Old Fashioned Beef Stew

Great make ahead for a meal during the week. I used a recipe out of Mable Hoffman's Crockery Cookery (great crockpot cookbook, I highly recommend it.) I didn't use the crockpot though and instead am just cooking it on low on the stove. Smells yummy!















2 lbs of beef stew meat, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 bay leaf
1 TBSP of worcestershire sauce
4 cups of beef broth
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4-5 carrots peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8ths
15 white pearl onions, peeled
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 package of frozen peas (10 oz), thawed

Combine the beef, bay leaf, worcestershire sauce, 1 cup of the broth, pepper, salt, sugar, carrots, celery, potatoes, and pearl onions, in that order. Pour the remaining 3 cups of broth over the mixture. Cook 8 to 10 hours on low in the crockpot (or cook on low 4-5 hours on the stove). When finished, dissolve the cornstarch in water, and add it to the stew to thicken it. Remove the bay leaf, add the peas. Cook another 10 to 15 mins and serve.