Beef Stew

I have been cooking up a storm lately, but between housework & homeschooling, my blog time has been limited... I'll try to get a few up tonight though. I have a lot of posts that are about half done.

This is what I made for tonight's dinner. Everyone ate it & loved it, and I even have a little left over for tomorrow! I've made this beef stew many times. Like all crock pot meals, it was so nice to prep it in the morning, and have my afternoon be not so crazy! That gave me more time to make the rolls I served with this.



The prepped vegetables (next time I think I'll add more carrots)


Searing the flour-coated beef chunks before putting them in the crock pot (optional)


Beef Stew
Printable version here

1 pound cubed beef
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. paprika

2 cups beef broth (or one can)
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf (optional)
2 carrots, peeled and diced into 1/2" slices
1/2 onion, diced
1 rib celery, diced into 1/2" slices
2 Yukon potatoes, diced into 1/2" cubes

1. Combine beef, flour, salt, pepper & paprika in a large Ziploc bag; shake to coat meat. Place into crock pot. (Optional- heat a skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the pan, and add flour-coated beef. Brown on all sides, then add broth. Stir, bring to a simmer, then carefully pour into crock pot.)

2. Add all remaining ingredients to crock pot. Cook on low for about 6-7 hours or until done. Remove bay leaf, and serve. Serves 4.

*Note- supposedly searing the meat before putting it in the crock pot helps to add flavor. I've done it both ways, and I can't really tell a difference... next time I'll probably go back to putting it straight into the crock pot, without searing first.

Why I love it? Well it's not fancy, but it is yummy, hearty, and my favorite version of beef stew. It's a good all-in-one meal. You can add bread and/or salad, but for the most part, there's not much you need to do when it comes to serving time.