Simply Stunning Flowers

Since it is a gorgeous day in Chicago today, the warm weather made me think of spring and spring makes me think of flowers! So, today's post is my collection of showstopping flowers!

Because I'm a science teacher ;)

 Photos via Preston  Bailey Blog

Recipe of the Day

Guiness Braised Beef

Guinness Braised BeefRecipe from the haggis and the herring

4 1/2 lb top sirloin beef roast, trimmed and cubed
4-5 tbsp flour
cooking oil
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
2 large onions, chopped
2 1/2 cups beef stock
1 1/4 cups Guinness beer
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp prepared mustard
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground cloves
salt
pepper
1 1/2 tsp basil
2 bay leaves

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
• Heat about 2 tbsp cooking oil in a frying pan (medium to high heat)
• Dredge your cubed beef in flour.  When the oil is hot, add the beef to the frying pan, and brown on all sides.  Don't overcrowd the beef, so you may have to cook it in batches (and you may have to add more oil).  Also be careful not to overcook it, you just want to brown the beef! 
• When the beef is browned, put it into an oven proof dish.
• In the same pan that you browned the beef, add the onions and garlic, and cook until soft.  Don't worry about the messy pan, you want all that stuff in there - it adds great flavour!
• Once the onions and garlic are soft, add the stock, beer, vinegar, sugar, mustard, cloves, salt & pepper, basil and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil.
• Then pour the liquid over the beef, cover, and transfer the dish to the oven.
• Bake until the beef is tender - about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Stir a couple of times during cooking.