Our Day And A Delicious Stew

I barely left my house on this delightful Sunday, so there is really not that much to tell you, friends. Laura came into my room this morning complaining of a stomach ache, a headache, and sore legs. I said, "Why do you think your legs are sore?" And she said, "Definitely from dancing at the party last night." I diagnosed her with Post-Dramatic Stress Syndrome and prescribed hydration and karaoke. She went off to take my advice, and I dozed off again, but then I had to get out of bed because I heard her and Matt absolutely butchering "In a Big Country." I stalked downstairs in my nightshirt and seized the microphone to sing the chorus, because neither of them could find the harmony given a map and a compass even though it is not that hard.

We just hung out at home the rest of the day. Matt and the kids threw a nerf football in the house while I tore pages out of magazines. Laura created an advertisement for tickets on the Titanic, for school, then walked to her friend's to do some science homework. Matt and Hank played a board game with a million little pieces. Hank watched some Man vs. Wild. I cooked some squash. The thrills do not stop.

All throughout these events, we were made happy by the news that our friends the Hamiltons had birthed their baby boy during the night. All ten pounds, nine ounces of him! As we went about our quiet day, I thought of them in the hospital room, tired and joyful and frazzled, getting to know their new little buddy. And I thought, every kind of day is being had by somebody, somewhere.

I made this stew a few nights ago for us to eat before going to Laura's play. I am fond of one-pot meals, and it is so delicious that if you had been here, I would have force-fed it to you and then stood there saying, "I mean, right???"

Delicious Stew

You need:

two pounds of lean stew meat
an onion of your choice, cut into chunks
garlic, minced up
carrots, 3 or 4, I like even more, cut into pieces
a sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
pint of sliced mushrooms, I used baby bellas
red wine
water
couple tablespoons of olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a cast-iron dutch oven and then throw the onions, garlic, and stew meat in. Braise them until the onions have little brown bits. Add in the carrots and sweet potato (not the mushrooms yet). Pour in like half a cup of water and half a cup of wine. Dash of salt. Cover the pot and let that all work for a while. Simmer, stirring occasionally. Add a little more water after a while and another half cup of wine. You want there to be enough liquid to steam/braise the veggies, but you don't want to everything to be covered. There is no need for exactitude here. Cook it over pretty low heat for a long while. Stir in the mushrooms and probably add more salt, and black pepper is good too. Cook longer. When the carrots are really really tender, and the sweet potato has largely disintegrated and joined up with the liquids to make a gravy, it's finished.

Serves 6. Best with sourdough bread and beer.

That is what I have for you today. Rest up my friends, the week is coming. (We don't have a school holiday for Veteran's Day. Frown.) xoxo