Is anyone else tired of winter? I can only take so much cold and snow before I start going crazy. Probably not a good idea to live in the mountains where it is cold 7 or 8 months of the year. Plus this past week the windchill has made the temperature in the negative numbers! I am happy that we didn’t see a lot of snow until later in the season this year but I’m ready for spring. Bring on the flowers and sunshine!
One of the reasons I hate winter is because I’m always cold. Touch my hands and they are like ice cubes. Touch my feet and it’s the same deal. It has to do with poor circulation but the winter weather makes it worse. Add in the fact that every time the temperature takes a nose dive or it snows my shoulders feel like they are going to fall off and you have my winter misery.
The one thing I do enjoy about winter is cooking soups and stews weekly along with homemade breads. I look forward to a large pot of soup or stew every week to warm me up. I also like that I always have enough left over to take to school the next day. That makes packing lunches easy in the morning.
This beef marsala stew recipe is even better because it’s made in the crock-pot. This means I can fix it in the morning, go to work, head to the gym, get home around 6 and have dinner ready to go. Plus this is a hearty stew with beef, wine, and vegetables that can be served over noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes. It’s delicious and so easy to make!
- 1 T. olive oil
- 2 lb. beef stew meat, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 t. salt
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 T. tomato paste
- ½ c. Marsala wine
- 5 c. beef broth
- 1 t. black pepper
- 2 t. thyme
- 8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 3 sticks celery, chopped
- 2 T. flour
- Heat half the oil in a large skillet. Add the beef and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until browned. Place the beef in a crock-pot.
- Add the onion, garlic, tomato pasta, Marsala wine, beef broth,pepper, thyme, mushrooms, carrots, and celery to the crock-pot. Mix everything to combine.
- Stir in the flour to thicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Serve over top of mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.
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