Made: Balsamic Beef Stew

I'm cooking again!! I made dinner for my family Sunday night and picked a recipe from last week's Ventage Girls fall foods extravaganza.

The recipe was taken from Baked Bree. Potatoes were my only addition.

The finished product was pretty fabulous - even my dad liked it! It seems silly to say, but the sauce was actually really pretty. It was super smooth and had a nice gloss to it. The balsamic vinegar had a really unique and rich flavor. It was a great addition.

Balsamic Beef Stew

Active Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: about 2 1/2 hours

2 lbs beef chuck, cut into bite-size pieces
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 red onion, diced
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 C red wine
2 C beef broth
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
6 small potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
2 Tbsp cornstarch
3 Tbsp water
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 C flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 package refrigerator biscuits

1. Place beef in a large Ziploc bag. Add flour, salt, and pepper. Shake until beef is coated with flour.
2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
3. Add the onions to the pot, adding more oil if needed. Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Add the beef back to pot. Add red wine and beef broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low.
4. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until beef is fork tender. Add the carrots and potatoes. Cook for another 30 minutes more.
5. In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water. Add to stew and bring to a bubble. Add balsamic vinegar. Cook until stew thickens slightly.
6. Bake biscuits according to package directions. Split biscuits in half, ladle stew over and garnish with chopped parsley.