Even when I’m under the weather, I like to cook. It feels normal, and sometimes the steam and heat in my little kitchen help to clear my system. This afternoon, I gave this beef stew recipe a try. My dad has a wonderful beef stew recipe, but I neglected to ask him for it the last time I was home. Of course, I searched marthastewart.com for her beef stew recipe, and this one had some flavor elements that I really enjoyed.

I like the use of tomato paste instead of actual tomatoes here- it gives a rich, concentrated tomato flavor and doesn’t make the stew watery. I also enjoyed the flavor of the balsamic vinegar. The stew has just a short list of ingredients, but it definitely left us wanting more. You probably have most of them on hand already.

The days are only going to get colder.. try this one out soon!

*Find the recipe here.