Beef Stew {Slow-cooker}

I have been working on this recipe for a while.  I have finally come up with something that I am happy with and it is allergy friendly!  Yay!  A good warm, hearty meal for a cold day.  Serve with Cornbread (EF).  Enjoy!

Beef Stew {Slow-cooker}

1 ½ - 2 pounds stew meat, well trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

2 T olive oil

1 onion, coarsely diced

8 oz mushrooms, coarsely diced

1 – 1 ½ pounds waxy potatoes (I used red potatoes), quartered

½ - 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces

2 bay leaves

1 c beef broth^*

2 T cornstarch

3 T tomato paste^*

2 T Worcestershire sauce^*

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 t dried parsley

½ t dried thyme leaves

½ t freshly ground black pepper, more to taste

salt, to taste

Heat 1 T of oil in a skillet and brown meat on all sides without cooking through.  Add meat to slow cooker.  In same skillet, heat remaining 1 T oil.  Sauté onion and mushroom until onion is translucent, mushroom is tender and have taken on a nice caramel color.  Add potatoes, carrots and bay leaves to slow cooker.  Top with sautéed onion and mushrooms.  In a separate bowl combine broth and cornstarch stirring until cornstarch is dissolved into the broth.  To broth mixture, stir in tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and remaining spices.  Pour broth mixture over meat and vegetables in slow cooker.  Cook on high for about 6 hours.

^* For those with a gluten allergy, make sure the beef broth, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce you use are gluten-free.  Lea & Perrins is gluten-free.