Crock of What?

I think since I have been married I have really had the chance to hone my culinary skills. I tackle, one by one, meats and sides I didn't think possible from the likes of my clumsy mits... orange roughy to venison. Cole slaw to roasted Greek potatoes. Things usually turn out, well, ummm fair to "middlin"- as in I am not the best chef but I can crank out a meal you can eat.

And now that the late Fall weather is starting to turn I decided to try my hand at an Old Fashion Guinness Stew. It's a crock pot "situtation"- so I went ahead and cut the three pound grody to the max hunk of beef gut on Sunday- as well as the potatoes, carrots, and onion. I then, as the recipe called, lightly browned the beef for two hours.

On Monday night, I added the potatoes and carrots and what not- and let her simmer.... for hours. And it wasn't done. We had frozzen pizza.

On Tuesday night- I let her simmer again. For hours. STILL not done. Back in the fridge she went. How about some fish?

On Wednesday night... I came home before my salon appointment and let her simmer again. For hours. And when I came home, it was cooked enough to be eaten. But I was so annoyed at the ordeal I didn't even want any. Instead I ladled up a big fat bowl for my husband- who almost immediately asked, "What kind of MEAT is this?". Oh NO you didn't. You LIKE it my man- because that is about five pounds of food that I have been slaving over for the last FOUR days and you have to like it... pretty please... like it? PLEASE like IT.

"It's just stew meat, do you like it?"

"I dont' know."

And then within thirty minutes he was puking up my Old Fashion Guinness Stew in the bathroom.

And I didn't have the heart to throw it all out last night. Or aplogize to my husband. I almost took it to my students. But then thought better of the possible food poisoning accusations and the ensuing lawsuit.

So my creation sits. Dismally, in a huge crock pot on the bottom shelf of my fridge.

Maybe I will take it to the farm this weekend and feed it to the pigs.