Whoops ... looks like I missed Day 600 too.
But I'm still here! I haven't forgotten about it! And if you're reading this (all three of you), then you haven't forgotten about it either.
I've done a few more things on the list since I last posted, and I'll catch up on those in the next few weeks. Here's one from back in March - not for St. Patrick's Day or anything, but because I had a lovely conversation with my grandparents and came home with a new recipe. The actual intent had been to fill in a few gaps on my grandmother's family tree, but Grandpa sat down and told me a few stories as well. He learned this recipe from his mother, whose parents had immigrated to Canada from Ireland before she was born.
Grandpa's Irish Stew
about 1 lb. stew beef (cubed lean steak or roast)
"a little bit of grease"
1 medium onion
1 lb. of carrots
salt, pepper, and powdered garlic
2 potatoes
1/4 to 1/3 c. flour, depending on how thick you like your stew
Braise beef in grease of your choice on low heat for at least one hour. Don't overcook, but braise until tender, which might take up to half a day. If you start the meat in a large pot, this is a one-dish recipe.
Chop carrots into 1" pieces, and dice onion finely.
Add carrots and onions to cooked meat, and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.
1 hour before soup is to be served, cube potatoes and add to pot. Add some water so that the potatoes can cook - Grandpa didn't say how much, just "add water as you go." Bring to a boil, and let it simmer for about an hour. Mix 1/4 to 1/3 c. flour with enough water to make a thin paste. Stir it into the stew. When it boils and thickens, it is ready to serve.
I served it with my favorite homemade buttered biscuits (which of course have no calories at all) and a glass of cold milk. I think the only way it could have felt more like childhood is if my sister was kicking me under the table!
