Crock Pot Mondays: Beef Stew

I've promised you a weekly feature, and that's what you're going to get!  But, while today is Monday, I'm not pulling out the crock pot.  It's a holiday!  Which means none of us has school or work today, so a wait-awhile supper isn't necessary.  We're having ribs and potatoes (they're currently getting all happy together in the smoker) with cole slaw and roasted asparagus.  My mouth waters just thinking about it!  However, yesterday was a crock pot kind of day, and so I'm sharing yesterday's crock pot meal with you today!

I made beef stew, which is one of my favorite crock pot meals.  Few things make the whole house smell yummier!  I deviated from my normal recipe a little bit, because I was in a hurry at the store and forgot a few things!  I think I'm going to post both recipes, though, and let you decide which to try.  (Note: I used the smaller sized package of precut beef from Wal-Mart.  My level of dedication does not extend to digging through the trash can to find out the exact weight.  Just, use your instincts on this one!)

Beef Stew as I Made it Yesterday

1 pkg. of pre-cut beef for stew (or get a roast and cut it yourself... but why make it harder than it has to be?)

1/4-1/3 c. all purpose flour

1 c. beef broth

3 med. potatoes

1 onion

8-10 oz baby carrots

salt and pepper

olive oil

Cut the potatoes and onion into whatever size you decide is best. Put them in the crock pot. Next, add the carrots. Cover with the broth and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a ziploc bag and add some salt and pepper, shake it to mix. Add the beef, shake it to coat the beef with flour. Put the beef in the crock pot, shaking off the excess flour, first. Drizzle olive oil over the beef.  Cook on low for 10 hours, stirring everything together about halfway through. (I put this on before church, and stirred it once after we got home from lunch.) You can add more broth if the gravy is too thick. I actually thought mine was a little thin, but once I turned the heat off, it thickened to just right in 10 minutes or so.

Now, 

Beef Stew as I Usually Make It

1 pkg pre cut stew beef

1 8oz pkg white mushrooms, halved

6-8 baby red potatoes, halved

handful of baby carrots

1 onion, diced

1/2 c beef broth OR water

1 can cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup (I've only seen it in the Campbell's brand)

Mix together the soup and broth; set aside. Put everything else in the crock pot: veggies on the bottom, meat on top, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the soup on top. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours.