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Childhood Faves - Beef-n- Wine and Snickerdoodles

Comments (0) | Wednesday, December 15, 2010

There are so many things about food beyond the flavors and tastes that I love.  I love that food can elicit feelings and emotions.  I love that food can churn up childhood memories of great times and experiences.  Not every meal has the ability to spark these emotions, but when one does, it makes the ultimate flavors and taste just that much better.

These two recipes make me feel just warm and cozy inside.  It wasn't until I was with a family friend that I even remembered the Beef & Wine recipe.  But when I saw it in her recipe box, I just boiled over with emotion.  How could I have forgotten?!  My more "grown up" palate required a few slight changes but overall, it was still the same great meal that reminded me of my youth.
Beef-n-Wine
2 lb stew meat (round steak)
Flour
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Olive oil (or veggie oil or canola oil)
8 oz. mushrooms - sliced (I used baby bellas but button would be great too)
1/2 yellow onion - sliced into 1/4 in. slices
1/2 stick butter
1 envelope of onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2-1 c. red wine

Saute mushrooms and onions with the butter over medium heat until soft. Set aside.  Meanwhile heat a dutch oven over med-high heat.  Coat the bottom of the pan with oil.  Toss the stew meat in flour seasoned with salt, pepper & garlic powder.  Add to the hot oil.  Brown all sides.  Add remaining ingredients to the dutch oven and stir.  Cover and bake in the over for 3 hrs. at 300 or for 2 hrs. at 325. 

I baked mine for 3 hrs at 300 and the meat was super tender and delicious.  You would never think that stew meat could become this tender. 



Snickerdoodles are my favorite cookie on the planet!  They were the cookie that I made for Santa every year and the cookie that could cheer me up from almost anything.  Their signature cracked tops, chewy middle and crunchy outside make me so happy...thinking about them is making me want to whip up a batch right now!

Snickerdoodles
1 c. shortening (I used butter flavored and it was great)
2 tsp. cream of tartar
2 3/4 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. sugar


Blend sugar, shortening & eggs.  Sift flour, cream of tartar, salt and baking soda.  Add to creamed mixture.  Mix well.  Mix the final 2 ingredients together in a shallow dish.  Form into ball and roll balls in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.  Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.




Ahhhh....food therapy complete!


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