It's amazing to me that it is 2009 already. I remember the millenium celebration and in one of our closets still have the time capsule that we made at out New Years Eve party that year. I think we decided to open it in twenty years, so we are almost half way there--yikes! I forgot to make resolutions this year, but I do have a few ongoing goals, so they will have to do.
- Find and cook more crock pot recipes
- Cook more from the tremendous cookbook collection that fills three bookshelves
- Continue to work on being more organized
- Get rid of stuff--we have way too much stuff in our posession. I have been making a point to donate a bag or two each month to the purple heart organization. They make it easy by picking up from our porch once a month.
- Recycling more--I've been trying to recycle packaging of things--boxes from cereal, snacks, etc and not just newspapers. We have stopped buying bottled water and use refillable bottles. It not only has saved us ten dollars or more a month, but it is easier than shlepping a case of water home every other week.
It's a good start to the new year!
So far this year I've used my crock pot twice. Once on New Year's Day to make a pork roast and today, to make beef stew. I am not a fan of beef, but my "boys" are, and this was a really easy and healthy recipe that I found in a cook book that I bought ten years ago! It was one of those little mini-magazines you see at the check out at the market. I almost threw it out, but found this recipe and decided to try it. I only modified it slightly.
Beef Stew with Shiitake Mushrooms
- 1 lb of beef cubes, in half inch cuts
- one package of fresh shiitake mushrooms sliced (approx 3.5 oz)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1.5 lbs of new potatoes cut up
- .5 lb of baby carrots
- one can of small dice tomatoes, undrained
- one can of beef broth
- one tsp salt
- one tsp sugar
- one tsp dried marjoram
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup flour
- one Tbsp worscestershire sauce
Combine all ingredients, except beef, in crock pot. Add beef. Cook on low for 8-9 hours. (It says it serves eight--not in this house!)
I added about a tablespoon of corn starch mixed with the sauce at the end to thicken the stew. I made some cheddar drop biscuits to go with it. Andrew loved them! It actually was good, even if it isn't my favorite thing to eat.
Happy 2009!
