Evil Food Craving: Navajo Fry Bread

This is so easy and yummy and that is what makes it evil.  I had this in high school when we used to go to missions trips to the Navajo Nation and do a VBS week with the children there.  There was a trailer on the land where we stayed and in it older women would make food and sell it daily.  The Fry Bread was awesome especially when it was fresh out of the pan.  This bread can be a side dish.  It can also be used as a tortilla for Navajo tacos (drooling already.)  People also put powdered sugar or honey on it for a sweet snack.

Here is the recipe.  It makes 4-5 small 6 inch or so bread rounds.

1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp powdered milk
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup water
oil for frying (I use canola but the Navajo would most likely use shortening)
extra flour for your hands

1) mix all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl.  While you are prepping put about 1 inch of oil in a skillet.  I just use my 10 inch pan but a cast iron one would be good.

2) Separate the dough into 4-5 balls.  I like doing 5 because I make the kids slightly smaller and have an extra to nibble on :).

3) flouring your hands, work the ball (not kneading it) into a flat-ish circle about the size of your hand fingers to palm.  Its kind of like a pizza dough so stretch press and turn it to get it to the size you want.  Make sure there is at least 1 small hole in the center somewhere (about an inch or so) this helps it not puff up and the oil gets to the top side.

4) Check your oil and see if its hot enough.  I don't use a thermometer I just see if it sizzles when I drop a little bit of dough in.  Place your dough in carefully and let it cook for about a minute on each side until it is a nice golden color.

5) Place on a paper towel and sprinkle with some salt.  These are best when you eat them right away but are still good it they are made ahead and served with the meal.

Rainbow Cookies

In my daughter's Cubbie (AWANA) workbook, the verse for the week was "All Your words are true...". The story focused on God keeping His promises and the story of Noah's Ark.  The rainbow at the end of the story represents God keeping his promise to Noah.

The workbook has suggested activities for home study/practice and this week's was making rainbow cookies.  There were no instructions but I figured it couldn't be that hard.

I made a basic sugar cookie recipe. I also didn't have the forethought to take pictures of the process but it was pretty simple.

SUGAR COOKIES

1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

mix the wet (butter sugar, egg, vanilla) then mix in the dry ingredients.

At this point, I separated the dough into 6 small bowls and used the basic 4 pack of food coloring to make the colors. I would suggest adding a bit more to red and a little less to the purple bowl.

For red =8-10 drops of red food coloring
For orange +6 yellow 2-3 drops of red
For yellow = 8-10 drops of yellow
For green = 8 drops green
For blue = 8-10 drops blue
For purple = 6 drops red 2-3 drops blue

(adjust for desired colors orange and yellow are pretty similar so make the orange darker so the baked version shows contrast)

Flour a board and lay out a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface or baking sheet ready for the rolled out dough.  I started with red and found that it was much easier to shape using my hands than using a rolling pin but go ahead and do what works for you.  I shaped the red into an oblong shape about 8 inches by 4 inches.  The goal is more for the depth of about 1/4 of an inch.  I repeated with orange, yellow, green, blue and purple layering each on top of the other on the plastic wrap.  Then I rolled all the colors into a log shape so the red was surrounding the outside of all the colors, and wrapped it in the plastic wrap then let it sit in the refrigerator for 1.5-2 hours.

When ready, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.   Unwrap the log and cut into 1/4 inch-1/2 inch slices and lay out on a cookie sheet leaving about 1.5-2 inches between.  Cook for 12-15 minutes.  makes 18-24 cookies depending on size.

"Extra Holiday- Ham & Cheese Pasta"

Sorry for the small picture, I forgot to take one and there was barely any left to photograph. :)

Ingredients

1 lb shell pasta
1/2 block of cream cheese
salt
pepper
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
2 cups milk
1/2 c cheddar cheese
1 -2 tsp dried basil
leftover ham (about 4 good size slices just eyeball it for the amount you want and chop it up the size of the pasta)

1) boil water for pasta
2) saute garlic in large pan for 1-2 minutes.
add milk about 2 pinches of salt, 8-10 grinds of pepper, basil,  and cream cheese.  Stir on medium-low heat until the  cream cheese seems melted in.
3) Cook pasta
4) add in ham and peas, let simmer on low for about 5 minutes.
5) drain pasta and add it to the sauce (if your pan isn't big enough transfer to a big serving bowl/dish
6) add cheddar and stir to melt in.

