Beef Stew Recipe

Comfort, originally uploaded by jenib320.

I'm not a huge meat-eater, but this is one meal I cannot resist. Beef stew is just so comforting when the weather turns cold! At first glance it may seem overly-simple (like no spices, sheesh!) but I swear it's delicious! My Mom has been making it for years and when she gave me the recipe I could not believe it! :)

Beef Stew

2 lbs stew meat (approx., more or less will work fine!)
1 c. red wine
1 c. beef broth
1/2 - 1 c. frozen peas
1/2 - 1 c. frozen pearl onions
1/2 - 1 c. frozen or fresh cut carrots
1 Bay Leaf
Salt & Pepper to taste
2-3 T. Flour

1. Pat dry (This is important! This is one of the few things I use paper towels for!) your stew meat, and cut into bite size chunks. Place meat in a gallon ziploc bag with a couple tablespoons of flour. Shuffle the bag until all pieces are coated.

2. Brown meat in a frying pan with a small amount of oil. You don't need to cook it long, most of the cooking will be done in the crock-pot.

3. Add stew meat, wine, broth, peas, onions, carrots, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to your crock-pot. You may choose to add more or less of each veggie depending on your taste!

4. You may need to add more liquid to cover meat and veggies, if you do, be sure to add equal parts wine and broth.

5. Stir and cover. Cook on high for 6-7 hours, allowing the beef to become tender. Stir every hour or so.

6. Serve with mashed potatoes and Dijon biscuits.

PS - The secret to amazing mashed potatoes is sour cream. I add butter, a splash of milk and a dollop of low-fat sour cream. They're bad for you, but I figure if you're going to go through the trouble of making homemade mashed potatoes they might as well be good! :)

Enjoy!