MY VERSION OF CROCK-POT BEEF BURGUNDY

Got my second allergy shot of the week today and did a little stop and go photography on the way back home.

If you're local, you will be familiar with the Little Emery boat ramp. Well, I took a few shots out across the ice on the bay there and had flash backs of when I too threw rocks out onto ice and marveled at them sitting there on top. I wondered if anyone would be around when they finally sank beneath the surface.

As I stood there, I was also reminded of how ice will sing to you. Yes, if you've never heard it, it's a weird, almost wire in the wind, kind of sound. Eerily, the sound begins way down up stream, and you can hear it coming down the valley and then stops loudly right in front of you! It's the neatest, spookiest, thing to stand there and listen to it coming toward you. Seriously...you should get out more, especially on 20 degree days with a bright blue sky above.

Anyway, by the time I got home I was ready to cook something good for supper...something substantial and hot!

You're supposed to chop up carrots, onions, and garlic, but I am lazy, so I bought a bag of tiny carrots the other day to use. With them in a large skillet, I dumped in a carton of fresh mushrooms (any kind you like), diced onion, and about 2 cups of red wine. Whatever you have on hand, but the better it is the better your dish will be.

I cooked the carrots and onions until the wine had cooked away and then poured the mixture into the bottom of the crock-pot.

Back in the same skillet, I dumped two packages of extra lean stew meat that had been tenderized. I salted and peppered the meat while it cooked on one side, and then sprinkled crushed red peppers over the top. I lightly browned the meat on both sides...I probably should have browned it more, but it came out just fine. Note: If you don't brown the meat, at least add in soy sauce the get the same flavor.

I put the browned meat into the crock-pot, poured in a full box of chicken stock (yes, chicken), sprinkled a line or two of olive oil over the top, and then drizzled some Worcestershire sauce. I again added salt.

I then dumped in a small sack of red-skinned potatoes and half a large sweet onion cut into large pieces.

I cooked the meal for about 5 or 6 hours on high, then turned it to low for almost another hour.

It was absolutely delicious and very warming on a freezing day in Tennessee.

There is a distinctive hint of the wine in the taste, so if you don't like that particular taste, just use lots of soy and Worcestershire with beef stock.