stewing vs. sending it forth!!!!

When someone has hurt me or someone I love, it seems like I often replay the offensive words or events in my mind again and again...this is what I would call "stewing"!!!!!While stewing is a delicious way to prepare tough meat,  it is an awful way to mend your heart after it's been hurt.
Trust me. I have done it and it does no good!
Forgiveness is a word that appears often in scripture. It sometimes appears as the Greek word "aphiemi " which has a surprising meaning. It does NOT mean to just "let it go" as if there was no offense committed , it literally means to "send it forth"; ......to entrust it to the hands of the One who is capable of handling the situation with justice.
As far as I am concerned. I really want to be at peace with those around me- even those who have hurt me...and God wants me to even LOVE my enemies, so, as unlike my natural instincts as it is, I am learning to send those situations of hurt and pain forth to my Father who sees all things and knows my heart.....

But as far as stewing goes, there is a good reason for it- a great reason, in fact.....BEEF STEW!!!!!!!!!

What? are you shocked that on ST. Patrick's Day I am not posting corned beef with cabbage and potatoes, or some kind of liquored-up dessert????

 Well, unfortunately I failed to photograph our last Irish meal, so you'll have to settle down in the comfort of this yummy beef stew recipe- it really could not be simpler!!!! Preheat your oven to 275° (thank you , Stephanie for pointing out how to do a degree symbol!!!!)
Here's what you'll need:

1/4 c. flour
1 t. paprika
Salt and pepper
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into bite-size pieces
3 T. olive oil
2 medium onions
(if you are not like me and you LOVE vegetables, you can also add:
1/2 c. finely diced carrot, and 1/2 c. finely diced celery....and mushrooms, and turnips, and whatever else makes you feel like you're doing the right thing!!!!! this is a VERY basic recipe...feel free to tweak!)
3 garlic cloves
1 bottle of beer (you could use white or red wine if you prefer, but beer is fine!!!)
2 c.chicken broth
2 bay leaves


 First combine your flour and spices in a ziploc baggie big enough to shake a stick at...or at least shake your meat in.....

shake the beef in.....

After it is sufficiently coated, then brown it in a dutch oven with about 3 T. olive oil...
and remove the beef to a separate bowl...

To the same pan add 2 onions...NO, not like this!!!!!

cut them like this:

and then like this.....

then add them to the same dutch oven you used to brown the meat...you don't even need to wash in between!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You should also add the garlic and any other vegetables you might like)in this step, but Johnny came in wearing his Superman cape and thirsty as a man who'd been wandering in the desert for hours, so I stopped and got him some apple juice and forgot- such is my cooking these days......you'll see the garlic later, but if you want everything perfect, put your 3 cloves of minced or pressed garlic in now!!!! you may also need to add another T. of olive oil to keep everyone happy!

then add your beer or wine to deglaze (which i think means get all the yummy bits off ) the pan.

and return your beef  along with the garlic cloves you forgot to add earlier.....

 

then add the bay leaves and 2 cups of chicken broth...or 2 cups of water and 2 t. of chicken bouillon ...

.... bring the whole thing to a simmer.
Remove from the stove and cover your Dutch oven with a lid and place on the lowest rack of your oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours....
Your delicious, tender, beef stew will be ready for you to savor "as is" if you are like my Mary and don't like potatoes, or you can ladle it over mashed potatoes like the rest of us Irish-y folks like it!!!!!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!!!!!