Serves 6 adults depending on portion size, goes a lot further if you have little kids eating. :)

Some Love for the Butternut Squash

Firstly, this squash is much closer to pumpkin than to zucchini.  If you don't like yellow summer squash or the regular green zucchini, don't be afraid because butternut squash is nothing like that.  Secondly, I have found that this is a great side dish, salad addition, or you could puree it for a baby's 1st food.

I was introduced to how  to make this at a cooking demonstration/class.  They used it in a honey vinegrette salad.   After making the salad myself, my husband and I were both wondering why we didn't just eat the squash because it was so good on its own.

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 Large butternut squash
1/4 cup ex. virg. olive oil
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp seasoning (Italian works well, or Poultry seasoning, or dried/ fresh sage) ***Optional

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the squash.  This is slightly difficult once you get the 1st half peeled.  My suggestion is to use a paper towel to hold the peeled side when finishing the other half.  The squash gets really slippery after you peel it and is almost impossible to grip securly.

2.) Cut the Top and bottom ends off.  Turn it up on one flat end and cut it in half.  Scoop out the seeds with a spoon.  Lay cut side down and cut in 1 inch strips, then into cubes.  This works best if you start at the bottom end so the hole is more stable.

3.) Place on a large baking sheet or in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish (something that has enough room to let it all lay in one layer.   Drizzle with the EVOO. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, and seasoning.  Use your hands to toss it until all is coated.

4.) Place in oven for 15 minutes.  Toss and put it back in for 15 minutes.  Check it with a fork.  It should be VERY tender, without any hard parts.  If it isn't leave it in for another 5-10 minutes.

Serve as a side dish or add to a salad or a pasta dish.  If you wanted to use this as a baby food, eliminate the salt and pepper then put the finished cooled squash in a blender or food processor.

HERE is a recipe similar to what I made but with poultry seasoning instead of sage because I didn't have any. :)

Indian Veggie Rice

Recipe from Weelicious.

I basically increased the Weelicious recipe by using 2 potatoes, 2 carrots 1 large onion 2 garlic, 1.5 C of rice, 2.5 tsp of Curry 2 tsp salt and 1 C. peas.

I also added a pinch of ginger.

I wanted to use it as a meatless meal not  just a side dish and while her suggestion that her recipe serves 4 is probably accurate for a side dish, I doubt it would feed my husband's appetite. 

Mainly I thought that all of the ingredients are super kid friendly (and easy for my 1 year old to feed himself) so I was all for trying it.  My 3 year old liked it a lot.  My 1 year old liked it but it was messy with the yellow curry coloring.  I think next time it would be better with some chicken breast mixed in and maybe a little cinnamon.  Overall though it was filling and tasted good. :)  It did take about 1 hour to cook all the way with the brown rice (not basmati brown as Weelicious suggests)  but I started it early and just stirred it every 20 minutes so it wasn't very time consuming.

Veggie Dumplings

Image Source

Original Recipe from Parents.com

Ingredients

• 3  Tbs.  reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2  Tbs.  rice vinegar
• 1  Tbs.  sugar
• 1/2  to 1 tsp.  grated fresh ginger
• 16    wonton wrappers
• 1/2  cup  frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
• 3  Tbs.  finely shredded carrot
• 3  Tbs.  fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed

Directions 1. Whip the Dip: In a small bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and ginger. Set aside.
2. Fill the Wrappers: Place a wonton wrapper on a work surface. Spoon about 1 teaspoon spinach and 1/2 teaspoon each carrot and corn in the center of the wrapper for triangles or on one side of the wrapper for rectangles. Drizzle vegetables with about 1/4 teaspoon of the remaining soy sauce.
3. Seal Them Up: Bring a large pot of water to boiling. Brush the edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the corners together for triangles or fold the edges together for rectangles. Pinch the edges to seal well. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling ingredients. Gradually add the dumplings to the water using a slotted spoon. Boil the dumplings gently for 3 minutes. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon to a serving platter, draining the water off well. Serve warm with dipping sauce.

