Friday, November 2, 2012

A Giant Pot of Beef Stew


Is anyone else a fan of beef stew? It's November and I can't think of a better weekend comfort food! Friends from Alabama will be here tonight for the weekend so I wanted something that would make the house smell good, helping them to feel at home and relax a bit.

Probs just being the oldest of 9 kids, I get this job.... Don't be fooled. It's work. :p



15 lbs of potatoes - a big crowd to feed!


I am so good at making a huge mess of the kitchen. :P


In addition to the regular hearty beef version of the stew, I threw together a simple vegan version. And, if you're looking for a lower glycemic option than the potatoes - parsnips or turnips make great substitutes!



While I was preparing the stew my sister was juicing. :) You go, girl! 


For the vegan pot, I used this organic vegetable broth. Can't wait to try it this evening! Speaking of which - I should probably taste it before I serve it . . . always a good idea. :) 



I can laugh at myself now, but until about an hour ago I didn't know when the guests would be arriving. Would they be here at 12 noon or 6pm (that's a big difference!).

It was almost 1pm and there was still tons to do before the thought of guests stepping foot into the house would be a welcome one. At the same time, I was trying to figure out a way to fit in a workout and finally decided to just stop and hit the treadmill for a least a short 1 mile run. I am so glad I did! Stress relief? I think so. Muscles are made to move and exercise makes me feel better as a whole. :) I missed lunch, though, and was absolutely starving by 3 o'clock! But, the house looks great now and there's just enough time to spend some time on music practice before the friends arrive!

Happy Friday, peoples - enjoy your weekend! What do you enjoy for stress relief?

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Beef stew is perfect this time of year. Looks great.

Will Cooper said...

I'm going to share this post with my wife...who LOVES to cook. And I love to eat! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe.

Katherine said...

Thanks for stopping by, Laura!

Katherine said...

You'll have to let me know what she thinks, Will. BTW, that Dr. Seuss quote you have on your blog is awesome!

S said...

I'm a big fan of beef stew but I can't seem to get the meat tender.

Ana said...

Oh my that's a lot of beef stew!!
I'm pretty sure your friends loved the food!
for stress relief I also like to do cardio or simple get on my pyjama and have a cup of coffee, works as a charm;)
Good weekend Katherine
Beijinhos***

Katherine said...

How do you cook it? Have you tried cooking it with moist-heat?

Katherine said...

We still have leftovers . . . :)

Working out is a stress reliever for me too. Even if I don't feel like it in the moment (like today) in the end I'm always glad :-)

Unknown said...

beef stew sounds great right now!

Have a great night! Drop by thechiffondiary.com and say hi!