Back to Earth!

Well, Homecoming is over and the Austrian visitors have all gone home. Time to start cooking again! I have a few things planned for this week. I bought short ribs (beef) at Costco and will make Beef Au Carrots, a french recipe. I also found some tortelini on sale at Costco and will serve that with alfredo sauce and marinara (everyone can choose) and broccoli (on sale at Raleys). I took a whole chicken out of the freezer and a ham hock. I will make baked chicken with rice and artichokes(on sale at Raleys) and chicken soup as well as ham and beans.
Ham and beans is really easy. Buy a bag of dry great northern beans and rinse them. Put them in your crock pot with a cup each of chopped carrots, onions, and celery. Add a ham hock, pepper, bay leaf, and sage. Fill up with water and set on low for the day. When you get home you can cut the meat off of the ham hock and put it in the soup. Then make some cornbread and you have a great cold night meal! You can get a ham hock at the grocery store if you don't raise pigs.

Beef au Carrots is a bit more complicated and takes a lot of time -  it is well worth it! It's great to make on a rainy Sunday when you can be home for most of the day. It will make your home smell like heaven!

You will need:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 pounds beef short ribs
2 cups dry red wine
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds carrots cut into big chunks

Use a big frying pan with a lid. Saute onion and  garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute until the onions are translucent. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 2 more tablespoonsof olive oil and put in short ribs. Cook long enough to brown ribs on all sides. You should have a nice medium high heat. After meat is browned, remove from pan and set aside. Pour in 1 cup of dry red wine and deglaze pan. (This means scrape all of the chunks off of the sides and bottom of pan). After deglazing, add  thyme sprigs,  bay leaf,  salt and pepper and another cup of wine. Add meat and onion mix back to pan with all juices. Cover and heat on low for 1 hour. After 1 hour add carrots and cook for 1 and 1/2 to 2 more hours.

Enjoy your week!