Big Girl Beef Burgundy

With a totally dependent and endlessly precious baby in the house, Elli has blossomed even more into a big girl, and she is so proud of herself. "Look at me, Mommy, I did it!" She now gets dressed by herself, except for shirts, which can be tricky getting on and off her 95th percentile noggin. She cleans up her dishes after meals, loves to help dust and wipe down counters, and has started to swing by herself. If she were tall enough, we'd have her paint the house this summer.

However, even with the freed up time I have found to devote to getting Krista through another bottle or diaper change, finding time to cook can be a challenge, and that's without the factor of being back at my full-time job (which I do in about two weeks *sniff*). So, finding recipes that promise few ingredients, simple prep and delicious results are not only a desire, they are a need.

When I first saw the recipe titled Beef Burgundy in one of my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, I admit I skipped right over it. I thought it sounded too Julia Child for my time and talent constraints. But something made me reconsider it.
I read the ingredients: can of soup, beef broth, onion soup mix.
Yes, great and doabe.
Then the directions: Mix, cover, bake.
Sign me up!
Look at me, I'm cooking like Julia Child!

Beef Burgundy

2 lbs beef stew meat
1 package onion soup mix
1 can golden mushroom soup
4 oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/4 cup beef broth (or Burgundy wine if you're into that sort of thing)

Combine all ingredients in a 2 quart casserole dish with lid. Cover with aluminum foil then lid. Bake at 325 for about 2 hours.

With Elli by my side, I set out all the ingredients, preheated the oven, and dumped the beef into the casserole dish. I then walked Elli through each ingredient we were going to add: soup, mix, broth, and "marshmellows." And off we went.

From there, it was as easy as:

Dump:

Mix:

Cover:

After that, the only thing left to do is find something to occupy yourself for two hours while it bakes, such as...
Work on tummy time with Baby Krista:

Or play with cousin Annika:

Quack at a duck:

Plant flowers:

Go to a Chris Tomlin concert:

Okay, you might not have time for a whole concert, but I just loved doing that so much I had to throw it in.

For the next two hours our house filled with the cozy smell of the beefy dish. My mouth watered so much I had to go run a couple of miles to dry it out. When I got back, I boiled up some egg noodles and carrots to serve with our latest creation. We shoveled in the goodness just in time for Krista's next meal. And I'm certain I detected a tinge of jealousy in her eyes. In time, Krista, you too will be a big girl!

Overall Ratings for Beef Burgundy (5 being the best):
Elli-friendly cooking: 5
Elli-friendly eating: 3 (she preferred the carrots and noodles)
Simple: 5
Fast: 3 (middle grade for fast prep, but long baking time)
Frugal: 3

Question for you:
What dish do you make now but were afraid to try before? What changed your mind?