this at all.  I mean, I just wrote a list detailing why I’m not writing.  If that doesn’t reek of uninteresting, I don’t know what does.

So there you go…..5 reasons why I’m not blogging nearly as much as you (mainly me) would like.

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This stew recipe is from the Cooking TV channel show Extra Virgin starring Ari Gold’s secretary (Entourage reference in case you’ve never seen the show) and her Italian (Tuscany region) husband.  If you’ve never watched, its on often so check it out while you’re making the stew….because while the recipe is simple and uses simple ingredients, you will have a couple hours to kill while its cooking.  The show has been my new favorite cooking show.

This flavorful stew is rich and hearty and has quickly become my new go-to stew recipe.  The slow braise makes the beef fork tender but the the veggies don’t turn to mush.  Make sure you serve it with a nice hunk of crusty bread so you can savor all of the juices.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 red or yellow onion, rough chopped 3 large peeled carrots cut in to 1/2 inch thick medallions 3 stalks of celery, rough chopped 2-3 lbs of stew meat – 1 inch cubes (to save money, buy a chuck roast and cut it yourself) 2 1/2 cups dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon) 1 28oz can of whole tomatoes 4-6 sprigs of fresh thyme (wrapped in a bundle if possible)  Salt and Pepper to taste Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery.  Saute about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until just browned. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides. Add wine and thyme. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium-low and cover. Cook for approximately 2 to hours or until beef is tender.

Big old Pot of Stew