a boeuf bourguignon julia would be proud of

limited money and limited time are a re-occurring theme in my day to day cooking, however i wanted to make something warm and comforting now that the weather is getting a bit chilly outside but i needed to make sure it fit in with my budget.
i keep my joy of cooking cookbook sitting on my kitchen counter to keep me inspired and as the first thing i make from the book i just knew it had to be boeuf bourguignon, so i peruse the recipe and become quickly aware that the food costs are WAY more than i am willing to spend (the unfortunate thing about bi-weekly paychecks) so i decide to put my spin on this classic french dish. so i hope you enjoy my version of this meal, look below for my recipe and as always eat, laugh, love & enjoy

boeuf bourguignon
beef cut into bite sized cubes (i used strip steak, not the best quality but it cooks so long it gets really tender)
3 large carrots chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped
1 large onion diced
1 large potato diced
1-2 glasses pinot noir (any red wine will be good)
garlic, salt and pepper to taste

brown the meat in hot olive oil and garlic, i like to get a carmelization on both sides, this will not only add extra flavor when the pan gets de-glazed but it will also allow the stew to not have to cook for so long.  do not over crowd your pan because if the oil gets to cool then the meat wont sear properly.  after all the meat has a nice browning on it, i removed it from the pan and set aside.  its not time to add my chopped veggies.  first comes the onion, allowing them to cook a little bit, getting translucent.  before adding the rest of the veggies, it is time to de-glaze the pan. THIS IS SUPER EASY, it consists of pouring the wine in the pan and then scraping the bits of deliciousness off the bottom to incorporate that flavor in with the dish.  now add in all of the veggies, add the beef back in, add about one cup of water just to make sure that there is enough liquid and bring to a boil. as soon as the wine begins to boil drop the temperature low and cover and let this cook for about 2-3 hours or until all of your veggies get soft.

serve over rice, or pasta, or just by itself in a bowl. its not the traditional way but its the affordable way and it seriously tastes amazing! the meat is so tender it falls apart, and the potato soaks up all of the wine and the carrots get really sweet the longer than cook. its the perfect comfort food dish and itll last for days!