Easy Cooking

What's your best-kept kitchen secret?

By Annette Beach

If you’re like me, I welcome good food that is easy to prepare. After a long day, a busy week or a day of pain, meal planning and preparation is not how I want to spend my evenings.

Have you ever been involved in a recipe chain letter? It’s where you send a recipe to a few names on a list, then after a period of time you receive thousands of recipes from all around the world. Since I’ve never actually followed through on the instructions, I’m really not sure how it all comes together (not too mention, I think they are illegal, cursed or something like that). Nevertheless, recently I received one in the mail and it gave me this idea.

I thought it would be fun to exchange recipes on the blog. I would like to share a recipe with you that tastes great, feeds a lot of people and best of all, is very easy to make. In return, I’m hoping you will post recipes that are just as easy. If you do not have a favorite recipe to post, please share your secrets about making life easier in the kitchen, cooking tips, healthy substitutes or friendly utensils.

Years ago, I used to spend hours in the kitchen making stew from scratch. Then a friend gave me a recipe for Crock Pot Beef Stew and I’ve been making it ever since. It makes a large amount, freezes well and my family loves it! However, I do feel inclined to issue a warning. After the cooking time (when it’s ready to be stirred), your first impression upon lifting the lid will be, “Gross!” It does not look appetizing. But I promise, once you mix it up, it will be OK.

Using a Crock Pot, layer the ingredients in this order:

Bottom layer: 1 to 2 lbs. beef – cubed (this can be stew meat already cut into cubes, roast, cheaper cuts of steak – whatever you prefer)

Second layer: 4 medium potatoes peeled and cubed

Third layer: 3 to 4 carrots peeled and sliced (you can use whole baby carrots)

Final layer: condensed soup – 1 can tomato, 1 can cream of mushroom, 1 can cream of celery. Open cans and pour on top of carrots. Do not add water or milk, just the condensed soup. Do not stir.

Cover. Cook all night or all day (approximately 8 hours). Stir. Add frozen vegetables (whatever you prefer – corn, peas, green beans, etc). Amounts vary depending on your tastes. Cook additional 30 minutes or until vegetables are thawed.

Serve over noodles, rice, or bread. Enjoy!

(Amounts can vary depending on the size of the pot and your preference.)