Serves 8

2 lbs. beef stew meat, trimmed of fat, cut into 1” cubes
½ cup flour
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
10 small red potatoes, halved
3 large carrots, peeled & chopped into 1” pieces
8-10 small white onions, peeled or 1 large onion, peeled and chopped into 1” pieces
3 stalks celery, chopped into ½” pieces
2 cups beef broth, purchased
2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped or ½ teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped or ½ teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish

To pre-brown meat, heat large skillet to medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Combine flour and ½ teaspoon salt. Dredge half of beef stew meat in flour mixture and brown in hot oil, turning as needed, about 3-4 minutes total. Pour stew meal into slow cooker and add about ¼ cup beef broth into pan and scrape to remove brown bits and add to slow cooker. This is called de-glazing the pan. Repeat with remaining oil and stew meat. De-glaze and add to slow cooker.

Place potatoes, carrots, onions and celery in slow-cooker. Add remaining broth, oregano, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper and pour into slow-cooker. Cook on LOW for 9-10 hours.

Twenty minutes before serving, mix cornstarch and water together in a small bowl and stir into stew. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes until stew is thickened. Sprinkle fresh parsley over stew before serving.

Light a fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to medium-high. The steak should be no more than 1/4 inch thick. If the steak you have purchased is thicker, slice it width-wise (horizontally) with a very sharp knife until you have 1/4-inch-thick slabs Place a layer of skirt steak on the bottom of a large bowl. Lightly sprinkle all four seasonings on the steak and squeeze some lemon juice over the meat. Turn the meat over and repeat. In addition, sprinkle some beer on this side of the steak. Put your finger over the top of the beer can or bottle so you can just sprinkle it; you do not want to wash all the spices off. Repeat with another layer of steak, seasoning both sides and sprinkling with lemon juice and beer until you have finished all the steak. You will not have used the entire can of beer. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

Grill until sizzling (3 or 4 minutes per side). Put in a pan and cover with aluminum foil while you are grilling the remainder of the steak. Chop large pieces of grilled steak into bite-size small pieces with a sharp knife or scissors and serve on warm corn tortillas with Salsa Fresco.

To warm tortillas, place in aluminum foil in 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes until warm. Serve the stack in a tortilla warmer or between two clean dishtowels. Serve buffet style and have guests assemble their own tacos.

6-8 oz. New York Strip Steaks

BBQ Rub

2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s)
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt
½ teaspoon oregano, ground
½ teaspoon thyme, crushed
¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Mix all ingredients together for rub. Store leftover rub in airtight container for future use. Rub on both sides of steaks and let marinate in fridge for 30-60 minutes. Grill over a very hot grill rubbed with oil for 4-5 minutes per side for 1 inch thick steaks for medium doneness. Do not overcook. Remove to platter, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

TIP: When grilling steaks, use a timer and do not leave the grill!

Beef Tenderloin Medallions with Savory Sauce
Makes 4 servings
Savory Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
1 cup beef broth (soup aisle)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (not sauce)
2 tablespoons real maple syrup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Steaks
2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, trimmed and cut into eight 1/2-inch-thick steaks
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for garnish
To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes. Add the mustard, beef broth, tomato paste, maple syrup, cider vinegar, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes over low heat, until the sauce thickens slightly. Turn off the heat, and cover until ready to use.
To prepare the steaks, brush the steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover and let rest at room temperature. When ready to cook, preheat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the steaks and pan-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and cook for another 1 or 2 minutes.
To serve, place 2 steaks on each plate, spoon some of the sauce over them, and sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top.
Tip: The biggest mistake you can make is to overcook the tenderloin. You really want it cooked no more than medium (pink in the center) for optimum flavor and tenderness.

Baked Potatoes with Blue Cheese Dressing
Makes 4 servings
4 medium baking potatoes (Idaho or russet)
Blue Cheese Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Dash of bottled hot sauce, such as Cholula or Tapatio
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped shallot
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Wash and dry the potatoes, and stab each one several times with a fork. Wrap in aluminum foil. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise and sour cream in a medium bowl. Fold in the blue cheese, vinegar, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, shallot, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
To bake the potatoes, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the potatoes for 60 to 75 minutes, or until a potato is soft when you squeeze it (with an oven mitt). Serve with the blue cheese dressing alongside.
Tips: The reason you stab the potato with a fork is to allow steam to escape so it will not explode in your oven. Shallots are members of the onion family and are found in the produce section of your grocery store, by the onions and garlic.

My next post will contain the recipes for the Haricotts Verts with Garlic and Almonds and the Kahlua Fudge Brownie Pie.