Changes I made:
I used a bag of stir fry veggies and cut them smaller than they already were (they were shredded and small pieces already but not frozen type.)  I didn't add soy sauce inside because I forgot to while working on them with my 3 year old.  I made about 25 dumplings, and served it with brown rice.

After you cook them it would be best to serve IMMEDIATELY because they get sticky even if you put them on wax paper (as I found out).  These taste really good and were not too hard.  They also were a great time killer for my almost 3 year old (though my almost 11 month old didn't have much patience for us.)  It might have been easier to make them during his morning nap then cook them later right before eating.

TWIRLY WHIRLY PIZZA

image source

Ingredients

• 1  tube (13.8 ounces)  refrigerated pizza dough
• 1/2  cup  pizza sauce
• 1/2  cup  shredded Italian-mix cheese, divided ( used more like 1 cup)
• 1  cup  fresh baby spinach leaves (I used 3/4 box frozen WELL thawed and squeezed out)

Directions 1. Heat over to 400°F. Unroll dough from tube. Spread pizza sauce on top.
2. Sprinkle with half of cheese and top with spinach leaves. Roll up, starting with short end.
3. Cut into 8 pieces, then lay pieces flat in a greased pie tin. (They will not be all touching but will touch when its done.) Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake 22 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

Both kids enjoyed this and I liked the pre-portioned feature.  It was much easier for my almost 3 year old to hold than a slice of pizza would be.  I could see changing this and adding other ingredients as well.

Banana Cake

Got a couple brown bananas sitting around?  Make a Banana Cake.

Original Recipe from The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn, I modified it slightly by making a bundt cake instead of 2 - 9 inch rounds.

BANANA CAKE
Serves 16

1 package yellow cake mix
1/2 C lightly packed brown sugar
1 tsp  cinnamon
2 medium sized ripe bananas (peeled and mashed)
1 C water
1/2 C vegetable oil
3 large eggs

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees and pre-oil the pan. (I used cooking spray.)  You could probably do this recipe with cupcakes too just use the recommended times on the package.

2.) Place cake mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl.  Add the bananas, water, oil and eggs.  Blend together.

3.) Bake the bundt cake for 40-45 minutes (mine went closer to 45)

4.) Allow to cool for 15 minutes before overturning on a serving plate.

(Sorry, no pictures I am sick and its a miracle I actually made anything today. My only motivation was that the bananas were not going to last another day.)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I subscribe to Weelicious and get her emails daily.  Her recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup came up and it sounded fairly easy and tasty.

Picture from Weelicious.com

I followed the recipe with a few modifications.  I used 2 garlic cloves, 1.5 tsp of cumin, 1 tsp chili powder, and instead of corn I used a package of frozen "southwest" veggies (corn, broccoli, bell peppers etc), I added 2 tbsp of quinoa, and a can of roasted garlic tomatoes.  Having no chips on hand, I fried up some corn tortilla strips to use.  To finish it off I added avocado slices and some cheddar/jack shredded cheese.  It was all really good.  Everyone liked it (10 month old and Toddler included.)

  I would say that this is really satisfying and simple to make, its also easily adjustable to your likes and needs.  I will definitely make this again.

Pasta with Ricotta and Peas

From Parents Magazine

12 oz whole-wheat pasta (I used a 13.5 oz box of rotini)
1/2 cup part skim ricotta
3 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic chopped (I used 2...I would consider using 3 next time)
1 cup fresh peas (I used about 1 1/4 cup of frozen)
1 tsp. salt (plus salt for pasta water)

1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup halved yellow grape tomatoes (I used red grape tomatoes)
1 lemon, zested
1 c pasta water.

