Rebecca Davis 3/24/22 Rebecca Davis 3/24/22

Weeknight beef stew

A deeply flavored, rich, and cozy beef stew is usually an all-day, multiple-pan affair. But this recipe simplifies the steps so that you can have this stew, which is mostly hands-off cooking, on the table in a maximum of 2 hours.

Take me to the recipe!

Okay, so I’ve tried every beef stew recipe out there. (No, I haven’t, but I’ve tried A LOT.) The best ones require time and effort: Multiple cooking methods, multiple steps, multiple pans, etc. And the results have largely been worth the effort. BUT, if you have a busy family, young kids, a demanding job, or just don’t feel like tending a stew all day, there is a simpler beef stew option!

I did a bunch of research and tried a bunch of tricks. My goal was to achieve a rich flavor without using every pan in my kitchen and without requiring a ton of work. Some of my shortcuts worked and some didn’t. I think I’ve landed at a happy medium that isn’t exactly “set it and forget it” but that will get you a lot more bang for your flavor buck than a quick stew made in, say, the slow-cooker.

My first shortcut was to brown the meat in one batch in the oven instead of searing it in multiple batches on the stovetop. I know searing is the way to lock in moisture and to achieve some caramelization on the outside of the meat, but it takes me FOREVER and my hand gets very tired from holding the tongs and rotating the cubes until they’re evenly browned. So instead, I patted everything dry and roasted it at high heat in the oven for a few minutes to get that caramelization.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SALT: I found that if I didn’t salt the meat at all before the roasting, the end results were slightly bland. However, when I over salted the meat before roasting, it dried out because too much moisture came out during that initial cook. So, use a judicious pinch of salt before roasting and then generously salt the rest of the dish at various points in the cooking.

Then, I stirred in some flour right after that initial roast and along with the onions and carrots. I found that adding in the flour at this stage rather than at the end, allowed the flour to cook and thicken the sauce without any added fuss.

My next major shortcut was to whizz a majority of the ingredients in a blender and pour it all over the meat and veggies before a long, slow braise. Less chopping! No garlic fingers! Win win! But, if you don’t want to dirty your blender or food processor (which I completely understand) a traditional chop will do just fine.

Weeknight beef stew

Time: 1 3/4- 2 hours
Yield: 4-6 servings

2 lbs stew beef cubes
1 Tbsp kosher salt, divided (see note above)
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine
2 anchovies
6 large garlic cloves, divided
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large onion
2 large carrots

Optional topping:
1/2 lb mushrooms (optional)
1 Tbsp olive oil or butter, or a combination
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 500. Pat the beef cubes dry. Add in a single layer to a large Dutch oven. Top with 3 Tbsp of butter cut into 6-9 small cubes. Sprinkle very lightly with salt. Roast, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.

While the beef is roasting, add the beef stock, wine, anchovies, 3 cloves garlic, thyme, 1-2 very large pinches of salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor and whizz for 30 seconds.

Once the beef is quickly caramelized, turn the oven down to 375. Sprinkle 2 Tbsp of flour over the meat and mix. Add the onions and carrots and remaining 3 large garlic cloves to the pot. Sprinkle with another judicious pinch of salt. Stir.

Top with the liquid and bake in the oven, uncovered, for 1¼-1½ hours, stirring once halfway through the cooking time. The dish is done once the liquid has cooked down and thickened into a gravy-like consistency.

Optional topping:
While the beef is cooking, chop or slice the mushrooms and sauté in butter and olive oil. Once they have released their water and that water has evaporated, add the vinegar and cook for 1-2 more minutes until the vinegar has also evaporated.

Rebecca Davis 9/23/21 Rebecca Davis 9/23/21

Apple cider slushee

Deal with a fall heatwave with these frozen cider slushees! They can be spiked, spiced, or enjoyed plain! #meandthemoose #cider #falldrinks #frozentreats

Move over pumpkin spice latte, apple cider slushee is coming for your “best fall drink” title! This easy bev can be spiced, spiked, or enjoyed straight up.

Take me to the recipe!

This may be a very Northeast specific rant, but why is it so hot at the beginning of fall? I feel like September, much like that other “changeover” month March, is a tease. Occasionally it’s chilly and crisp and then BAM — humid and gross. It rains and then the sun comes out immediately to really perfect those sweatbox conditions. It feels slightly chilly at 7 am, but by 9 it’s 80 and the air is heavy. How do you dress? What do you eat? I want to want all of the cozy things, but it’s too. damn. hot.

Anyway, that’s why you should freeze your apple cider. You get the coziness of fall, but the refreshment of an iced drink!

You can absolutely spice this cider by adding cinnamon sticks, crushed whole cardamom pods, anise pods, or some fresh ginger, bringing the cider to a boil, letting it simmer for 20-30 minutes, and then straining out the spices. I don’t love adding ground dried spices to my cider because I feel like it makes the cider slightly gritty, but it’s not a deal breaker. (Really, nothing is a deal breaker for me when it comes to cider.)

