Stew

One of my favorite fall foods is beef stew. I make it in the crock pot; it's the only thing I make in the crock pot.

Soups and stews are great, since it's the only way I can get Thing 1 to eat a vegetable. I tuck all manner of things in there, and he never knows what goes into him. Obviously he can tell peas and carrots, but he'd never eat a parsnip or a turnip if he could help it. Tonight's stew only had potatoes, carrots, and peas from the garden. I didn't put anything too wild in it.

We made Alton Brown's Southern Biscuits, which were pretty darn good. His recipe calls for a lot more baking powder and a lot less butter than mine. I tried out his method of using one's fingers to cut in the butter and shortening, and although messy, it worked well. You are able to feel any large chunks and smoosh them, whereas with a pastry cutter, you'd never feel them. I think a food processor would work well, so long as you didn't overprocess and heat up the butter and shortening.

That's all for today. I've been cleaning my mess room (computer/craft room), and have a headache, probably from all the dust! However, the room is much cleaner, and I should have it completed tomorrow, all ready for the Christmas rush.