Yumm

Supper New Year's day went really well and tasted delicious.  Here's a couple recipes:

Boeuf Bourguignon

6 slices bacon
4 lb stew beef, dried
2T butter
2 large carrots, quartered
3T flour
2 large onions, chopped
2T tomato paste
2c good red wine -I used a Cabernet Sauvignon
2c beef stock
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t parsley
1/2 t rosemary
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper

Cook bacon until crisp.  Drain fat and reserve (save bacon for sandwiches).  Return a bit of bacon fat to pan.  Heat till very hot.  Brown the stew beef, a little at a time, adding more bacon fat as required.  I used my 12 inch deep skillet and removed beef to dutch oven as they were done.

Reduce heat and add butter.  Saute, covered, onions and carrots until onions are soft and translucent.  Add garlic and cook briefly.  Sprinkle with flour and scrape any bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add everything else.  Bring to a boil and let thicken a bit.  Pour over meat and gently stir to combine.  If meat isn't covered, add a bit of beef stock.   Cover dutch oven and bake for 1 1/2-2 hours at 350F.  Until meat is tender.

If you make this a day ahead of time.  Reheat at 350F for 30 minutes.

I actually thought to take a picture of the finished product.  Here it is in one of my favourite Christmas presents.  My Mom got me a Kitchen Aid 5.??qt, dutch oven.  It's ceramic on cast iron.  Weights a TON but it will be beautiful for cooking with.

Freezer Potato Casserole

5lb potatoes, peeled and boiled
8 oz cream cheese
1/4t garlic powder
1t salt
1/4 c chives, I used dried from the store
shredded cheddar to suit

Mash everything together and put into freezer containers that suit the size of your family.  When ready, thaw and pour into a greased casserole dish.  Bake 375F for 30-40 min.

It was so wonderful to have all the cooking done ahead of time.  We only have a kitchen, so I can't hide dirty dishes while people eat in the dining room.  It was nice to have all the extra dishes washed and put away and not have to be scrambling to get it all done before the guests arrived.  Made for a much calmer day.  Now that I have a smaller home, the cook ahead meals really make sense.  Besides, things like stew just get better the next day!