I love to cook

I really love to cook. And, thankfully, Jon likes to eat. He is rather gracious when the new recipe I am trying doesn't quite turn out right. He has eaten everything I have put before him. (Honestly, I'm amazed at that.)

Something I enjoy cooking (a genre of food, if you will) is stews and soups. Typically, they are pretty easy and end up tasting really good. I made a stew on Sunday and it turned out rather deliciously. I thought I'd share my "recipe" (of sorts). It's a rather loose recipe because I don't measure how much I put in there. (And between Jon and I, we are somewhat picky eaters...so there are only a few vegetables included in it. For what it's worth, here you go:

• Stew meat
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Beef broth
• Tomato sauce
• Basil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Flour

First, take the stew meat and coat it in the flour. Put the meat in a lightly oiled pan on medium heat and flip after about 2 minutes and let it sit on the other side for about 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Let it cool for a few minutes and then slice the meat into smaller bits if you prefer.

Potatoes and carrots need to be peeled and sliced. These are cut into bite-size pieces for a few reasons (easier to eat...and they cook quicker). Here is where you can go two ways...

The first is cooking in a slow cooker. Put the vegetables and meat into the slow cooker. Use about 4 cups of beef broth in the cooker. I use a medium-sized can of tomato sauce. Add that at this point. Add spices to your liking. I like a lot of basil and pepper and very little salt (if any). Cook on low for about 6-8 hours, or, if you're short on time, you can cook it on high for about 4 hours.

The second and much quicker way is to cook it on the stove top. Again, add all the ingredients listed for the slow cooker method. Bring the stew to a boil and let it continue to boil for about 45 minutes to an hour and then let simmer until you are ready to eat.

If you are more of a veggie-lover, try adding some peas or green beans and part of an onion. Although, unless  you're looking for a veggie soup, I wouldn't add too many veggies.

Hope this helps you make a delicious meal that you and your family will love. Enjoy!