1.) Boil large pot of salted water and cook pasta as directed on package.  Drain and save 1 cup cooking liquid. In a bowl, toss pasta and ricotta until combined.

2.) In a large skillet, warm olive oil over med-high heat add  garlic saute for about 4 min.  Add the pasta water and cook until the peas are bright green and tender about 4 more min.

3.) Add the ricotta pasta and toss of low heat.  Add tomatoes.  Put in serving dish and sprinkle with Lemon.  Makes 4-6 servings.

I think this is a good mild, kid friendly pasta recipe.  For adults is not bad but not hugely flavorful either.  I might add more lemon or even other ingredients next time and set aside some for the baby of the family.

323 calories /serving (for 6), 11 g protein, 10 g fat, 5 g fiber, 68 mg calcium.

Rice and Bean Salad

Adapted from THIS  recipe


Ingredients:
1 can kidney beans (rinse and drain)
1 can Black beans (rinse and drain)
1 can Garbanzo Beans (rinse and drain)
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 lime (juice)
1 avocado chopped
1/4 red onion (a big one) finely chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
1/2 c mexican blend cheese
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt.

Mix beans, lime, onion, bell pepper, avocado, salt and cumin.  Follow by the rice and the cheese.  Toss and put in the fridge to chill before serving (not really needed but it is good if its a warm day and will keep awhile before serving if needed)

This was really good with tortilla chips on the side.  I used it as a main dish and my toddler loved it and my 9 month old did too (I eliminated the onion and bell pepper because of size and texture from his bowl.)  I think this would work in a lot of different combinations of veggies and beans.  It could be a base for a burrito or served as a side with tacos or quesadillas.  Its a quick and easy meal that can be made ahead of time.

Baked Eggplant Parmesan

Adapted from THIS recipe.

Ingredients
1 large eggplant (about 12-14 inches long and thick) or 2 small/medium ones
1 jar pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella.
1/2 cup Parmesan
1 egg
1-2 cups Italian bread crumbs (start with 1 and use more if needed)
Dried basil

Steps
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Have 2 cookie sheets ready. Wash, peel, and cut eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. Beat the egg in a bowl put crumbs into another bowl.
2.) Dip eggplant in egg to coat thinly then coat it in crumbs, place on cookie sheet.  Continue until done and bake 5 minutes then flip over and bake 5 more minutes.
3.) In a  greased (nonstick cooking spray) square baking dish put 1/2 cup of sauce on the bottom. Layer some of the eggplant.  Sprinkle with a layer of mozzarella then some Parmesan. layer with about 3/4-1 cup sauce and repeat with eggplant to make 3 layers. 
4.) Final layer should be remaining sauce and a layer of cheese on top, sprinkle with basil.  Cook for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on top.

Would be great served with pasta or some really good fresh bread.  Serves about 4 people.

Its really tasty and I didn't even care that it was meat free.

Ridiculously Easy Fudge

***WARNING: DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE ON A DIET OR IN A WEAK EMOTIONAL STATE***

I came across this post and had to try it.

Basically you get a bag of baking chips (chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, etc) then get a can of frosting.

Put the chips in a microwave safe bowl and put it on for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between, until it is all melted.

Add in the frosting and stir.

Microwave for 30 more seconds.

Put in a greased 8x8 or 9x9 pan, place in the fridge until it is set.

The flavor combos that seem to work best involve chips that "out-flavor" the frosting.  I've tried  Ghirradeli's bittersweet chocolate chips with cream cheese frosting and it was VERY chocolaty and good.  I've also tried the Chocolate/Peanut butter chips with Betty Crocker chocolate frosting with Hershey's Chocolate and it tastes like a peanut butter cup. :o)

I haven't tried adding nuts yet but I'm sure there are some really cool mixes you could make adding nuts or candy chunks.

For gift giving purposes, this would be great for a neighbor or teacher gift.  Each batch is less than $5 and you could easily package them up for several people with a gift tag or card. :)

Easy Fish Dinner

I'm not a big fan of fish.  Tuna is about as adventurous as we got as kids.  I think most of this has to do with the fact that my parents never cooked fish and I'm pretty sure their parents didn't either.

