TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY

Hey, y'all. It's Tuesday....know what that means? It's time to share recipes and kitchen tips....also, I would think if there was something you needed help with, you could put it out there for an answer.

My cyber-friend, Lisa, and her sister co-host this blog carnival. It's a lot of fun!

Today, I have stew.....

Now, with this stew, you can use beef. I happen to use venison. If you *think* you have an aversion to deer-meat, I would suggest it has never been fixed properly, for you. Come to my house. But the point of this is not to sell you on Bambi's great-great grand baby....it's to share a stew recipe.

Just remember that where I use venison, you can do the exact same thing with beef. (You'll eat a cow, but not a deer? hmmmmm......LOL)

STEW

1-2 pounds stew meat (if you are using venison, be sure that anything silvery/gray...anything that looks like fat....is cut off. THIS is what makes deer meat taste bad.)

1 onion, chopped

butter

olive oil

flour (with salt, pepper, garlic powder and meat tenderizer)

1 small can tomato paste

potatoes (I like to use small, red potatoes) peeled and cut into chunks

3-5 parsnips, peeled and chopped into thick coins

3-5 carrots, peeled and chopped into thick coins

1-2 ribs of celery, sliced

1 large can of crushed tomatoes

1 bay leaf

parsley

In a stock pot (I use an 8 quart), melt 1 tablespoon butter WITH 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Saute onion in oil and butter until tender, but not browned.

Meanwhile, toss meat (a bit at a time) in a large Ziploc with your seasoned flour. Toss to coat.

When onion is clear, put meat in pot. Brown on all sides. You don't want to cook the meat until done, but browned and no raw flour in pot.

Add tomato paste, stir around a bit.

Add all your veggies and can of tomatoes. Add enough water to loosen the stew.....you don't want it soupy, but if it is thick and pasty, it will scorch.

Add your bay leaf. Simmer for about 2-4 hours. (the longer you simmer slowly, the more tender your meat will be) Stir occasionally. Add a bit of water, as needed.

When ready to serve, remove bay leaf and add a bit of parsley.

GREAT with cornbread.

CORNBREAD

I love cornbread baked in a bacon-greased, cast-iron skillet. BUT, I don't have a cast-iron skillet, nor do I want one (for now.) I like my cornbread done in a jiffy....get it? JIFFY!!!!

JIFFY cornbread is cheap, easy, and nice and sweet. (The good kind to throw some milk on.)

But, the kind of cornbread we are going to make is not sweet....it's Mexican cornbread.

I like to fix a box of Jiffy, according to package directions. I then add one small can of corn (the niblets), some chopped jalapeno or a can of green chilies and a handful of grated cheese. Bake as directed and crumble into your stew.

SLAP YOUR MOMMA!!!