Beef and Paprika Ragout

I grew up hating beef stew. Probably because it was always made with a tough cut of meat and vegetables that I didn't like.  I was hesitant to try a recipe for stew.  But I was pleasantly surprised when I made this recipe for Beef and Paprika Ragout.  It was excellent and nothing like the stews of my past!

Beef and Paprika Ragout

from Elly Says Opa

1 lb. beef chuck, cubed (or stew meat)
1/3 cup flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2-3 celery ribs, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2/3 cup dry red wine
1 cup beef broth
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 lb. mushrooms, halved or quartered
salt and pepper
Egg noodles, for serving
Season the beef with salt and pepper, and then dredge in the flour  (or put the flour in a bowl or bag and shake it like a polaroid picture).

Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven and when hot, add the beef. Brown the beef on all sides and then remove from the pot with a slotted spoon. Add the onions to the pot and cook until tender. Stir in the carrots, celery, and garlic, cooking for an additional minute or so. Add the tomato paste, and cook another minute or so.

Stir the wine into the pot and increase the temperature slightly. Scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan as  you deglaze, and cook off the alcohol until about 1/4 cup remains. Add the beef broth, smoked paprika, bay leaf, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then add the beef back in. Cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer for an hour or two. Really, as long as you want/have. The beef will just keep getting more and more tender. Add the mushrooms and simmer for an additional 30 minutes. 

Season to taste if necessary and serve over egg noodles.

Winner of the Giant Giftcard

Well, at least I know that two people are still reading my blog :) I received two entries for the Giant giftcard giveaway. So Toby of Toby's Treats, you are lucky number 1 and winner of the Giant gift card! Send me an email at ryanandtiffany@gmail.com with your address and I will send MyBlogSpark your info for the prize.

**edited to add, unfortunately I can't seem to figure out how to copy & paste the random number generator jpeg into my blog, so you'll just have to trust me that #1 was the winner.

Celebrate Earth Month & Win a $20 Giant Gift Card

April is Earth Month and to celebrate Giant (Stop & Shop) is giving away a hybrid car. The generous folks at MyBlogSpark have also provided one of my readers with the chance to win a $20 Giant gift card. Which you can then use to purchase General Mills products and have the chance to win a 2010 eco-friendly Hybrid car!

All you have to do to enter to win the $20 gift card is post a comment telling me how you make your life a bit more green. I will choose a random winner on Wednesday, April 21 at 8:00 p.m. EST.

Here's how you can also win an eco-friendly car:

From April 16-29, buy 5 participating General Mills items with your Giant card, use a re-useable shopping bag and you’ll be automatically entered to win. There are two different sets of participating General Mills items for each week of the promotion. Please see below for the participating brands.

You can also enter without making a purchase by completing an official entry form at your local Stop & Shop store.

This promotion is open to residents of MA, RI, CT, NH, NJ, NY, MD, DE, VA or DC and individuals at least 18 years old. For details about the sweepstakes, see in-store for complete rules.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Yes, I am one of those people. You know....the ones who like to dress their pets in crazy outfits every chance they get. And belive me, with two kitties, it's not very often.