Dear Reader Column 10-23-07

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Dear Reader,

Wendy Fesmire faithfully reads at the book club every day and she's got a problem. She's got an empty Dutch oven that's waiting for a pot roast.

"Dear Suzanne, I got a Dutch oven a couple years ago and I have always wanted to cook a pot roast in it, but I don't have a recipe and cooking is not second nature to me. Do you have recipe? I'll need complete instructions in front of me to make it."--Wendy

(Suzanne replies) Wendy, I do have a scrumptious pot roast recipe for a Dutch oven, but it has a lot of steps and I think they might frighten you away from trying it. So how about if we start with a great Beef Stew recipe? It's easy to make and you'll get compliments--it tastes great!

Suzanne's Beef Stew

1 1/2 pounds beef for stew, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon shortening
1 1/2 cups water
1 can condensed beef broth (10 1/2 ounce size)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dash of savory, thyme and garlic powder

2 large potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks
1 medium onion cut into 1 inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup cold water
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Cook beef in shortening in Dutch oven until brown, about 12-15 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups water, broth and pepper and other seasonings. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beef is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and bay leaf. Heat to boiling then reduce heat and cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Shake 1/2 cup water and the flour in tightly covered container, gradually stir into beef mixture. Heat to boiling stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute so mixture can thicken. Serve, get compliments and don't forget to tell your dinner guests about the book club!

Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.

Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com 
http://www.DearReader.com

READ THE CLASSICS: The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov and enter the free Penguin Classic's Drawing. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/yu9uk7

Comments

[Rae]

Why is it that so many recipes say to cook for "x" number of minutes, like,until brown, then reduce heat?-I never know what the first temperature is supposed to be, then, if perchance they give the first temperature, they don't tell you what to reduce it to. I hope I am not the only one that doesn't automatically know this.