Guiness stew.

Mmmm.  What could be better than beer tenderized beef?  Extra-stout Guiness tenderized beef.
I think Guiness stew has always been one of my favorite big-pot makings.  So tasty and easy-peasy.  The only difference from a regular beef stew is the beer in place of a regular beef stock broth.  You can use any stout styled beer and it will turn out great.  I have used Old Rasputin from North Coast Brewing before in my stew and it turned out quite exceptional... But my options from the Class 6 Shopette here on base are limited, and I was too short on time to make a trip to Globus.  So, Guiness it was.  I think I will have to opt for regular draght style next time, however... the extra-stout is a bit too bitter and needed much more doctoring than normal.
Seeing as I don't use recipes, this is the gist of what was made tonight for husband, my favorite firefigther (besides my hubs, of course) and marriage proxy Colton , and my dear, Justine and cutest babe Keegan:

2.5 lbs. Chuck roast, 1-1.5 inch chunks
3 bottles Guiness extra stout
1 large spanish onion, cut in large wedges
5 carrots, sliced
about 1 lbs baby red potatoes, half inch-ish cubes
head of celery, chopped all the way through to the greens
1.5 cups corn, frozen is my preference
3-4 medium portobello mushrooms, chopped roughly
1.5 cup brown shugga to sweeten
Flour as needed to thicken
salt
pepper
oregano
basil
red cayanne pepper, not too much, just enough to add a bit of depth, not heat.
chili powder, just a hint, for smokiness
Here is where the doctoring came in when it was just not quite working:
couple shakes of cinnamin
ground cloves
allspice

Turned out pretty good.
Sorry, no pics.

Kinto Sushi Bar

I do love me some sushi!  Especially all you can eat! Doubly so with good friends!  Not much to say on the fact now... But here are a couple pics from our night out in Zwiebrücken!

Pre-funkin' with fresh-lime gimlets.

3 oz. Beefeater Gin

about 4 small limes, hand sqeezed

2.5 oz simple syrup

in a large martini shaker, fill with ice.

Shake to your hearts content, 

or until your hand freezes to the sides and you can't handle it anymore.  

About  5 minutes.

Pour into sugar rimmed martini glasses.

Serves two.

 Vanessa & Jodi, tasty gimlets in hand.

 

 Left to right-ish:

E.J. Gregory, recently home from deployment, cause of this joyus sushi celebration...

Jack, husband, sushi monster.  

Me (in orange, unaware that this isn't a cute pic, its a funny pic...)

Aveline's hand in forground, stealing my lychi...  

We ended up just sharing in the end. 

 Pickin' and choosin'... Yum!

Freshly made, sushi conveyor belt.

Gotta have some sushi wein with sushi!

Perfect pairing, light, very crisp, just barely off-dry.  

Hints of floral notes and apple.

 

 Statues in the courtyard on our way home!  

As much as I adore staying in and cooking food for everyone, I do love going out to eat!  Had a blast and ate way too much!!

Successful indoor BBQ with three gorgeous ladies.

So, a rainy day turned our plans of an autumn BBQ into burgers and such on the stove.  

All the cooking made Justine's house smell so good and allowed us to watch Interview with a Vampire while I cooked us all lunch.  

 

Menu:

• Ground chuck seasoned with garlic, onion, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, formed into patties and pan cooked.  Topped with cheddar cheese slices, tomato, various condiments, on Rudy's Organic Whole Wheat buns.

The chuck...The burgers...Mmmm...

Burger makings...

• Corn on the Cob, butter (!), salt.

 

Boilin' 4 corn cobs for four pretty ladies. 

• Spaghetti with the last of my homemade pesto (to be described in detail Thursday when I make a fresh batch).

Made a little too much pasta for the amount of pesto that I brought over..

Whoops!  

Still tasty, though!

• Homemade Mac&Cheese, Gourmet Italia Shell pasta, Kraft Mexican Blend shredded cheese, butter (!), milk, egg yolk, salt.  Baked until bubbly and light brown on top.

Mmmmy Mmmac and cheese!

• Bush's Baked Beans.

Old family recipe... 

The whole spread, the plate fill-up, and happy faces! 

 

My multi-tasking. 

Side dish extravaganza!

                          

Yes, we use our hands 'round here...

Left: Justine Reinhardt, Ketchup Queen.          Right: Mustard for the Hot Momma! Gysmel Ferguson.

Serious pasta scooping. Tongue and all...                   Smiles!  We love our carbs!

Burger...Pasta!

Mmmm... Fill 'em up!

Full plate number one!

Mac and cheese!

There's just a little more room...

Space enough for corn!

Buuuuttta'

Butter makes me smile, too, Gysmel.

Full plate number two!

Happy for food!

Joella and Atticus gettin' a burger.

Noodles for Joella, hand in mouth for Atticus.

Silly face, girl!

Full plate number three!

My plate o' yum!

And for dessert:

5 minute chocolate mug cake!

Recipe for mug cake here!

Good food, great friends, sappy movies!  
What a great day!  

Lunch-time All Lady BBQ...

I am going to go ahead and guess that there will be no burnt ANYTHING when its all chicks around the coals...

Stay tuned for the results...and possible pictures.

Last night's "dinner"...

So, no sesame-ginger tuna last night.  I was pooped!  Getting off work at 2030 is rough!  Luckily I only have to do it once a week.

I did however have my new-favorite soup mix.  It is a pre-packaged Peking Soup powder that you boil and add egg to.  YUM!  It is such a great light snack. 

And oh-so-easy! 

Upcoming dining excitement

Does anyone else out there day-dream about the food you will be eating?  I know I sound like I must be starving and withering away to nothing...Dreaming about food, pshht...  But so it goes.  I have been off in another world all day, filled with 5 minute chocolate coffee mug cake found here for "girls day", the seasame-ginger Ahi Tuna I will be making for dinner tonight (look for how it turned out in later posts!), sushi with friends on Monday at our favorite sushi place in Germany, a TBA meal with friends tuesday, and oh, who knows, perhaps a little something like this, although I rarely follow a reciepe unless I'm baking.  "When baking, follow directions.  When cooking, go by your own taste." - Laiko Bahrs.  Indeed...

Sleep Aid

I have this obsession with what I call in my head "my oh-shit-it's-midnight-snack"...  

My I-need-something-to-help-me-sleep-snack.

I took the suggestions located here and on various other sites dedicated to sleep aids and came up with this, my oh so yummy treat.  You won't even realize you're putting yourself to sleep.

Whole wheat tortilla rolled up with cream cheese and a light honey drizzle nestled inside...  Microwave, or pan-heat until warm and melt-y.  Enjoy by candle light on your way to bed for the night or an afternoon nap.

That's where I'm headed, with my neurotransmitters full of tryptophan...Belly full of warm midnight-snack-goodness.

Pleasant eating, sweet dreams.

Hors d'oeuvres. Or 'The Begining'...

...The beginning of blog number 2.  On food and the likes... of wine, beer, and general good cheer.

So, we toast a new blog with a glass of pinot noir and a quote or two or three (...and a glass... or two or three...).

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating. - Luciano Pavarotti

A gourmet who thinks of calories is like a tart who looks at her watch. - James Beard

Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside. - Mark Twain

We should look for someone to eat and drink with before looking for something to eat and drink... - Epicurus

Cooking is like love.  It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. - Harriet van Horne

 

A man may be a pessimistic determinist before lunch and an optimistic believer in the will's freedom after it. - Aldous Huxley

There is no sight on earth more appealing than the sight of a woman making dinner for someone she loves. - Thomas Wolfe

Zum Wohl!