This basic beef stew is good for the colder months. It takes a while to cook so requires some advanced planning, but most of that time the stew is just simmering and filling the area with warm smells. I used to make stew in the slow cooker so I could toss items into it in the morning and have things ready come dinner time, but I think this version has a little more hearty of a flavor.

This recipe provides more servings than I usually like to make, but that is due to the size of the beef chuck usually found for sale. It freezes and reheats well, though.

This is a simple, one skillet dish that is good for a quick meal on a cold night. Plus it reheats well. It is honestly not the most exciting meal, but good comfort food. I think it could use some tweaks, though. Total cook time is about 45 minutes.

After trying a number of different ways of making French Fries this technique is a winner. The goal is a crispy outside with a gooey inside. I have used red, russet and sweet potatoes, and they have all turned out well. Sweet potatoes seem to work better with a lower final cooking temperature and a larger width, and never seem to get as crispy, but I like the flavor.

The kids and I like a dark soy sauce and have tried several recipes before finding this one. At one point I made up a sauce that we really liked, but it was totally by accident and did not take notes so the recipe was lost. This is pretty close to it, though. Total cook time is around 35 minutes.