Farm Girl Beef Stew

Beef Stew

Or as Princess used to say: “Boof Steeve”  Serves 6

This is super-easy for a busy farm girl.   I make early in the morning, put in a slow cooker and forget about it until supper.  To complete the meal, I include a garden salad, buttermilk biscuits and cinnamon applesauce.  Leftovers of this dish are great, but don't try to freeze it...unless you don't mind mushy taters.

Ingredients

2    pound beef stew meat

4    potatoes

2    large carrots

2    ribs celery

1    medium to large onion, cut into chunks

1    pint homemade tomato soup or  1 (10 3/4oz) can tomato soup

½   cup water

2    Tablespoons cornstarch

1    Tablespoon brown sugar

         2     Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

         1      teaspoon salt

         1/2   teaspoon ground black pepper

         1      teaspoon ground allspice

         1/2   teaspoon dried marjoram

         1/2   teaspoon dried thyme

         2      bay leaves

Directions

For Slow Cooker:  Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces.  Peel and cut the potatoes into pieces just a bit larger than the meat.  Peel the carrot and cut it and the celery and onion into 1 inch pieces.  In the slow-cooker pot, combine the meat and vegetables.  Pour in the tomato soup.  In a liquid measuring cup blend water and cornstarch until smooth and add this to the meat and vegetables.  Add the spices and herbs.  Do not stir.  Cook on high for 8 – 9 hours.  Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Quick & easy:  Use a 16 oz. package of frozen stew vegetables.

Slow & laborious (not really):  It cooks up in a covered stock pot in about 1-1/2 hours on the stove-top...just be sure to stir occasionally 'cause it'll stick to the bottom of the pot.  (I can't leave Cowboy in charge of the stove-top method) Or 2 hours in a 350 degree oven in a casserole dish (I use the ceramic pot & glass lid from my slow cooker). 

Another thing:     add a peeled and cored apple cut into chunks to make it like a fall campfire stew.