Monday, March 15, 2010

Beef Stew and Biscuits

Well, when college kids discover as they're leaving to on a 6 hour ride to someone's house, so they'll only be 2 hours from NYC that the career fair they're going to was actually Friday instead of Saturday, what do they do? They go anyway, of course. What's the sense of letting facts stand in the way of a perfectly good road trip?

Friday's roast beef and potatoes was just as well received as anticipated. Saturday was 39, windy and rainy, so beef stew seemed like exactly the right meal for a bunch of hungry, cold dudes. There were no leftovers, so I guessed right.


BEEF STEW FOR 8

3 pounds steak, cut into small pieces
3 large potatoes, grated
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup barley
2 large tomatoes, cut in bite sized pieces, or 1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen chopped spinach

small amount vegetable oil
12 cups water
6 beef bouillon cubes
2 tbsp Worcestershire powder
2 tbsp tomato powder

1 tbsp salt, or to taste

Heat the oil in a large stockpot, then add the beef and onion. Cook until browned, then add the shredded potatoes, water and bouillon cubes. Bring to a slow boil, then simmer about 2 hours, until the potatoes are partially dissolved. Sprinkle in the Worcestershire powder,
tomato powder, and salt; add the carrots and barley. Cook another 30 minutes, then add the tomatoes and spinach. Cook 10 to 15 minutes, and serve piping hot.
When I have sweet potatoes in the house, I like to add them, but I didn't have any this week.

During the last 15 minutes of cooking your stew, whip up a batch of these biscuits. They are not as pretty as the classic Southern baking powder biscuits, because I don't roll them out and cut them, but they disappear just as fast.

BAKING POWDER DROP BISCUITS

2 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Stir together the dry ingredients in one bowl. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a measuring cup. Pour the wet into the dry, and stir well; the dough will be very stiff and lumpy. Drop by spoonsful onto greased baking sheets. Makes 10 to 12.

Of course, I quadrupled this, and had 45 biscuits. Thor got one. And while Thor is dispirited because his girl went back to college, and Jeffrey and his friends were only here a very short time, Thor is thrilled because Mike and his girlfriend are visiting from Carolina. Oh, the excitement of having your people around!

21 comments:

Big Dude said...

What could be better on a cold day than this meal.

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

You have me yearning for some beef stew. That's one of my standards that I didn't cook this winter.

SissySees said...

Would Thor share his biscuit? No? Well, I can make enough for both of us... I don't know why, but I've never cared for beef stew.

buffalodick said...

Without the spinach, our recipes are really quite similar!

tamilyn said...

Sounds delightful! Of course, we have lucked out this week and it as almost 60 here in MN, so we are digging out the grill and doing burgers tonight :)

Sue said...

Yum, beef stew is perfect on dark, rainy days. Wonder what we're having tonight....

The Blonde Duck said...

It sounds like such fun at your house!

It's back to 80 here, as it should be!

George Gaston said...

Marjie, this is my kind of dinner. Nothing says "home cooking" like a great beef stew & biscuits.

Many thanks...

Anonymous said...

I never thought of adding sweet potatoes.....I'm trying it next stew! Great idea.

Anonymous said...

I never thought of adding sweet potatoes.....I'm trying it next stew! Great idea.

Anonymous said...

I never thought of adding sweet potatoes.....I'm trying it next stew! Great idea.

Paula said...

I bet you had so much fun seeing your son and his friends! I'm glad they made the trip anyway ... oh to be that young again with lots of energy!

Your stew certainly would perk me up. As with all of your stuff, I love it. It's been so long since I had a biscuit; I'd devour the entire basket full of them. Well, I'd leave one for Thor. :-)

Kapitein Haakje said...

those biscuits looks very very tasty! oooh can we live at you place? sanne doesnt make those yummy thingy's

Kissslobbers
el'bow & hauwii

Pam said...

I knew the boys would love the roast and potatoes and of course nothing is better than beef stew and biscuits on a cold day.

Mickle in NZ said...

Happy times for Thor - 3 of his people home for a wee while and 4 new friends.

I like the look of your biscuits (known here as scones - what we call biscuits are cookies to you. No rolling out and cutting = yay.

Mickle in NZ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
grace said...

45 biscuits and poor thor only got a nibble? you must've had some ravenous diners! no, i can't say i'm surprised that there were no leftovers--it's an awesome meal from top to bottom!

tasteofbeirut said...

This dish looks so good and so comforting especially with snow all around! We are moving to Spring here though and trees are already in bloom!

Lapdog Creations said...

Have I mentioned lately how much I'd love to be a dinner guest at your house?

Claire S. said...

Of course your meals were a hit - was there ever any doubt ? LOL

The stew looks good. I never thought of grating potatoes although in order to thicken mine, I DO puree some of the veggies and stir the puree back in. Grating some first would probably just speed up the process.

~~louise~~ said...

I plan on making my last batch of stew for the season at the next threat of snow. I don't mind saying, I hope it doesn't happen:)

The biscuits sound like something I may just be able to handle. Good thing Thor got one or I'd just need to save him one of mine:)

Thanks for sharing, Marjie. It's wonderful the kids pop in as they do. My son will be "popping" in this weekend:)