Crock Pot Beef Stew

The great thing about this recipe is that it requires minimal prep work. You can throw it together in literally about 15 minutes before you go to bed at night, then turn it on before you go to work in the morning. When you get home, dinner's ready!

1-2 lbs. beef cubes
1 lb baby carrots
4 red potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 18 oz jar beef gravy
1 cup red wine
1 tsp. thyme leaves
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, over medium high heat, brown beef cubes in a little bit of oil. Meanwhile add all of the remaining ingredients to the crock pot. Add the beef to the pot and give it a good stir. Deglaze the pan with a little water (or a little more red wine, if desired) and add liquid to the pot. Replace lid. Cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours. Remove lid for the last half hour so it will thicken slightly. Serve with your favorite crusty bread. YUM!

Tip:
Be sure to use baby carrots so that you don't have to do any peeling or slicing. I like to leave the potato skins on, so again, no peeling. Just cut them into small pieces or even use baby red potatoes and just cut them in half. For a little variation, you can also add frozen peas and/or corn.