I want to break the cycle of anti-fish eating behavior and try to make fish about 2 times a month.  So far the only fish I have liked have been the ones that aren't "fishy"  Tilapia fits that bill pretty well so that's where I went in the market when my 2.5 year old daughter asked if we could get some fish to eat (weird request, I know.)  I looked online for an easy recipe and found this:

Easy Baked Tilapia

	Prep Time: 5 Minutes	Ready In: 35 Minutes
	Cook Time: 30 Minutes (25-35)	Servings: 4

Ingredients:

4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia (I used a whole package that was 1.18 lbs and 6 or 7 small fillets) 3 teaspoons butter 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, or to taste 1 lemon, sliced  Juice of 1/2 a lemon 1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed veggies (I used cauliflower, broccoli, and carrot blend)

Directions:

1.	Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2.	Place the tilapia fillets in the bottom of the baking dish and dot with butter ( I also coated with some evoo). Season with Old Bay seasoning and garlic salt. Top each one with a slice or two of lemon. Arrange the frozen mixed vegetables around the fish, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
3.	Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until vegetables are tender and fish flakes easily with a fork. I also uncovered it and baked about 10 more minutes.

Prepped and uncooked

Cooked and Plated

It was very easy to make and did not require being "watched", which is a must with 2 little ones.  I made a side of brown rice with some chicken broth added to the water and some Old Bay sprinkled in the rice cooker at the beginning.  The verdict....we all liked it!!! By all I include a 2.5 year old a 9 month old and 2 adults. So this will go  into the rotation of recipes and I will try some more with Tilapia in the future.

Chicken, Broccoli and Red Pepper Pasta with a cream sauce.

1 lb. Boneless chicken breast (cubed)
1 package frozen broccoli
1 box chicken broth
1 8 oz tub chive and onion cream cheese
1 medium Red Bell pepper (thinly sliced)
2 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 lb pasta (penne, bow tie, rotini, would all work)
salt
pepper
poultry seasoning
extra virg. olive oil

Get salted water boiling for pasta.

In a large saute pan add about 2 tbsp oil and the chicken.  Season with salt (a couple pinches), pepper (5-6 cranks of the grinder) and poultry (maybe 1/2 tsp) seasoning (sorry no measurements).  Saute until browned and cooked through.  Remove from pan, set aside.


In same pan, add about 1 tbsp oil, broccoli, chopped pepper, and garlic.  Saute add a pinch of salt.  saute about 10 minutes.  Remove, set aside.

Start cooking pasta, go about a minute under "done" I usually go with the minimum time that the package says and with this recipe subtract a minute from that.

In same pan, add 2-2.5 cups of broth, bring to a boil.  Add tub of cream cheese and stir to combine.  Sauce will be pretty thin at first and clumpy but it will all work out.  Cook for about 10 minutes, add in veggies and chicken. 

Pour over drained pasta and stir.  Allow sauce to thicken as it cools and stir again.

***If you want to freeze this, stop after the sauce is made, don't cook the pasta and you can add the thawed re-heated sauce to pasta another time.

CALORIE ESTIMATES: 525 per serving (for 6 servings), or 400 per serving (for 8 servings)

Porridge

Isabella likes the idea of porridge more than oatmeal.  I made a Quinoa version and I played with it and did an easy oatmeal version.  It is REALLY tasty and all of us really like it.  It almost doesn't seem like a meal but like a treat.

Serves 1 toddler and 2 adults (adjust accordingly)
I would say 4 servings if you had fruit or toast on the side.

2 cups plain oats
2 tbsp quinoa (optional)
1 1/4 c water
1 c milk
1tsp pumpkin pie spice
a little bit of vanilla extract (forgot to measure)
1 tbsp butter
a pinch of salt
3 tbsp sugar (or less to taste, honey or maple syrup are other options)
raisins or other dried fruit (optional)

1) bring liquids just to a boil in a pot.
2) add oats, quinoa, spices, and sugar. Mix
3) bring back to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
4) add butter and let sit for 5 minutes.
5) stir and serve with raisins (unless like my husband you prefer no raisins.)

