Breakfast today was muffins with dried cherries and crispy pecans. I’ve always considered muffins to be “fast food” because they can be started the night before. I used to mix dry ingredients in one bowl, and leave that on the counter overnight, then mix wet ingredients in another bowl left in the fridge. In the morning I’d mix the two bowls together and bake. It was a little different soaking the flour on the counter for 24 hours, but the rest of the ingredients went together rather quickly. The hour of baking time pushed us back, though. I think perhaps next time I’ll make these at night when I have an oven meal planned and they will be ready for my early-risers in the morning.

Hubby and kids had leftovers for lunch while I trekked downtown to the nearest health food store. I picked up some pine nuts, organic fruits and veggies, coconut oil and peppermint flavoring for toothsoap. Dinner simmered along all day in the slow cooker. When I got home, I sliced up some potatoes, boiled them for 15 minutes and mashed them with some clarified butter. I left the milk out so my milk-allergic daughter could enjoy them. We like our mashed potatoes on the chunky side, so the milk wasn’t missed. I also washed, trimmed and put some broccoli in the steamer for a few minutes. Dinner was based on the Beef Bourguignon recipe from NT, but I changed it up a little. I like my mushrooms and onions firm, not mushy like they get all day in the cooker.

Beef Cabernet
3 pounds beef stew meat, cut down to ladylike bite-size
1 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups beef stock
2 pounds pearl onions
1 pound baby crimini mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup drinking-quality Cabernet Sauvignon

Marinate the stew meat in vinegar overnight, for at least 8 and up to 24 hours. Pour off marinade and pat meat dry well. Brown beef in dutch oven in melted coconut oil and butter, in batches (don’t crowd or they’ll steam instead of brown). Remove meat to slow cooker with slotted spoon. Add flour to pot, stirring with a whisk until it absorbs the fat. Add beef stock gradually, and allow to come to a boil briefly before adding to slow cooker. Start slow cooker on low for 6 hours. One hour before meat is done, trim and wash onions and mushrooms. Saute in skillet with melted butter in batches, then remove with a slotted spoon to slow cooker. Add wine to pan and deglaze, allowing to boil off the alcohol for 5 minutes or until reduced by about half. Add wine to slow cooker and allow to finish cooking.

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