The trip to Seattle was hard for many reasons - not only because we miss it so. We went to Seattle to lay my grandfather's ashes to rest. He passed away in August, but because many of the family were not in Seattle, we decided to wait a while to have any kind of ceremony. We layed his ashes to rest in the Puget Sound right under the cliff of his home on Whidbey Island. It was the same location that we layed Nana's ashes to rest almost 10 years ago.
When I began this blog not quite a month ago, I had no idea why I was starting it. I even thought of cancelling the whole thing, I mean who would want to read my random thoughts and recipes? But last week, while I was thinking of my grandfather it came to me. See, my grandfather and I had a lot in common. We both love fountain pens, books, reading and good food. And we both wanted to be writers. In his life he worked as an editor, a teacher and as a speech writer for McDonnell Douglas Corporation. I know as a young man he wrote poems, but I have no knowledge of anything else he wrote.
Ever since I can remember he would send me packages of newspaper and magazine clippings. Things he was saving for me that he thought I would be interested in. Invariably, he would send me the food articles from the Whidbey Island newspaper. He used to think I should start my own column on food. He wanted me to write a column for the Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper. He thought that my experiences and love of food would make for good reading. I never looked into writing an article for the Stars and Stripes because I don't have my degree in Journalism and I wasn't in the military, and I think you need one or the other to write for that particular publication!
I'm not sure when the idea that I could write a blog came about. I have been reading blogs for a while now, and don't know if I can do as good as some of my favorites. But, I am trying, for him. I didn't get a chance to cook for my grandfather as much as I would have liked because I was never in Seattle. I did get a chance to cook for him a few times, and my grandfather loves soup as much as I do! I remember making a huge batch of this stew, and filling his freezer so that he wouldn't have to cook.
(Originally posted January 20, 2009 - see my mistake)
Beef and Barley Stew
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb beef stew meat, cubed
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 can (14 1/2 oz) whole tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon each dried basil, marjoram and thyme
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
5 1/2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
4 potatoes, cubed
1 cup each chopped celery and carrot
3/4 cup barley salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add beef and cook until brown, stirring occasionally. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is tender. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for an hour and a half. Remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning before serving.
When I began this blog not quite a month ago, I had no idea why I was starting it. I even thought of cancelling the whole thing, I mean who would want to read my random thoughts and recipes? But last week, while I was thinking of my grandfather it came to me. See, my grandfather and I had a lot in common. We both love fountain pens, books, reading and good food. And we both wanted to be writers. In his life he worked as an editor, a teacher and as a speech writer for McDonnell Douglas Corporation. I know as a young man he wrote poems, but I have no knowledge of anything else he wrote.
Ever since I can remember he would send me packages of newspaper and magazine clippings. Things he was saving for me that he thought I would be interested in. Invariably, he would send me the food articles from the Whidbey Island newspaper. He used to think I should start my own column on food. He wanted me to write a column for the Stars and Stripes, the military newspaper. He thought that my experiences and love of food would make for good reading. I never looked into writing an article for the Stars and Stripes because I don't have my degree in Journalism and I wasn't in the military, and I think you need one or the other to write for that particular publication!
I'm not sure when the idea that I could write a blog came about. I have been reading blogs for a while now, and don't know if I can do as good as some of my favorites. But, I am trying, for him. I didn't get a chance to cook for my grandfather as much as I would have liked because I was never in Seattle. I did get a chance to cook for him a few times, and my grandfather loves soup as much as I do! I remember making a huge batch of this stew, and filling his freezer so that he wouldn't have to cook.
(Originally posted January 20, 2009 - see my mistake)
Beef and Barley Stew
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb beef stew meat, cubed
1 cup chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
1 can (14 1/2 oz) whole tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon each dried basil, marjoram and thyme
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
5 1/2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
4 potatoes, cubed
1 cup each chopped celery and carrot
3/4 cup barley salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add beef and cook until brown, stirring occasionally. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is tender. Stir in all remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for an hour and a half. Remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning before serving.
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