Thursdays Are For Cooking….

This recipe for beef stew comes from Taste of Home (https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/slow-cooker-beef-stew/) , and is specifically meant for the slow cooker. The volume is for 8 servings, so if you’re feeding a crowd, adjust the ingredient portions accordingly.

It may seem too early to do something like this for summer, when a good, solid stew is a welcoming dish in the fall and winter, but with the weather going wacky like it does these days (40s overnight and 60s at noon in my AO), it’s as good as soup and a heartier meal. Add some good crusty bread, butter, a tray of cut-up veggies, and tuck in. And add the pie with ice cream (or plain) for dessert.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 6 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) beef broth
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon browning sauce, optional
• Minced fresh thyme

Directions

• Layer the potatoes, carrots, onion and celery in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Place flour in a large shallow dish. Add stew meat; turn to coat evenly. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil in batches. Place over vegetables.
• In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, broth, mustard, salt, pepper, thyme and, if desired, browning sauce. Pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are tender. If desired, sprinkle with fresh thyme before serving.

Category: Cooking, Economy