Marsala Beef Stew/ Pantone Color of the Year 2015

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! We were lucky enough to finally get a blanket of snow late on Christmas Eve, waking to a beautiful winter wonderland.  It was a nice, relaxing day filled with family, love and laughter. We indulged in so many sweets and food; I think I'll need a head start on the usual fitness resolutions to recover!

My Mom was given a new Cuisinart food processor from my dad and she gave me a beautiful new set of  Wüsthof Classic Ikon Knives. We cooked the day away with our new gadgets, along with my sister, Erin. It was great to spend time together in the kitchen and satisfy all of our food cravings. 

With all of the sweets we consumed, I was ready for something warm, comforting and salty this weekend.

Beef stew sounded like the perfect solution! Is there anything better than a salty and beefy dish full of mouth pleasing savour? Made in the crock pot, this dish cooks itself slowly all day, filling the house with the most delicious and enticing scent imaginable.

With the holidays in full swing, I've had a lot of wine around the house. If I'm not drinking it, I'm cooking with it. We all know that beef stew is enhanced with the flavor of red wine. For a fun twist on the classic, I decided to try using Marsala. Seeing as Marsala was just announced as the Pantone Color of the Year for 2015, this recipe is the perfect way to celebrate and start the new year off with a bang! Red is my favorite color, so I was thrilled to see that this stunning shade of wine will be the highlight through the next year.

Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness. This hearty, yet stylish tone is universally appealing and translates easily to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings and interiors.

"Marsala enriches our mind, body and soul, exuding confidence and stability. 

Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us in

to its embracing warmth. "

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director, Pantone Color Institute^®

The Versatility of Marsala

• Equally appealing to men and women, Marsala is a stirring and flavorful shade for apparel and accessories, one that encourages color creativity and experimentation
• Flattering against many skin tones, sultry and subtle Marsala is a great go-to color for beauty, providing enormous highlight for the cheek, and a captivating pop of color for nails, shadows lips and hair.
• Dramatic and at the same time grounding, the rich and full-bodied red-brown Marsala brings color warmth into home interiors
• An earthy shade with a bit of sophistication, texture is the story in print and packaging. A matte finish highlights Marsala’s organic nature while adding a sheen conveys a completely different message of glamour and luxury.

Pantone has been selecting a color of the year to reflect the mood and current way of life since 2000. To do this, Pantone's panel of color experts meet in an undisclosed location to discuss current world events, trends and moods; transforming these findings into a color representation for that year. The company has been the color authority of the world for over 50 years, integrating every industry from fashion and beauty, to textiles and home decor. I find their work very fascinating and love to see their choices trickle down into everyday items, like Marsala colored coffee mugs or a rich and luscious lipstick. The color theory reminds me of this scene in "The Devil Wears Prada" when Miranda comments on "Ahndreyah's" Cerulean Blue (Pantone COTY 2000) sweater.

All this talk of fashion and color has made me starving! I think I'll dish up a warm bowl of Marsala Beef Stew and cozy up with a nice glass of wine and a movie. Sunday snow days are my favorite. Enjoy!

Marsala Beef Stew

 Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 lb. bag of frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted tomato paste
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sweet Marsala wine, divided
• 1½ cups low sodium beef stock
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces small button mushrooms
• 4 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce or Amino Acids
• Thyme sprigs
• Mashed potatoes for serving*

Directions:

1.    Heat a large, heavy cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add half of beef; cook 8 minutes or until well browned, turning to brown on all sides. Place browned beef in a 6-quart electric slow cooker; sprinkle with ⅛ teaspoon salt. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining beef, and ⅛ teaspoon salt.

2.    Add garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add tomato paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 1/4 cup wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 minutes or until half of liquid evaporates. Add stock and pepper; bring to a simmer. Carefully pour stock mixture into slow cooker; nestle thyme sprigs into liquid. Top beef mixture with mushrooms; scatter carrots over top.

