Hay! :: Autumn Stew

We are enjoying the pure joys of Autumn around here and we made an amazing stew to suit the season for dinner tonight. It isn't great in photos though so I added this adorable photo of our hay rides instead.

While we were getting seeds and seedlings at Common Grounds, Gracie spotted the hay and wanted a bale "so we will be prepared when we have a farm someday!"

Autumn Stew:

you can put all ingredients in the crockpot in this order and cook on low all day, add kale last 20 min

or brown meat in large pot then add other ingredients, bring to boil, stir then cook on low +/-2 hours adding kale at the end as well

all cut into big chunks:

2 large sweet potatoes

8 carrots

2 sweet onions

red bell pepper

fennel bulb

top with:

2 lbs(?) stew meat (I get natural beef, grass fed, no antibiotics, etc. etc.) tossed in flour

combine:

28 oz diced tom

1 cup red wine

1 Tsp whole grain dijon mustard

1 tsp thyme

and pour over meat and veggies

6-8 hours later...

top with

4 cups chopped kale

You will be glad for the cool weather and the rain in the forecast.

Slow Chicken

In a 2 quart slow cooker add
2 chicken breasts
one jar of salsa (I used TJ's Peach salsa this time)
cook for 4-5 hours

**double or triple next time to have leftovers for the next night. use larger slow-cooker for more meat**

perfect for shredding into tacos, burritos etc

Slow Beans

In a 1.5 quart slow cooker add

1 and a 1/3 cup pinto beans

3 cups water

cook for 3 hours

add 1 tsp salt and cook for another hour 

unplug or put on warm setting

15 Minute Tuscan Bean Soup

We are spending more and more time at the garden now that it is planting season. That means I have less and less time to cook wholesome, healthy meals for the family. I am also trying to plan for the days to come when I will have even less time to spend on food. Inspired by Simple Lovely's posts about her family's favorite meal of white navy beans (but without a recipe to work with)  and my favorite cookbook (thanks mom!) Moosewood's Daily Specials...here is how today panned out for us. 

In the morning:

I threw 3 cups of navy beans and 6 cups of water into the slow cooker on low.

We spent the morning planting in the garden. Heaven.

We came  home to cooked beans and to take a nap.

As Gracie napped I sauteed:

1 onion

4 cloves garlic

half a bag of carrots (1 1/2 cups+/-)

s+p

I added that to the slow cooker with:

1 capful (2 tsps?) sage

Now it is cooking (warm setting) until Ryan gets home and we are ready to eat. Maybe with sliced tomatoes, crusty bread and TJ's new batch of California Estate Olive Oil. Buon appetito!