Crockpot Beef Stew #2

I have been trying to make a good Beef Stew recipe that Lil P will like. I have done several before, but decided to use my crockpot again and see if he will like it.

2-3 lbs Stew Meat (cubed)
1/2 c flour (I used 1 part wheat, 1 part white, and 1 part wheat germs)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 tbs olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
4 small carrots (cubed)
3 red potatoes (cubed)
1 tbs dried parsley
1 package dry onion soup mix
2 cups hot water (or beef broth)
2 tbs butter
1/2 c red wine
1 tbs worchestershire sauce
1/4 cup corn starch

1) Coat meat completely with flour and pan fry with olive oil, add salt and pepper and cook until meat are brown (again this seals the moisture of the meat)
2) Coat your crockpot with Pam, then lay carrots and potatoes in your crockpot.
3) Pour in browned meat, add in dry onion soup mix with hot water (or beef broth), then add in worchestershire sauce.
4) In the same frying pan, toss in butter and onions and sautee until soften, then placed cooked onions on top of meat in crockpot.
5) In the same frying pan, pour in red wine and turn off the heat, stirring to get all the leftover bits of onions or meat.
6) Pour that into the crock pot.
7) Cook on high for 4 - 5 hours, add salt to taste if needed.
8) Combine cornstarch with water (or red wine), and drizzle over the beef stew, stir it up, leave cover off and let it thickens, about 1/2 hour.
9) Serve over rice.

The beef falls apart while you eat, it's super tender. Even Mr. P had seconds! Lil P on the other hand, is still not enjoying this as much as us. I wonder if he wants a tomato based beef stew?! And he doesn't even like tomatoes...but yet he eats pizza!

I've got enough for leftovers, so I made myself a bento for lunch! YES, I haven't made bentos in a long long time!

Top tier contains pea salad (consist of Peas, chopped bacon, chopped water chestnuts, and mayo...YUM-O), tangerines, and grapes. Bottom tier contains beef stew over brown rice.

Crockpot Beef Stew (using Cream of Mushrooms)

Continue on with the leftover celery and in an attempt to use my can of family-sized Cream of Mushrooms as a non-soup or non-alfredo sauce. Here is my version of Cream of Mushroom Beef Stew:

1 can of cream of mushroom (family size)
2 lbs of stew meat
1/2 cup of flour
1 pkg onion soup mix
1/2 tbs garlic powder
1 tbs black pepper
4 red potatoes (cubed)
2 carrots (peeled and cubed)
4 stalks of celery (chopped)
1 small onion (chopped)

1) Place carrots, potatoes, celery, and onion on the bottom of the crock pot. (You may layer it in that order if you wish)
2) In a bowl, place stew meat and coat with flour
3) Lightly brown all of the flour-coated stew meat in an oiled skillet
4) Place the browned stew meat into the crockpot, on top of the cubed veggies
5) Pour in onion soup mix
6) Top with the cream of mushroom
7) Turn crockpot on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours
8) Serve over rice

I wasn't sure if Mr. P is going to like it, so I gave him a small bowl. When he went back for a 2nd bowl, I asked if it tasted okay and asked if I make it again would he eat it, he said "I wouldn't go for seconds if I don't like it. I would order pizza otherwise." YAY!! I can make this again!!!

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Stew

*Got the inspiration from kraftrecipes.com

2 lbs beef stew meat
5 red potatoes (washed and cut into chunks)
3 carrots (peeled and cut into chunks)
1 medium onion (cut into chunks)
3/4 cups BBQ sauce
1 tbs peanut butter

1)layer potatoes on the bottom of slow cooker.
2)layer in carrots.
3)layer in onions.
4)brown stew meat on a skillet (to seal and capture the flavor)
5)layer meat on top of onions.
6)throw peanut butter.
7)top with BBQ sauce.
8)turn slow cooker on high for 4.5 hours.
9)Open lid after 4.5 hours and stir well, cover and let cook for another half hour.
10)Serve with rice.

*Kraftsrecipes suggest to use 1 tbs instant coffee powder. I didn't have any, so I substitue with peanut butter, just to see if that will have a different flavor.