And so it begins.

I LOVE to cook. I love everything about it. I love spending days off shopping for and preparing food. What I love most of all is sharing with others and watching them enjoy what they're eating. It's my way of loving them, nourishing them, and comforting them. Cooking is the one thing on this complex earth that we all share, that I feel completely relaxed and confident in doing. It's my therapy. With the winter months and holidays ahead, I will try and keep it real with food that's seasonal and scrumptious. I hope you enjoy and I welcome any feedback in the meantime.

Mangia!

Beef Bourguignon (adapted from Laura Calder's recipe)

Serves 6-8

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

The guts:

2 T. olive oil

3-4 lbs bottom round roast or chuck roast, cut into large chunks

2 onions, peeled and cut in half

2-3 carrots, peeled and cut into thirds

1/4 c. flour

1 bottle (750 ml.) dry red wine

4 c. beef broth or stock (I used College Inn)

3-4 bay leaves

1 t. dry thyme

salt and pepper

First season the beef with salt and fresh ground pepper. Heat olive oil in dutch oven over med-high heat. Brown all sides of beef, you may have to do in batches...don't overcrowd the pool, er.....pan. Set aside beef on a plate when finished.

Add onions and carrots to pan and saute just long enough to sweat the veggies. Add flour and stir until all the veggies are coated with the flour mixture.

Add ENTIRE bottle of wine (happy, happy) and beef stock/broth, and the bay leaves and thyme. Gently stir so the flour gets well blended with the liquids and bring to a light boil.

Put the lid of the dutch oven on and place in oven for 2 1/2 hrs.

The Garnish:

2 T. olive oil

8 slices bacon, cut into 1 in. pieces

16 oz. mushrooms, cut into halves or quarters, depending on size

1 bag frozen pearl onions

While beef is in oven, get your garnish on. Add olive oil to skillet on med-high heat and brown the bacon. When crisp, remove with slotted spoon into a medium bowl. Add mushrooms now and saute until lightly browned. Remove shrooms into the bacon bowl as well, with a slotted spoon. Now add the pearl onions to the skillet and saute until slightly opaque and warmed through. Add onions to the bacon/shroom bowl and any liquid that may be left in the skillet.

The Finale:

When beef has completed cooking, remove from oven and with tongs, remove beef onto a separate plate and strain veggies from liquid and discard. Place beef back into liquid in the dutch oven, add the bacon, shrooms and pearl onions also, and simmer over low heat (lid off), until pearl onions become tender, about 25 minutes.

At this point I had to season with a little more salt and pepper to adjust. Serve over buttery noodles or as is. Delicious.