Slow Cooker Beef Stew Prep Time: 1.5 hours Cook Time: 6 or more hours Servings: 6 Ingredients - 2 pounds beef stewing meat - 1 medium onion - 3 stalks celery - 5 carrots - 5 medium potatoes - 3 tablespoons flour - 4 tablespoons butter or margarine - 2 tablespoons cooking oil - 3 cans (10 1/2 oz. each) beef broth - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce - 2 tablespoons parsley flakes - salt and pepper	1

	Prepare this hearty slow cooker beef recipe to satisfy those hungry appetites. This slow cooker href="http://www.recipetips.com/kitchen-tips/t--384/stewing-beef.asp">beef stew makes its own gravy while it cooks, making this an easy slow cooking whole meal recipe.   Directions Trim off the excess fat and any gristle from the meat; then cut the meat into one-inch strips and cut the strips crosswise into one-inch cubed pieces. Clean the celery and cut into pieces. Peel the carrots and cut into slices. The celery and carrots should be cut approximately the same size. Peel the potatoes and cut into bite-size pieces. Place in cold water until ready to use. Place the flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Dredge the meat in the flour to lightly coat. Heat 2 tbsp. of butter and 1 tbsp. of oil in a skillet. Brown the floured meat in the skillet. Do not crowd the meat in the skillet; brown in batches if necessary. Transfer to the slow cooker. After the meat has been browned, add the remaining butter and oil to the skillet and heat until sizzling; then add the onions and brown slightly. When the onions are browned, place them	2

	on top of the meat in the slow cooker. Add the celery and carrots to the skillet and cook until lightly browned. Add the browned vegetables to the slow cooker. Drain the water off the potatoes and add them to the slow cooker. Add any remaining dredging flour to the juices in the skillet and whisk them until well mixed. Gradually add the beef broth to the skillet and the scrape sides and bottom to loosen the flavorful bits. Add the Worcestershire sauce to the pan and heat the mixture to a simmer. Pour simmering broth over all the ingredients in the slow cooker. Stir all the ingredients in the broth to mix the meat and vegetables evenly. Sprinkle with the parsley flakes and cover. Cook on high for 1 hour and then turn down to low and cook for an additional 5 to 6 hours; or, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. At the end of the cooking time, the vegetables should be tender and the internal temperature of the meat should reach a minimum of 145°F when checked with an instant read thermometer. If the gravy is not thick enough when the stew is done, it can be thickened by adding small amounts of a flour paste that consists of equal amounts of flour and butter. Stir in small amounts of the thickener until the gravy is the desired thickness and then simmer for 5 or 10 minutes. Taste the stew when done to determine if more seasoning is required. Add salt and pepper accordingly.	3