It's hard to believe the weather we've been having - summer weather in September! Truly a rare thing in the Northwest. But we all know what's coming....months of gray skies, clouds and rain! While this weather holds, I've been enjoying afternoon walks with friends - although those walks are starting to turn into exercise! Last night we walked for 3 miles - and at a pretty good clip! So when I got home and walked into the house it was such a treat to be greeted by the aroma of this wonderful meal. This is from The Silver Palate Cookbook - and this is what Sheila Lukins had to say about this recipe:
"It is especially welcome after an autumn hike, at the end of a long day of skiing, or for a snowbound Sunday super..." 
The mister would be late coming home - he had plans with Jack...so I fixed me a plate and enjoyed my meal. Just as I was taking my last bite the mister walked in the door - and we both heard a HUGE crash outside in the yard...immediately the Marine in him flew into action...he ran to the door, flipped on the outside lights and stood there demanding silence! In the back of my mind I kind of knew what it was - I thought one of the dead branches that has been stuck 70 feet up in a tree had fallen so I grabbed a flashlight and walked to the door where the mister was blocking me from going out - he was all a twitter thinking we had intruders...like giant raccoons or possums...I pushed past him out onto the deck and shined the light into the yard where I saw that a giant branch - just as I suspected - had fallen onto my little table and knocked it over along with the plant on top - sending it all crashing to the ground. The mister was still standing in the doorway - planning his attack.
This meal is a four step deal...first you cook the bacon, then you cook the onions in the bacon grease, then you cook the beef in the remaining bacon grease...then you put it all in the oven for 1 1/2 hours and when you take it out it is all bubbly and the meat is so tender it just melts and the sauce, well, it's simply glorious and you might not think it would be because it's cooked in dark beer but you don't taste the beer, you only taste the incredible rich flavors of the now combined ingredients...now, you pour all of this over cooked egg noodles and you've got yourself, as my good friend Alton would say, some serious eats!
This makes enough for 6 servings - if you eat a normal sized amount - but the mister loves this so he always eats at least 3 servings...there is never enough for leftovers!
Beef Carbonnade - Adapted From The Silver Palate Cookbook
1 pound bacon
2 very large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 lbs. beef stew meat (chuck is best), cubed
2 cups imported dark beer
1 package (16 oz.) egg noodles, cooked
Coarsely dice the bacon and saute it in a large skillet until crisp and brown. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Add the onions to the skillet and cook them in the rendered bacon fat until tender, about 20 minutes. Raise the heat on the skillet and sprinkle the onions with the sugar. Toss and stir them until they are well browned. Transfer onions to a strainer set over a bowl and let stand while you prepare the beef.
In a large plastic Zip-loc bag, combine the flour, thyme, salt and pepper and the cubed meat. Shake the bag until all of the cubes are coated with flour, remove the cubes as you gently shake off any excess flour. Press the onions gently with the back of a spoon to extract as much of the cooking fat as possible. Transfer the fat to a Dutch Oven set over high heat; when the kettle is very hot, add 6 to 8 beef cubes, do not crowd them or they will steam and not brown. Turn the heat down slightly and continue to cook the cubes of meat until browned on all sides. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to a clean plate and proceed with the browning until all the meat is done. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pour the beer into the Dutch Oven and use a wooden spoon to stir up all the browned bits on the bottom. Return beef cubes to the Dutch Oven along with the bacon and sauteed onions. Bring to a simmer on the stove. Cover and set on the middle rack of the oven.
Taste and correct seasoning is needed. Serve as a main dish over cooked egg noodles or alongside them. 
"There is no sight on Earth more appealing than the sight of a woman making dinner for someone she loves." Thomas Wolfe