3.    Place the lid on the crock pot, and cook on LOW for 7 hours. (High for 4-5, but might not be quite as tender)

4.    Add onions to cooking skillet; cook 1 minute on each side or until browned. Add 1/4 cup of wine, 1 tablespoon or Worcestershire and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce to pan, reduce by half, adding liquid and onions to slow cooker. Cook an additional 30 minutes while you make the mashed potatoes.

5.    Strain mixture through a colander over the same large skillet used to brown the meat; discard thyme sprigs. Bring cooking liquid to a boil; cook 6 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 2 cups. Stir in remaining ¾ teaspoon salt. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons wine and flour, stirring with a whisk to form slurry. Stir into cooking liquid; cook 1 minute or until bubbly and thickened, stirring constantly. Pour over beef mixture; toss gently to combine.

6.    *Serve the stew on a bed of mashed potatoes in a pasta bowl, garnished with freshly cracked pepper and thyme leaves.

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light December 2014 

Cowboy Campfire Foil Dinners with Amazing 57 Sauce

I'm sure by now you've all had the pleasure of eating a tin foil dinner that was baked over the smoky coals of a fire while camping. But, if you're the type of person who thinks being outdoorsy means having cocktails on the patio, that's ok too. This recipe can be made in the luxury of your home oven and still tastes amazing. It's the perfect blend of fall veggies and your choice of protein to warm your belly. And if it's not too crisp outside, feel free to enjoy this dish with a glass of wine on your patio.

This meal is so versatile. There are so many flavor combinations, but my favorite version is made with Amazing 57 Sauce listed below. 

As this meal isn't a true recipe, it's too fluid for exactness, I'll give you a guideline and let your creativity flow.


Cowboy Campfire Dinners

You will need:

protein
veggies
aluminum foil
parchment paper
Amazing 57 Sauce
cookie sheet, cast iron skillet or a campfire with hot, smoldering coals
cutting board
chef's knife
salt and pepper to taste

Pick a protein:

hamburger patty
chicken breast
salmon fillet
sirloin steak (lightly sear each side first)

Pick a mixture of veggies:

sweet onion
carrots
potatoes, any variety; sweet, red, russet, fingerling, etc.
bell peppers, any color or combination
parsnips
rutabagas
zucchini
yellow squash
fresh green beans. raw
baby corn cobs
cauliflower
eggplant
mushrooms

Cut veggies into bite size, uniform pieces for even cooking. The potatoes must be cut thin, or par-boiled for 5 minutes to ensure doneness.

And now the sauce...this doesn't need to be an exact science. It's all about the ease and convenience of cooking an entire meal in one packet of foil.

Amazing 57 Sauce:

Heinz 57
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire
minced, fresh garlic
Garlic Salt

Assembly:

Wrap each serving separately. Start with a large sheet of aluminum foil (about a foot and a half long), line with parchment paper. Place down onion and potato first, then your protein. Season protein with salt and pepper, or your favorite spice blend. Top with veggie combination. Don't over stuff the packet as it will be too full to cook evenly. No more than 2 cups worth of vegetables. generously drizzle the Heinz 57 sauce over the top in a zigzag pattern, add a few splashes of worcestershire, a tablespoon or two of chopped garlic and finish with a sprinkling of garlic salt and pepper. You may also add a few pads of butter for extra richness if you desire.

Fold and crease the seams of the foil in the middle to make a packet. This will seal in the juice, creating steam and flavor to cook through your ingredients.

If you are cooking in the oven, preheat to 400°. Line the packets up side by side on a cookie sheet. You may use two middle racks for multiple dinners. For smaller servings, place inside a cast iron skillet or on a single cookie sheet. Bake for 35-45 minutes.

If you are cooking over the coals in a fire or on a Weber grill, feel for medium-high heat. Use the hand test to check your temperature. Make sure you place the packets in indirect heat on the grill. Create indirect heat in a fire pit by making a space in the ash that is surrounded by grey coals. Place the packets directly in the fire, over the ash. Place a few cooler coals over the top of the packets. This method cooks faster. About 25-30 minutes.

