Yummy Beef Stew

I like a beef stew that is pretty thick and hearty. It's an added bonus that it is easy to pull together and makes the house smell oh.so.wonderful too! I've found that the crock pot is the best way to make the meat super tender and get full flavor from everything. And the 'secret' ingredient seems surprising, but it adds all the seasoning you need to make it very yummy.

Download a printable 4x6 Beef Stew recipe card for your file here.

Ingredients needed:

• 2 pounds of stew meat, cubed (I put this in the crock pot fully frozen)
• 8 slices of bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 can (15 oz.) petite diced tomatoes
• 2 cans (15 oz each) whole potatoes, drained and cubed
  
• 2 tsp. beef bouillon or 2 beef bouillon cubes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1 cup chopped onions
  
• 3 - 4 cups sliced carrots

1. Place the meat at the bottom of the crock pot and pour the Italian dressing over the beef. Mix the beef bouillon in the water and add to the crock pot.

2. Add in the bacon, diced tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and sliced carrots.

3. Turn the crock pot on low and cook for 7-9 hours.

I do have a few other shortcuts: frozen chopped onions (because chopping real ones makes me cry like a baby) and the canned potatoes, which do not get mushy at all ~ they stay just right. The majority of the time I just pull the meat right out of the freezer and cook it from frozen. The hardest part is peeling and cutting the carrots!