Stew Beef Slow Cooked in Wine, Served over rice with crispy baked Butternut Squash and Salad

Ingredients

2 ½ LBS of Stew Meet

3 Onions

½ Lb of Mushrooms chopped

Beef Base

1 Bottle of cheap Dry Red Wine

Salt and Pepper

Rosemary

Parsley

Flour

Rice

Butternut Squash Peeled and chopped into chunks

Olive Oil

Parmesan Cheese Grated

Tossed Salad with Italian Dressing

Tonight is Norm Frates Sr.’s Birthday, It also my father’s birthday, (Frazier Gardella he lives in Spain- Happy Birthday Dad),  so we are having a dinner party. The problem is I am gone from 6:45A-6:30PM. Here is how you can pull off a gourmet dinner for 7 , at 7:30PM. The night before I put 2 ½ LBS of cubed stew meat in a Crock Pot and a bottle of wine , add enough water so the  beef is under water. Add 2 heaping tbsp of beef base. 2 chopped onions and some sprigs of rosemary. Turn the heat to medium and cook it till tomorrow night.  The night before you should also peel the butternut squash and cut in to chunks and wash and cut the mushrooms.

At 6:30PM come flying into your kitchen and kiss all of your family and guest and shoo them away from your work area. Turn the oven to 350. Start the rice. Put the butternut squash onto a olive oiled cookie sheet and put in the hot oven for 20 minutes, turning  after 10.

Have one of your guest bring an appetizer. Betsy brought an artichoke dip which was delicious.

Dump the stew beef into a large Dutch oven pan, and add mushrooms turning the heat to high. Taste and salt and pepper as needed. In a small container add 5 tbsp of flour to a cup of Water. Mix well. Stir a little at a time into the beef and wine as the heat gets hotter the mixture will become thicker. It is not necessary to add all of the paste, just make sure the beef is the right consistency. It should be runny but a little thick. Serve over rice. Add the squash to the plate and salad. Have bread on the table with a dipping sauce.

Yvonne Frates brought the cake, an Angel Food because chocolate keeps Norm up at night.

Happy Birthday !