Beef Stew

I posted about my Moroccan Chicken Stew a while ago but now I am going to give you the other half of that fun chilly weekend. Even though the weather seems unsure of where it is going I am still up for snuggling on the sofa with a warm cup of soup. This recipe is another one that I started on the stove but finished in the crock pot. For this one I decided to head out with some friends and leave dinner at home cooking for me while I enjoyed myself!

I just crave hearty stews like this once the temperature starts to go down. There is something about a cup of soup that just warms your whole day up. Luckily I haven't started to feel the winter sniffles and coughs but if you are this is a low maintenance way to enjoy some really tasty homemade soup. This soup was inspired by a new line of organic beef that was made available at my super market and was on sale... don't need to ask me twice!

Balsamic Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Crostini

There is something special about caramelized onions. Its not that its expensive and it doesn't take a special pan or knife or anything really.... just time and attention. Its dishes like these that truly show off your cooking skills - its easy to make $40 a pound prosciutto taste good but how does the $0.99/lb onion fare.  I have to admit that this idea was totally ripped off from a friend... she served it at her Christmas party this year and I have been thinking of it ever since! She served brie with her crostini and that was a perfect pairing as well.

This is a simple and low cost appetizer that can either be assembled or just put out for guests to serve themselves. The most expensive part of the whole dish was the splash of aged balsamic I used to deglaze the pan at the end of the cooking. If you don't have the time (or inclination) to make the crostini yourself you can always get pre-made rounds at most stores - the store near me even sells them pre-seasoned which is even easier.

Follow the link for the directions