We interrupt this Thursday...

...for a FOOD UPDATE!!

Yeah, so I'm totally not keeping to my blogging schedule. What's new? It was good while it lasted. I've had other things to do like working, beta reading, writing, and reading other books. I realize those all make for poor excuses, but since the schedule is totally off, why not have a random post about good scrumdiddlyumminess (Hmmm...that just came out, and I think it like it!)??

I felt particularly culinary last week--moreso than I normally do. In fact, I even used recipes to cook! Now, maybe this isn't so much of a shocker, but since moving to the UK, I've had a tendency to make ready meals, the kind that aren't yet cooked, but have everything thrown together already. While they are quite tasty, they tend to get a bit monotonous. I was just about to get completely bored in my food, when fate stepped in. The store where we shop had some specials on meat, forcing me to find recipes using those meats, because really, how could I pass up a deal?!

What did I make with said on-sale meat?

Beef Stew (a Food Network Recipe)

Yummalicious Sour Cream Enchiladas (Amanda's Modified Recipe)

I've made beef stew before, although it was several years ago. I would probably make it more, but I'm pretty picky about my stew, and none of the recipes I found over the years really screamed to me, until this one. Seriously, it's some of the best stew I've ever had, and the the husband asked me to make it again this week (not even a week after I made it the first time!). I had no problem eating it for lunch for three days in a row either. THAT'S how good it is. Try it!! (Several Notes: You might have to use corn starch at the very end if it doesn't thicken. I think it'll depend on the type of potato you use. Also, definitely make sure to scrape off the fat...there's a lot! It can get really salty, too, so don't use too much salt up front. Oh! And, I substituted 2 cups of broth for red wine. It was perfect.)

Speaking of fat. Did you see those enchiladas?!?! Amanda's a genius! She links to the original recipe, but I definitely think her additions make the overall flavor so much better than it would have been. Don't eat this to be on a diet, but the nice thing is, half and enchilada will fill you up. Well, at least that's what happened to me! Now, we're eating it for lunch. It makes excellent leftovers! I'll be making this again after a while. It's definitely worthy of my precious cans of Ro*Tel (I only have TWO LEFT!!!).

So yeah. Those are examples of what I've been doing, among many many other things. If you try the recipes, let me know how you liked them. If you change them up (like I have a tendency to do) what did you do?