Raisin Pudding Breakfast Porridge (Made with Quinoa)

From Quinoa 365 by Green & Hemming

2 1/2 c. 2 % milk (I used lowfat)
1 c. quinoa
1/4 c. raisins
2 tbs[ maple syryp or honey (I used honey and maybe a little more than 2 tbsp)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp butter

Combine milk quinoa, cinnamon, raisins and honey or syrup in a medium sauce pan.  Cover, bring to a boil, let simmer stirring occasionally for 5 min.

Beat eggs and vanilla.  When quinoa has cooked temper the eggs.  Put 1 tsp quinoa in the eggs and whisk.  Repeat 7 times.

Mix in the eggs with the rest of the quinoa in the pan and stir.  Cook on low for about 5 more minutes until thickened then add the butter and serve.

CHICKEN COUSCOUS WITH RAISINS

 1 c. couscous

1 chicken breast (1 big or 2 small)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
1/4 c. raisins
1 tbsp. canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped (4 medium or 3 large)
2 c. low sodium chicken broth
Optional: 2 tbsp. slivered almonds

1.) Put the chicken breast in a medium pot with the broth and cook until its done (soft and easily shreaded).  If you want, put 2 breasts in and save one for another meal during the week.

2.) After chicken is done, remove from pot and remove broth and save in a cup or container. Put in oil and onion cook until translucent.  Add garlic, cook another minute or two.  Add in the broth back in.  Add the spices back in.  Check for saltiness and add some if needed.  Cut the chicken into small bits, because it is so tender it will cut and shred really easily.  Add chicken to the pot.  Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

3.) While that is happening, microwave a cup of water to boiling hot (about 1 min 30 sec is fine).  Add this to a good sized bowl with the couscous and raisins and cover for 5 minutes.

4.) Uncover the couscous and fluff with a fork, put on a large plate or serving dish.  Scoop chicken and onions onto the couscous in the center (I like to make a hole in the middle of the couscous for the stuff to sit in).  Pour the broth over the whole thing and let the couscous absorb the flavor for a few minutes before serving.

OPTIONAL sprinkle chopped almonds on top.

Serves 4 if you have a side dish with it.  For us it feeds 1 hungry husband, me,  and one 2.5 year old who eats a lot.

Pumpkin Ricotta Pasta

I may/will tweek this recipe because I just did it and didn't measure anything.  I had about 2/3-3/4 a container of ricotta from another recipe I made.  I had a can of pumpkin in the pantry and I figured I could make a sauce out of it.  So I apologize if its not exact.  My advice would be to taste as you go and add a little at a time to suit your tastes.

Ingredients

1 lb pasta (I would suggest rigatoni, penne rigatte, fettuccine, or linguine but any will do)
1 15 oz can pumpkin puree (using about 2/3 a can)
1 15 oz carton ricotta (using about 2/3 a carton)
1.5 tsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp salt
.5 tsp pepper
.5 tsp nutmeg
1.25 c milk

Mix it all in a sauce pan and let simmer for about 10 min.  Serve over pasta. Done :o)

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/slow-cooker-beef-stew-i/Detail.aspx

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 3 potatoes, diced
• 4 carrots, sliced ( I used the baby carrots and just threw in enough to look like 4 whole carrots)
• 1 stalk celery, chopped (I didn't have any on hand so I left it out.)
• 2/3 c to a cup of barley (I added this in because I like thick stew.)

Directions

1. Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt, and pepper; pour over meat, and stir to coat meat with flour mixture. Stir in the garlic, bay leaf, paprika, Worcestershire sauce, onion, beef broth, potatoes, carrots, celery and barley.
2. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 10 to 12 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 6 hours. (I did mine for about 4 hours on high and a few more on low, mostly so I didn't have to deal with putting it in the fridge until dinner . ) 
3. Serve with bread.
    
   Overall this was an easy recipe.  It really helps to have everything ready the night before and throw it in while making breakfast.