RECIPE: WATT'S CROCK POT BEEF STEW

SO it took me just a little over a week to get my 2nd recipe post up. Just a little. I actually had another recipe that I REALLY wanted to give to y'all but I couldn't find it and the girl who gave it to me still hasn't re-emailed it to me. All her fault.

Today's recipe is from the Favorites cookbook. It's the Ivory family faves and may still be available at the Make A Wish Foundation. The full cost of the cookbook (either $20 or $25) goes entirely to Make A Wish. Good deal for a great collection of recipes and a great deal for the foundation.

Here's the recipe - as EASY as can be:

WATT'S CROCK POT BEEF STEW

1 lb. beef stew meat, cut to desired size

4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (or 4 handfuls of baby carrots, chunked)

1 bay leaf

1 envelope onion soup mix (i.e. Lipton Recipe Secrets)

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 can condensed cream of celery soup

1 8-oz. can tomato sauce

1 10-oz. package peas (optional)

Combine all ingredients in crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally to mix.

NOTES:

* I put the first 4 ingredients in the pot in the order listed then combined the soup mix, the soups, and the tomato sauce and poured them over the other ingredients. Didn't stir for the first hour or so.

* I left out the peas this time around and it was still very good but I think it would be even better with them.

* No need to salt this one. Plenty of it in there with the soups. But this is coming from someone who doesn't salt anything, so take it with a grain of...salt.

* I have a larger, shallower crock pot as opposed to a tall, deep one. I did the longer, low-temp option and the stew was totally done and ready at about 6 or 6 1/2 hours. I turned it to warm and kept it that way until about 30 minutes before serving when I turned it back to low...came out PERFECT.

* If you're like me, you like to taste things as they cook. Don't on this one...it tastes totally sub-par as it goes but when it's done cooking, the flavors have melded nicely and it's very yummy!

This one was a hit with the whole family. Well, almost...Claire wasn't a huge fan but then she didn't like chocolate cake on her 1st birthday so we won't trust her judgment.