Old Fashioned Beef Stew

For the past couple of days we have been covered by a layer of snow and it seems like its not going anywhere. The roads have been a mess and while I'm accustomed to the snow I sure do miss the nice weather we were experiencing while visiting the Caribbean. There's nothing like going from the 80's to the 20's and I can't wait for the summer to get here. When the weather is like this I like being in the kitchen and one meal that does hit the spot when its cold outside is a nice old fashioned beef stew. Today I want to share with you this recipe that makes a delicious meal for a cold and dreary day. It is easy to make and your family will enjoy it as much as we did.

Servings: 4-6

Time: 2 hr 20 min

Here is what you'll need:

Ingredients:-

2 pounds stew beef

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 or 2 bay leaves

1 medium onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Dash ground cloves (or ground allspice)

2 cups carrots, sliced

3 ribs celery, chopped

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

1. Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and ground cloves. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

2. Remove bay leaves. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 additional minutes.

3. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups 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 cook until bubbly.

Serve and enjoy!