CONFESSION: To say my husband’s a little timid about cooking is an understatement. Still, occasionally he’s willing to tackle dinner, as long as he has VERY SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS. This is the email I sent him to make this delicious beef stew. You really can’t go wrong with this recipe, just season to taste (I season generously with garlic salt, pepper and random herbs).

  1. Clean carrots (peel if you want, it’s not necessary if they’re clean), cut into large chunks. All of them (yummm, carrots)
  2. Clean potatoes, cut into large chunks (quarters). About half as many potatoes as carrots is a good margin (yummm, carrots)
  3. Cut mushrooms in half if button, chunks if portobella
  4. Peel and cut two red onions in quarters
  5. Mince one full clove of elephant garlic (you can cut it in pieces and run it through the garlic press)
  6. Use the Penzey’s beef roast seasoning. Read the directions and add 2x  the recommended amount of spice.
  7. Up to you if you want to chop the meat into cubes. It can go in as one big slab and will break apart well enough.
  8. Place potatoes and carrots and half of onions and garlic at bottom of crock pot with a sprinkling of the spices.
  9. Add beef
  10. Add the rest of the beef broth in the carton in the fridge (1 cup) and 1 can cream of mushroom soup and 1 can cream of celery
  11. Add seasoning
  12. Add mushrooms and second half of onions and garlic.
  13. Heat on low ‘til I come home.

About 8 hours later we had awesome stew!! Because of the cream soups, this version isn’t a very rich gravy but it’s tasty and  full of flavor. Super easy!