by Board Member Sandy Hartzell

I am always on the lookout for ‘stick to your bones’ type recipes for the cold winter months, but they either have to be quick or the Slow-cooker type. With still having to get up and go to work it’s nice to come home to a meal that’s ready to sit down and eat. This recipe fits the bill in the Slow-cooker category and is great served with an apple salad (Waldorf variety) and some hot honey-butter biscuits.

6 slices Bacon, cut into ½ inch pieces

1 ½ tsp Garlic, fresh minced

1 Onion, chopped ~ 1C

½ tsp Sea Salt

3 lbs Beef – Chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2 ½ inch pieces

½ tsp Black Pepper

½ C Parsley, fresh, chopped

½ tsp Thyme

¾ C Apple juice

4 Red Potatoes, medium size, 1” pieces

½ C Beef Broth

3 Carrots, 1” pieces

1 can Tomato Paste (small can; 5-6 oz)

2 Onions, medium, quartered

2 Bay Leaves

½ lb Mushrooms, fresh, washed & halved

In a Dutch oven place the bacon, chopped onions and beef pieces; cook 8-10 minutes on medium-high heat until bacon & beef are browned. Add the parsley, apple juice, beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, garlic, salt & pepper, and thyme. Stir to combine and heat through; 2-3 minutes.

In a 4- to 5-quart Slow-cooker place the potatoes, carrots, quartered onions and mushrooms; pour the beef mixture over top. Cover and cook on Low heat for 8-10 hours or High heat for 4-5 hours. Meat should be fork tender when done. Remove the bay leaves and stir before serving.

The combination of the apple juice and bacon are what gives this stew its unique flavor and aroma. The apples in the Waldorf salad are a nice compliment to this as the flavors play off of each other nicely and the buttery-honey biscuits add a touch of sweetness to the meal. Stay warm this winter and enjoy this good hearty meal that takes the chill off a cold winter’s day.