Beef Stew with Beer & Faux Cheesecake

Let me start with saying - it was 75 degrees this weekend in Arizona and there was absolutely no reason for me to make such a hearty meal. However, I was given the most lovely Le Creuset gift for Christmas and I couldn't wait to use it! I had stew on the mind and scoured my cookbooks for a beef stew with broth that didn't take 8 hours to make. Nothing jumped out at me, so I turned to The Pioneer Woman for inspiration, her recipes are usually right-on target.  I quickly found Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika - woot! It was really easy to throw together and the result: AMAZING! Hands down the best stew I have ever made. If you prefer step-by-step instruction she does a great job of breaking it down here.

Beef Stew with Beer and Paprika

(as adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 2 pounds Stew Meat
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 12oz can Beer, nothing fancy, I used Bud Light
• 4 cups Beef Stock (or 4 Cups Water + 4 Beef Bouillon Cubes)
• 2 cups Water (additional, If Needed)
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
• ½ teaspoons Paprika
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• Black Pepper (to taste)
• 1-½ teaspoon Sugar
• 4 whole Carrots, Washed, Unpeeled, And Roughly Sliced
• 4 whole Potatoes, Quartered

Prep Instructions

Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown, allow to cool slightly, then cut pieces in half.

Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook about three minutes until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Add carrots and potatoes, then cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes. (If stew gets dry, just add a cup of hot water at a time to replenish the liquid.)

Serve with rolls or french bread and enjoy!

 

 

Next Up: Faux Cheesecake a.k.a. Janky Stawberry Cream Cheese Pretzel Mess

 

This is what it looks like:

 

Don't let the looks deceive you, it is actually really good. It's also REALLY easy to make. Some people call it a Stawberry Pretzel Salad...but I don't agree. Salads should be served in a bowl. This is served in a baking dish...which means you bake it (well, you bake part of it) - so...definately not a salad. Who came up with that?

Ingredients

• 2 cups pretzels, crushed
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons white sugar                    
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) CoolWhip, thawed
• 1 (6 ounce) package strawberry Jell-o
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons sugar; mix well and press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl cream together cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Fold in CoolWhip. Spread mixture onto cooled crust. Make sure it is touching all sides of the dish so the Jell-o on top does not drip down to the pretzel crust.               
5. Dissolve Jell-o in boiling water. Stir in frozen strawberries and allow to set briefly. When mixture is about the consistency of egg whites, pour and spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set.