Rusty's Armory

Not Too Dull for Beef Stew

Posted on January 4, 2019

Still 44° as I slowly awaken to Preparation Day. But later in the day, it will warm to the mid 60’s for a week, then the winter rains return, albeit somewhat warmer than the December ones were. I am sure glad to see the sun. It has been awhile.

The public holidays are done, thankfully. No Christmas music, cute Santa’s peddling merchandise, midnight fireworks or frazzled shoppers for awhile as sanity returns. Just the slow rotation of seasons and the ever-growing patches of weeds and wildflowers out my window. It will be a month or two before the wildflowers pop, though.

I got all the fixin’s for a winters beef stew. I try to get the cheapest stew meat available, brown it really good, the pressure cook the snot out of it until it almost falls apart. And a turnip, some red spuds, carrot strips and peas. I normally cook the spuds separately and add them to the stew before serving so they don’t get so mushy. I’ll probably start that Sunday … but a good stew improves with age, so I’ll make enough for five or six meals, and freeze it in servings to be gently rewarmed in the slow cooker. And yeah, I cheat a little with some cornstarch to give it a body. Served with hunks of sourdough and I am happy …

That is about all there is to say here in my dull retirement paradise. I never thought that I could appreciate dull to the extent that I do. Excitement is the enemy of serenity …

And coffee is the friend of slow risers …

Good morning!