We Stew Differently

So I inherited the old "put whatever you have in the fridge and pantry in a dish and that's dinner" curse from my Dad. Or so I thought!

Not only does it make life easy, it makes you get creative in the kitchen and I love it. I happen to have a husband who will eat anything, but I have two young boys that aren't so much like their dad. Picky for sure. Yet, they seem to like the majority of my meals. Win!

A few weeks back I found a few items that were half gone in our fridge and decided to make a stew. My own style of stew. I was never a fan growing up but I do enjoy slow cooker meals much much more now. Especially being a mom. It is a life saver in some cases for sure.

Here is my creation for you to try for yourself:

What I used...

Half a pack mini red potatoes, quartered
Broccoli floret,  cut into small pieces
Baby Carrots, a handful cut in half then into pieces
Yellow pepper, cut into small bite size pieces
Tomato, diced
Stewing Beef, browned before hand
Can of condensed, Cream of Mushroom Soup
Chipotle Ranch seasoning, to taste
Seasoning Salt, pinch (optional)
Garlic Powder, pinch (optional)
Sour Cream, to top off (optional)
Shredded Cheese, to top off (optional)

How I made it...

1. Brown the stewing beef over medium high heat until cooked.
2. Meanwhile, cut up vegetables. Feel free to add vegetables that you have in your fridge or prefer to the ones I've mentioned above.
3. Place cut up vegetables, beef, cream of mushroom soup, and seasonings into slow cooker.
4. Mix all ingredients together and allow to cook on high for an hour, or until potatoes become soft.
5. You can choose to cook on low for longer, approximately 2.5 hours. Make sure to stir occasionally and test vegetables tenderness every once and a while.

Great for a winter Sunday dinner. Best when served warm with a bun. As I write this I have my own slow cooker heating up this very dish and I am quite excited to eat it once ready. I can smell the Chipotle seasoning already, yum! I recommend finishing it off with a spoonful of sour cream on your plate, to cut back on the chipotle spices and even a little shredded cheese for the kids. Enjoy!

Here are a few photos I took...

-Mama Johnstone