OLD FASHIONED BEEF STEW

From a tiny BEACH kitchen:

Here is another classic crockpot recipe…… I don’t have a picture of the finished dish.  Oops!  We ate it all before I realized I didn’t get the finished shot- the stew was THAT GOOD!   (Use your imagination.)

I did, however, take a shot of the actual beef stew recipe I have been using forever.    The recipe booklet came out of the crockpot box many years ago.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• 4 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cup beef broth
• bay leaf
• 1/4 cup flour
• paprika
• salt and pepper

Hearty Baked Beans

From Krisann:

This baked bean recipe can be served as a side or as a meal itself.  The combination of beans and meat make it very hearty and delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 can pinto beans, drained
• 1 can cannelli beans, drained
• 2 cans chix peas, drained
• 2 cans kidney beans, drained
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 1lb ground beef
• 1lb bacon
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• couple teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 1/2 cup red cooking wine

In a large pot add the beans, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard and cooking wine.  Set aside.  In a medium frying pan cook ground beef, drain off fat and add to the pot with the beans.  In the same frying pay, cook the bacon, when the bacon is cooked, drain off 1/2 the fat and cook the chopped onion in the bacon fat.

Crumble the bacon and add to beans and meat pot.  Add the onions.  Cook over low to heat for 2 hrs.

SIMPLE CROCK POT ROAST RECIPE

FROM a tiny BEACH kitchen:

This dinner can feed a hungry crowd and makes for great leftovers.  Don’t have a crockpot? Go buy one.  Definately a  must have in a busy kitchen.  This recipe is just for the roast and gravy.  (You can add potatoes and carrots to the crock pot if you like).  Simple.   

You can assemble this meal in 15 minutes in the morning. Go about your day.    When you come home, your house will smell amazing!   We were home all day while it was cooking and dinner could not come fast enough.   Some great sides….. mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, green beans.  Don’t forget the Cabernet Sauvignon.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 pound chuck roast
• cup of beef broth
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cloves chopped garlic
• 1 medium onion
• package of baby portabello mushrooms
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 bay leaf
• salt and pepper

Wash chuck roast.  Season generously with salt and pepper and crushed garlic.  Coat with flour.  Place in oiled skillet and brown lightly on all sides.

While browning roast.  Add diced onions to skillet and saute until tender. 

NOTE:  When dicing onions, peel onion but leave the “stem” on the onion.  Put slices in onion but  do NOT slice all the way thru to the stem- turn onion halfway and add more slices- again, do not slice all the way thru to the stem.  The STEM will hold the onion together until you dice top to bottom.   I saw this trick on the food channel and it has changed my life.   Onion is diced in seconds and I don’t have to grab for the  kleenex to wipe my teary eyes.  I used to have to wear swim goggles dicing an onion.  Quite a sight!

Transfer roast and onions to crock pot sprayed with Olive Oil.  Toss in garlic and bay leaf.   Add mushrooms.  Pour in the beef broth, and add salt and pepper.   Cook on low 8- 10 hours. 

The crockpot will be full of tasty beef broth.  You can serve broth as is, or put a cup of the broth in a saucepan with a tablespoon or 2 of cornstarch to thicken into a gravy. Stir. Stir. Stir!   

~SHERYL