Apple cider slushee

Time: 6 hours, or overnight + 5 minutes active time
Yield: 2 slushees

2 cups apple cider
2 shots Calvados or other apple brandy, optional

Fill a standard ice cube tray with fresh cider. Let freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Chill the cups you plan to use for the slushees in the freezer while you make the drinks.

Add the ice cubes to a blender (the higher powered, the better) and pulse 3-4 times or let run for about 3-4 seconds. Pulse again or run for 1 more second at a time until the cubes are crushed to your liking. In my experience, the cubes crush up very quickly and you don’t want them to re-liquify.

Spoon the crushed ice into the chilled cups and add 1/8-1/4 cup of fresh cider. Add 1 shot of calvados (optional).

Rebecca Davis 6/21/21 Rebecca Davis 6/21/21

Cauliflower Parmesan

Swap the meat and heavy breading with cauliflower and a crunchy, salty panko topping, and you have a hearty, satisfying pescatarian dish that’s quick, easy, and pleases everyone in the family. #meandthemoose #cauliflowerparmesan #lightercomfortfood … — Swap the meat and heavy breading with cauliflower and a crunchy, salty panko topping, and you have a hearty, satisfying pescatarian dish that’s quick, easy, and pleases everyone in the family. #meandthemoose #cauliflowerparmesan #lightercomfortfood #comfortfood #sheetpandinner #dinnerrecipes

This recipe replaces meat with cauliflower steaks and uses some crispy, briny, magical breadcrumbs to add a crunch that mimics breading without any dredging or frying necessary!

Take me to the recipe!

I put on real clothes for the first time post-pandemic and postpartum for a wedding last weekend and it felt…strange. Like, I’ve completely lost track of the parameters of my body. I ordered a couple of dresses that were all either wildly too big or wildly too small. Have clothes changed a lot in the past 23 months? Or do I need to add body dysmorpia to the list of fun things I have to deal with now???

Anyway, I need to get a grip on a lot of things. Firstly, clothes. Secondly, time. The pandemic made time seem both short and interminable. But one nice benefit to having my husband working from home for the past year was that I could hand him a baby monitor while Z napped or leave him with a barely moving infant while he worked so I could handle the 5-year-old. Now that Z is a one-toddler wrecking crew and Ethan will head back to the office soon, I have to account for the whereabouts of two children who are doing activities in the real world again. Ugh.

Well, this cauliflower parmesan sheet pan dinner solves both problems. Well, not SOLVES necessarily, but definitely fits the bill for a fast, light meal that everyone likes.

A couple of notes:

This recipe leaves a lot of wiggle room for more sauce, cheese, and breadcrumb topping to suit your tastes.
I use cauliflower here, but you could certainly use meat or any other vegetable you like topped with sauce, mozzarella, parmesan, and magical breadcrumbs.
I find this meal really filling for something sans meat, but my husband always asks for a sausage or some leftovers from another meal to go with it, so use this guy as a side or a main as you see fit.
I barely salt the cauliflower. Usually, it needs a lot of seasoning, but since the breadcrumbs are so salty, I don’t want to overdo it. You can always add, but you can’t subtract.
The cooking time will depending on how thinly you slice the cauliflower. Check it after 10 minutes and stop roasting when the stems are just fork tender.

Cauliflower Parmesan

Time: About 30 minutes, all active
Yield: 2-3 mains or 4-5 sides

1 very large or 2 medium heads of cauliflower, stems intact
¼ cup olive oil
Pinch of salt
1½ -2 cup tomato sauce (plus extra for dipping)
1½ cup shredded mozzarella
¼ cup shredded or grated parmesan
1 cup Magical breadcrumbs (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 425.

Remove the leaves at the bottom of the cauliflower, but leave the stem intact. Cut the cauliflower into 1-inch thick slices and spread on a baking sheet. Some may break into florets and that’s okay!

Spray or brush on half of the olive oil. Flip the cauliflower and spray or brush the other sides. Season one side of the cauliflower with a pinch of salt.

Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until the stems of the cauliflower are fork tender. Start checking around 10 minutes.

While the cauliflower roasts, make the breadcrumbs (recipe below)

When cauliflower is fork tender, remove it from the oven and turn on the broiler.

While the broiler is heating, top the cauli steaks with 1 cup of the sauce and all of the mozzarella.

Broil until the cheese is golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Top with the parmesan and magical breadcrumbs to taste.

Magical breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp olive oil or butter
2 whole anchovy filets (or 4 split filets depending on how your anchovies are canned)*
1 heaping cup panko
2 large garlic cloves, minced (about 2 Tbsp)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-low flame. Add the anchovies and cook, breaking them up with a wooden spoon or spatula until they’re completely dissolved, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the panko and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. If the breadcrumbs start to darken, turn the flame down.

Add the garlic and stir well. Let the mixture cook, untouched for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom of the breadcrumbs start to turn golden. Turn off the flame and mix the breadcrumbs. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan before using.

If saving for later, let the breadcrumbs cool completely and then store, covered loosely, in the fridge for up to 4 days.