You may place the packets on a paper plate if you're camping, once they have cooled slightly. Eat directly out of the foil by slicing open the top.

For the grill or oven method, let the packets cool for about 5 minutes, open and scoop out onto a plate. Serving suggestions; crusty bread, salad, steamed asparagus or broccoli all make great sides for a more rounded meal.

Southern Style Cheat Ribs with Raspberry-Tobasco BBQ Sauce

First of all, I need to apologize in advance to all of the true blue BBQ pit masters rolling their eyes and clutching the pain in their chests when they see the word "CHEAT" next to their beloved "RIBS". I have so much love and respect for their fine art of true BBQ that takes years and sometimes even generations to master. This recipe is not a replacement to your talent, just an at home method for those of us not blessed enough to have a smoker available and a pit master to supervise.

 Nothing is better for a red-blooded American carnivore to devour, than a stack of Q'd meats piled high with finger licking sauce poured all over the top. It's messy, unapologetic and fills a carnal hunger buried inside each modern man. The vegetarians out there will surely skip this post. Let them eat their Tofu in peace and let's talk ribs for a minute.


I prefer beef ribs over pork. They are generally more tender and I prefer their flavor. Ribs are located between the chuck and the loin on the cow and account for short ribs, back-ribs, as well as rib eye steak, prime rib or stood up and presented in style in the form of a standing rib roast such as beef wellington.

That being said, this last Sunday was Father's Day, which was a perfect opportunity to fire up the grill and give Dad a manly meal of his favorite meats and foods. My family revolves around food. We all have our culinary niches and my Mom, sister and I often find ourselves in the kitchen cooking up a storm of love. We put out quite the spread as you can see below and for dessert we made amazing dark chocolate brownies.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Generously season your ribs with your favorite grill seasoning, spice rub or simply salt and pepper. My spice blend of choice is a blend of salt, pepper, brown sugar, paprika and onion powder.





 Place ribs, meat side down, in aluminum foil lined baking dishes, cover the top of the dish with more foil and place in the center rack of the oven.

 If you are using small baby back ribs, take them out after 3 1/2 hours. If you are using regular baby back, St. Louis style or pork ribs, then take out after 4 hours.

Drain off the drippings. Flip the ribs over using two wide spatulas, being very careful as they are very tender at this point, so the meat side is up.

 Preheat your grill using the Weber instructions for baby back ribs. Charcoal will give you the most authentic BBQ, smoked all day flavor.




Put a layer of the Raspberry-Tabasco BBQ sauce (recipe below) on the ribs and place the entire baking dish on the grill (indirect heat). As we have pre-cooked our ribs in the oven, you will only need to cook over indirect heat for 30 minutes to get a nice smokey flavor absorbed into the meat.




Remove from the grill, let the meat rest for 10 minutes and serve with a little extra sauce on the side.

Serve with your favorite BBQ sides. We chose rosemary potatoes, garlic corn and a Thai slaw that my sister made. And because it was Father's Day, more meat in the form of grilled steak.

Raspberry-Tabasco BBQ Sauce

1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce on the sweeter side. Sweet Baby Ray's is one of my favorites.
1 jar of Tabasco Pepper Jelly hot or mild depending on the level of heat desired.
3/4 C of Smucker's Red Raspberry Syrup

Mix together well and taste. Be careful to keep the sauce you are basting meat with in a separate container to avoid contamination. This sauce will save as long as the expiration date on the BBQ sauce label reads. No need to heat before use as the ingredients are already cooked. This blend goes well with a variety of meats and fish. Remember to use at the end of cooking (last 5-10 minutes) or on low heat, as there is a lot of sugar that will burn easily on a hot grill.

As you can see, this sauce is addicting. Once the ribs were on the table, I barely had time for a photo before they were devoured. Try this recipe out with your family. It's a great way to spend a lazy afternoon and get some quality time in together.

Enjoy!