Crock Pot Beef Stew & my 100th post!

I should actually, more accurately call this Meat & Potatoes Stew, because that is what it is! We had a fantastic Prime Rib, which I promise to stop "talking" about soon...and I used the bones and some meat to make the Beef Stock for this recipe,and added carrot, tomato, etc to the STOCK, but left all that business out of the stew. I don't like the texture of cooked carrots and Nate is not so big on tomatoes or peas- so I thought I keep it super simple and go straight-up old-school meat & potatoes.

This is also the FIRST recipe I've made using my new Christmas-present crock pot!! YAY!! (THANKS MOM!!) It's a 5 1/2 quart WITH A TIMER!! No more RACING home from work, praying the chili didn't overflow (which only happened once, and fortunately I placed the crock just right next to the sink). Ever since the chili-spilly I would always picture Lee rolling on the floor in our dinner, a real Chili-Dog ;)
Never have to worry 'bout that again! WOO HOO! I feel like such a grown-up!

I'll be crockin' much more now that I have more than 2.5 quarts of crock to rock, coming home from a long day at work and having something fabulous all ready to eat is such a fantastic feeling! I think it may torture Leela a little bit during the day to have the whole pad smell like delicious beef, but it's worth it!

This is also a wee milestone for my blog- it's my 100th post!! So enjoy the stew and Cheers to many more hundreds of dishes!



Meat & Potatoes Stew

2-3 Large Russet potatoes,, cleaned, peeled and chopped into big chunks
1/2 a sweet onion chopped
2 lbs beef for stewing
8-10 cups beef stock
Kosher salt, pepper, basil, oregano & garlic salt (all just sprinkled over it to taste)
Chili flakes- just a pinch ;)
3 T cornstarch
1/4 water
1-2 Bread Boule's (we shared one big one!)

Add all ingredients (except cornstarch & water) to crock-pot.
Cook on low for 8 hours.
In a small bowl whisk cornstarch and water until well blended and stir into stew in crock pot. Put the lid back on and cook an additional 30 minutes on low.

Cut the top off the boule and hollow out the center, save the "guts" and chop up the top for dippin'.
Perfect for days like today when the wind is whipping & it is COOOOOLD outside!!