Beef and Noodles

I am going to the best I can here-I am not very good about remembering to measure on recipes I have been making since I was little.

Beef Stew Portion

1# stew meat or a small roasts sliced into small pieces

1 c flour, seasoned with a nice multipurpose like grill seasoning

oil for sauteeing the meat (at least a couple tablespoons)

1/4 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, thin sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1/2 pint diced tomatoes, with juice

2 t diced chiles

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c wine

water to cover

herbs, chopped (during the winter I use dried herbs, which are often dried and ground, but basil, oregano, marjoram and parsley are nice. Sage, too. I would add about 1/4 to 1/2 t of each).

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste-you will need this. Don't skimp, and taste as you go.

Start by dredging your cut up beef through the flour, until it is coated. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven or stock pot, and then saute your beef over med high heat, browning it a bit.

Add the onion and soften it a bit. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Add the water and the rest of the ingredients, save the salt and pepper.

Simmer the stew for a couple hours, until the meat is nice and tender. Taste and add the salt and pepper and any additional herbs as necessary.

Once your stew is nearly done, make your egg noodles:

Egg Noodles

1 c flour

1 egg

1 t salt

2 T milk

Mix everything together, and add flour or milk as necessary to make the dough hold together well in a ball. Flour your work surface and rolling pin and roll the noodles out-as thin as you can. Use a pizza cutter and cut the noodles into thin strips-about 1/8-1/4 inch wide.

Bring the stew up to a boil and add the noodles a few at time. If there doesn't seem to be enough room, add some hot water. Boil the noodles until they are white and firmed up. Taste one last time for seasoning and serve over mashed potatoes.