Beef Stew

Hi guys! I am finally posting! This is the first of two recipes I have to post! Since it has been so cold and icy here I wanted some kind of soup and something that comforts since I have been sick. I did change several things about this recipe though. Some of the changes are marked in the recipe but I also made a list at the end. Look for (*) through the recipe and that will let you know what I changed. Here goes my first recipe:

2 lbs stew beef
2 tblsp vegtable oil* (I used olive oil)
2 cups of water* ( I used 1 cup sweet red wine and 1 cup water)
1 tblsp worcestershire
1 clove garlic* ( I used pre-minced jarred garlic)
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion* (Omitted)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar* (Omitted since I used sweet red wine)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
dash of ground allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots* (I bought pre-sliced and bagged to save time)
3 ribs celery* (Omitted)
2 tblsp cornstarch* (Stew was thick enough)

DIRECTIONS: Brown the meat in hot oil, but don't cook all the way through. Add water, worcestershire, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice/clove. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hrs. Remove bay leaf and garlic clove. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook another 30 to 40 minutes. To thicken sauce, remove 2 cups of hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and bring to boil. Serve with biscuits, or any side of your choice.

Ok, I wrote the recipe exactly how I got it (Paula Dean recipe). I did change several things to make it my own though.

CHANGES: I also added about a pound of red potatoes that were cut into bite size pieces. I added the potatoes about 45 minutes into cooking, and they ended up being mushy, I don't mind that but if you like them a little firmer then add them with the carrots. I ended up adding two more cups of water toward the end because there was hardly any liquid left. When I make this again I am going to start with 1 cup of water, 1 cup of red wine, and 1 cup of beef broth. Just depends on how much liquid you like in your stew.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!! Still eating the leftovers :) The picture of the pot is the leftovers once a few bowls were already eaten ;)

Please leave me feedback on this post, I am trying to make this easy to read and follow. Thanks for reading!!