Snow Day Beef Stew

My husband and I started dating right after he got a job that meant he would be moving from PA to CT as soon as the semester ended. I still remember the conversation where he told me he would be leaving and i told him it would be a good experience for a year and then we would figure something out because "I will never move to Connecticut." I didn't like the cold, or snow and i didn't want to move away from everything and everyone i knew.

..Famous last words..

So we made long distance work, with one of us driving 5 hours every weekend to see each other.  As spring approached, he started hinting that i should at least send my resume to some companies in Hartford..  you know, because i was studying actuarial science and it is the insurance capital of the world...

"Fine! I'll send in my resume..  but I am NEVER moving to Connecticut"

Then i got a call from the company he worked for.  They wanted to fly me up for an interview.  Asher said it would be great experience.

The final nail in my "never leave your small town" coffin was when Asher proposed the weekend before the interview.  To this day i still don't know if my interview was part of his plan.. but the timing was perfect.  I went to that interview newly engaged, still giddy, and it was the best interview i've ever had.  Everyone was so nice and passionate about the work they were doing.  I still cried when they called and told me i got the job, but our course was set in motion.  I was moving to Connecticut.

Over the years, we've come to love it here.  We've made amazing friends, I still work for the same company, and Asher started a music studio and production company.  When we moved here we were just kids figuring things out and we grew up here.  The one thing neither of us have learned to enjoy: New England winters.  It's unbearably cold, terribly dark, and we get so much snow!  

A few things get me through:  the space heater in my office, a mug that keeps my coffee hot, and some cozy recipes!

This week, before a Nor'easter dumped ~14 inches on us, i stocked up on beef stew ingredients so that we would have something to look forward to.

Let it simmer in the oven for at least an hour and a half, so you can get it ready and then let it simmer while you shovel.  The whole house will smell delicious when you come back inside!  The other option is to get it ready and cozy up by the fire while someone else shovels.  Up to you :)

Makes 4 servings.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and heat a dutch oven on the stove over high heat
2. Cut the potatoes and 3 of the carrots into large pieces (see picture)
3. Finely dice the onion, remaining carrot, and celery
4. Finely chop the garlic
5. Add a tablespoon of oil to the dutch oven, salt and pepper the stew meat, and brown the stew meat on all sides; you don't want to over crowd the pan, so work in batches as needed
6. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside
7. Add the finely diced onion, carrot and celery to the pan until they start to soften, a few minutes
8. Add the tomato paste and garlic and cook for one minute
9. Sprinkle with the flour (if you like your stew thicker - you can use a little extra)
10. Wisk in the wine and bring to a boil
11. Add the potatoes, remaining carrots, mushrooms and the cooked meat back to the pan and mix together
12. Add water until the meat is just covered (you can use beef stock instead, if you have it)
13. Bake covered in the oven for at least 1.5 hours or until the beef is tender and falls apart (usually takes about 2 hours, but i start checking it at 1.5)
14. Season to taste and serve with rice, bacon and parsley

Tip:  It works well to pour two glasses of wine for dinner and use the rest of the bottle in the stew

What types of food do you like to make on snow days?  Let me know in the comments!