Comfort Food

Spring may be less than four weeks away, but it's still very much winter here in the Northeast. The temperature isn't expected to get above freezing for the next 10 days, and that means keeping the fire burning hot and cooking delicious meals that warm you from the inside out. I've made stews before, but this is the one recipe I keep coming back to again and again. The only drawback is that you have to plan to make this stew well in advance because it takes at least 8 hours to cook. It's worth the wait.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

2 lbs. of stewing beef, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium sized onions, chopped into large pieces

2 ribs celery, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

About 20 mini-potatoes, cut large ones in half, leave smallest ones as is.

1  28 oz. can whole tomatoes (I use plum tomatoes)

1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

3 cups sodium reduced beef broth, divided

2 bay leaves

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and then lightly brown the meat in batches. Transfer browned beef to a plate and set aside.

Dump the tomatoes into the slow cooker (juice and all). Crush them with a potato masher or the back of a spoon. Add the onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle the Italian seasoning over the vegetables and then add the beef and any accumulated drippings. Pour 2 1/2 cups of the beef broth over the beef and vegetables. Give the mixture a quick stir. Add the bay leaves.

Cover and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours.

About 20 minutes before serving, add the peas (no need to defrost first), salt and pepper. In a small bowl whisk together the flour and remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth, creating a smooth paste. Stir into the stew. Replace the slow cooker cover and cook until thickened (about 15-20 minutes). Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Thinking of hosting a get-together this weekend? Then check out this idea for a winter dinner party.

Recipe via Movita Beaucoup