Much like the Chicago weather, I have skipped straight from the summer to winter with the beef recipes from this article. Last week was grilled steak with charred tomato butter; this week it is directly on to this warming, hearty, delicious beef stew. We had this for a special dinner-- a treat for the two aunts who give us free babysitting, so a very important group, and it was a big hit with all of us. The squash in the stew is really good-- it soaks up the beef flavor yet maintains its sweet character. The blue cheese toasts are a big hit-- I used my homemade rye bread, which was excellent.










