Warm Winter Stew

I am knee deep in a steamy love affair.

With...my crock pot.

There is nothing more wonderful and homey than walking into a kitchen infused with the scents of something slow cooking. Extra points if it's being done overnight. The cold winter months are the perfect time to invite warmth into your home in any way possible. My boys are terrible eaters, but my daughters love walking off the school bus and entering the house to the smell of stew. After a long day that ends in a dark bus ride home, their faces light up at knowing the yummy dinner that's in store.

The idea of throwing a bunch of quality ingredients in the crock pot and just leaving it alone to all slowly come together is thrilling to me. It's amazing what results from two minutes of prep. It's an entire meal. The crock pot knows what to do. It takes all the delicious components of your dish and gently simmers them together. It's perfectly controlled culinary harmony. Hearty potatoes, root vegetables, an earthy grain, chicken so soft it falls off the bone,and fresh garlic and herbs, all simmering in a spiced, layered liquid base. Substitute short ribs on the bone or just make this vegetarian/vegan. A green salad to lighten the mood, and a beautiful loaf of fresh bread rounds this out entirely. You can make this on high in the morning, or set your crock pot on low the night before. I usually prefer that so we can wake up to the smell in the morning. Plus, I don't have to give dinner a second thought that day. It's not good to let things stew in your mind, but it is terrific to let things stew in your slow cooker🍠🍖🍞🍴. Serve in cute, earthenware mini crocks for a less "gruel in the orphanage" feel. Stew by nature is fantastic, but she ain't the prettiest girl at the dance 💃🏼.

Ingredients:

Four Idaho potatoes cut into chunks, skin on. Or a pound and a half of small red potatoes cut in half.

Four each large carrots and parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks.

Four celery stalks cut into fourths.

A cup and a half of Farro or short grain brown rice.

Six skinless chicken thighs on the bone.

An onion peeled and halved.

Three cloves fresh garlic.

A large dried bay leaf.

A sprig of fresh rosemary and a small bunch of fresh thyme tied tightly together in a bouquet garni mesh bag.

A large can of tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes for a thicker texture.

A box of beef stock.

A third cup of red wine.

Two tsp salt, a tsp pepper, a tsp and a half of turmeric and cumin, a tbsp each garlic powder and paprika.   

Directions:

Place the garlic cloves and potatoes on bottom with one onion half. Put half the Farro then the chicken on top in an even layer. The other onion half, the bay leaf, and the rest of the Farro.

Add the rest of the vegetables and other onion half. Put the herb bag on top, nestled in. Mix the beef broth, tomato sauce, wine and all the spices in a large bowl with a whisk. Pour on top. Use low setting overnight or high setting for seven hours that day. Simmer, inhale, and enjoy!

Winter meals warm the soul like nothing else. Look around your kitchen, and take pride in what you've built. Not all moments are easy, and most are quite imperfect. But in this time and place, savor what you've created.

You did good today. Love, LB