Beef Provencal Stew

Good Morning Momma-birds!

Here is a really easy recipe for you to try this week as the weather is a little cloudy and rainy here in the Northeast.  I never thought I would be posting a beef stew recipe as the idea of stew brings back images of too much mushy stuff as a kid!  This one is just plain really good as my whole family agreed.  If you're like me,  the season is continuing to keep me busy with games, practices, more games, and homework, cooking is just too hard to fit into my afternoons lately.  I'm feeling the pull of the take-out menu!   But, if you are looking for a good one your kids will eat and you seriously don't have too much prep or clean up, check this one out. 

I start this recipe on the stove and then throw into the crock pot on low all day.  Serve over some medium buttered egg noodles and open a bag of salad and you're done!  Enjoy!

Beef Provencal Stew

Serves 6 (3/4 cup stew and 1/2 cup noodles)

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons of olive oil
12 garlic cloves (use at your discretion ... more or less)
1 (2 pound) boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes  
               (I found already cubed Kosher beef at Trader Joe's)
1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 cup red wine
2 cups chopped carrot
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup lower-sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Dash of ground cloves
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
3 cups cooked medium egg noodles (about 4 cups uncooked noodles)

Preparation:

1.  Heat a small Dutch oven over low heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add garlic; cook 5 minutes or until garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally.  Remove garlic with a slotted spoon; set aside.  Increase the heat to medium-high.  Add beef to pan; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.  Cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides.  Remove beef from pan.  Add wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bit.  Add reserved garlic, beef, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, carrot and next 8 ingredients (through bay leaf) and bring to a boil.

2.  Place mixture in a crock pot.  Cook for 5 hours on high or low all day if you start early in the day.  If you don't have a crock pot you can cook this in the oven at 300 degrees for about 2 1/2 hours.

Hope you add this one to your file!  It just helps to have a few of these slow cooker recipes!

Now you have more time to quiz them for their test tomorrow, run their uniforms through the wash for the games tomorrow and maybe, even maybe get to watch some shows you missed this season!

Have an awesome day!
Krista