Visits from grandma are usually something very special for everyone.  For the last couple of weeks, my family has been graced with the presence of my mom’s mom.  It’s extra special for us all because we’re down here in Atlanta and she lives all the way up in Connecticut and we just don’t get up that way as often as we’d like to, so it’s a real treat when we can all be together.  This evening, she’s going back up north, but we’ve been happy to have her.

One of the great things that come with a visit from Grandma is her cooking.  Much like her visits, whenever she’s around, we get to have certain foods that we don’t eat very often.  What amazes me the most about grandmothers is how they cook these great things without using a recipe.  It just goes to show that in a lot of cases (with the exception of baking), cooking isn’t an exact science.  That’s exactly how she showed me how to make beef oxtails.

Before Grandma’s visit, I always thought that oxtails were one of those daunting dishes to cook, but it’s actually quite simple.  And her method is perfect for beginners.  It’s simple braising.  You just season them, brown them, sauté some onions in the same pot, put em back in the pot with some wine and stock and let them simmer on the stove top for a few hours until they’re tender.  Simple.  Now, if I try to make these myself one day, I may add a few things, so a “real” recipe may be coming in the near future!

Thanks, Grandma!