Welcoming in the Autumn

Things aren’t feeling terribly autumnal here, though the first official day of fall has come and gone.  We’re still pushing triple digit high temps, though they are promising that they are near an end.  So far, it sounds like we’ve had 116 days this year exceeding 100 F as a daytime high.  *sigh*soon….soon the cool weather that I love will be upon us.  It can’t come soon enough.

While the temperatures might not be fall-like, I have been yearning for cooler-weather foods…like stew!

I decided to try a very basic recipe out: Pioneer Woman’s Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika

It was absolutely delicious – extra wonderful with some warm bread for mopping up the sauce.  Of course, there was some modification – I wound up adding a lot more potatoes and carrots, and it would have been nice with other root vegetables as well (I love rutabagas and parsnips).  Also added some Tabasco sauce right at the very end.  If you prefer to know exactly what cut of meat goes into your stew, I carved up a chuck blade roast for this one.