![\"Julia](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shescookin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/shes_cookin_5_5501.jpg?resize=550%2C887&ssl=1\" "\\"Julia")
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Seldom do we start off a weekend without any plans and, with owning a busy photography business<\/a>, these weekends are few and far between!\u00a0 Our weekend began with a relaxing Friday evening on the sofa in front of the TV.\u00a0 Yes, sometimes you just have to chill and partake in some channel surfing! We came across the movie Julie & Julia and since Jeff and I both love cooking…. and eating,\u00a0 and we missed the movie while it was showing on the big screen,\u00a0 we decided to watch it.\u00a0 We were both fascinated by all the fabulous meals that were prepared and loved Julia’s accent!\u00a0 “Butter” everything is better with butter and lots of it!<\/p>\n The next day we headed to Barnes and Noble to buy a copy of her culinary classic,\u00a0 “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”.\u00a0 Thumbing through the index, I zoned in on Beef Bourguignon otherwise known as Beef Stew with red wine, bacon, onions and mushrooms.\u00a0\u00a0 I had Jeff at “Bacon” and we decided to test our mad cooking skills in the kitchen that evening! We were so proud of ourselves – it was nothing short of sensational, especially paired with a Mouton Cadet Bordeaux…AMAZING!!!! I have to say that it was fun to cook together.\u00a0 I just love when you can combine your passions: for us food, wine and photography; and cooking is another art form that inspires us to be greater!<\/p>\n Serve in casserole, or arrange stew on a platter surrounded with potatoes, noodles or rice, and decorated with parsley. Enjoy \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div> <\/p>\n I was intrigued by this book before I saw the movie and now I know why!!<\/p>\n Cheers, Dana & Jeff<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shescookin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/shes_cookin_5_5501-1.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1\")
<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\tBeef Bourguignon<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\tJulia Child's classic recipe adapted by the Sippers<\/em>\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t\tIngredients<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\tInstructions<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Remove bacon rind and cut into lardons (sticks one quarter-inch thick and one and a half inches long). Simmer rind and lardons for ten minutes in one and a half quarts water. Drain and dry.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPreheat oven to 450 degrees.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSaut\u00e9 lardons in one tablespoon of the olive oil in a flameproof casserole pan over moderate heat for two to three minutes to brown lightly. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tDry beef in paper towels; it will not brown if it is damp. Heat fat in casserole until almost smoking. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and saut\u00e9 until nicely browned on all sides. Add it to the lardons.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn the same fat, brown the sliced vegetables. Pour out the excess fat.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tReturn the beef and bacon to the casserole and toss with one half teaspoon of salt and one quarter teaspoon of pepper. Then sprinkle on the flour and toss again to coat the beef lightly. Set casserole uncovered in middle position of preheated oven for four minutes.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tToss the meat again and return to oven for four minutes (this browns the flour and covers the meat with a light crust). Remove casserole and turn oven down to 325 degrees.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStir in wine and two to three cups stock, just enough so that the meat is barely covered. Add the tomato paste, garlic, herbs and bacon rind. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove. Cover casserole and set in lower third of oven. Regulate heat so that liquid simmers very slowly for three to four hours. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhile the beef is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms. Heat one and a half tablespoons butter with one and one-half tablespoons of the oil until bubbling in a skillet. Add onions and saut\u00e9 over moderate heat for about ten minutes, rolling them so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. Add one half cup of the stock, salt and pepper to taste and the herb bouquet.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but hold their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove herb bouquet and set onions aside.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWipe out skillet and heat remaining oil and butter over high heat. As soon as you see butter has begun to subside, indicating it is hot enough, add mushrooms.Toss and shake pan for four to five minutes. As soon as they have begun to brown lightly, remove from heat.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhen the meat is tender, pour the contents of the casserole into a sieve set over a saucepan. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and lardons to it. Distribute the cooked onions and mushrooms on top.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSkim fat off sauce in saucepan. Simmer sauce for a minute or two, skimming off additional fat as it rises. You should have about two and a half cups of sauce thick enough to coat a spoon lightly. If too thin, boil it down rapidly. If too thick, mix in a few tablespoons stock. Taste carefully for seasoning. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables. Cover and simmer two to three minutes, basting the meat and vegetables with the sauce several times.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ol>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\tRecipe Notes<\/div>\n\t\t
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\n<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shescookin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/shes_cookin_3_550.jpg?resize=330%2C532&ssl=1\" "\\"shes_cookin_3_550\\"")
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\nSipper Photography<\/a><\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/shescookin.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/Picture-3.png?resize=288%2C330&ssl=1\" "\\"Dana")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\n<\/a>Simple + Modern+ Casual\n<\/strong><\/p>\nSipper Photography is an award-winning husband and wife team specializing in wedding, family, and event photography. Recently featured in Glamour magazine and included in MyFoxLA’s HotList of top five wedding photographers.<\/p>\n](\"http:\/\/sipperphotography.com\/blogpics\/Shes%20Cookin%20to%20Blog\/shes_cookin_1.jpg\"){kind=link}