Healthy Autumn Stew Recipes

One of the easiest ways to make stew is to throw everything in the crockpot. Put it together in the morning, set it to low and walk out the door. When you return from work, dinner is ready! Add a salad as a side dish and some dinner rolls or crackers.

Ranch Style Beef: Ingredients--2 lbs boneless, beef stew meat cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes; 12 - 14 small white onions; 4 whole cloves; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp bottled brown gravy sauce; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 bay leaf; 1/8 tsp thyme; 3/4 cup water; 1/4 cup flour. Directions: In slow cooking pot alternate beef and onions; stick cloves into four onions. Sprinkle with sugar and salt. Combine bay leaf, vinegar, thyme and water. Pour over meat. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 7 hours or until tender. Turn control to high. Dissolve flour in small amount of water. Stir into meat juices. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

Farm Style Stew: Ingredients--1 1/2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes; 1 tsp salt/ 1/4 tsp pepper; 1/2 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp seasoned salt; 4 medium zucchini, cut into 1 inch slices; 2 cups hot water; 2 tbsp bottled steak sauce; 17 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained; 3 tbsp cornstarch; 3 tbsp cold water. Directions: Sprinkle beef with salt, pepper, paprika and seasoned salt. Place in slow-cooking pot with zucchini; pour hot water and stead sauce over it. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or until tender. Turn control to high. Stir in corn. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water; add to meat mixture. Cook on high for 15 to 20 minutes.

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew: Ingredients--2 lbs beef stew meat cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes; 1/2 cup flour; 2 tbsp oil; 1 bay leaf; 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce; 1 onion, chopped; 1 cup beef bouillon; 1/4 tsp pepper; 2 tsp salt; 1 tsp sugar; 6 carrots, peeled and sliced or quartered; 1 cup sliced celery; 4 potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths; 12 small white onions; 4 cups water. Directions: Coat meat with flour; set excess flour aside. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet and brown beef stew meat on all sides. In the slow cooker combine meat, bay leaf, worcestershire sauce, onion, boullion, pepper, salt, sugar and vegetables. Pour water over all. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours. Turn control to high. Thicken stew with leftover flour mixed with a small amount of water. Cover and cook on high for 10 to 15 minutes or until thickened.

Italian Meatball Stew: Ingredients--1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef; 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs; 2 beaten eggs; 1/4 cup milk; 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese; 1 tsp salt; 1/8 tsp garlic salt; 1/4 tsp pepper; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices; 6 oz. can tomato paste; 1 cup water; 1 cup beef bouillon; 1/2 tsp oregano; 1 tsp seasoned salt; 1/2 tsp basil; 10 oz. pkg frozen italian style vegetables, partially thawed. Directions: If you need to partially thaw the frozen veggies--put the vegetables into a colander then run hot water over them. Combine beef with bread crumbs, eggs, milk, cheese, salt, garlic salt, and pepper. Form into 2 inch balls. Drop carrots into the bottom of the slow cooking pot. Arrange meatballs over carrots. Combine tomato paste with water, bouillon, oregano, seasoned salt and basil. Pour over meatballs. Cover and cook on low heat 4 to 6 hours. Turn to high and add Italian vegetables. Cover and cook on high for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Brunswick Stew: Ingredients--2 1/2 to 3 lbs chicken pieces; 2 quarts water; 1 onion, chopped; 2 cups cubed, cooked ham; 3 potatoes, diced; 2 (16 oz) cans diced tomatoes; 1 (10 oz) pkg frozen lima beans, partially thawed; 1 (10 oz) pkg frozen whole kernel corn, partially thawed; 2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp seasoned salt; 1 tsp sugar; 1/4 tsp pepper. Directions: In slow cooker combine chicken with water, onion, ham and potatoes. Cook, covered on low for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is done. Lift chicken out of pot. Remove meat from bones and return chicken meat to pot. Add tomatoes, beans, corn, salt, seasoned, sugar and pepper. Turn control to high. Cover and cook for 1 hour. Serve with large individual bowls.

Cassoulet En Pot (Bean Stew or Casserole): Ingredients--1/2 lb bulk pork sausage; 1 small onion, sliced; 1 clove garlic, minced; 2 tbsp minced parsley; 2 (15 oz) cans black eyed peas, not drained; 1/2 lb cooked ham, cubed; 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth. Directions: Brown sausage in heavy skillet. Pour off excess fat. In slow cooking pot arrange alternate layers of sausage, onion, garlic, parsley, black eyed peas and ham. Pour wine (or broth) over all. Cover and cook on low 5 to 7 hours.

Irish Lamb Stew: Ingredients--1 1/2 lb lamb, cut into 2 inch cubes; 1 tbsp shortening; 2 medium onions, chopped; 4 cups beef broth; 3 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper; 1/4 tsp celery seed; 1/4 tsp marjoram; 1/8 tsp thyme; 1 (10 oz) pkg frozen peas, partially thawed; 6 tbsp flour. Directions: Brown lamb in shortening using a heavy skillet. Combine browned meat in slow cooking pot with other ingredients except peas and flour. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or until meat and potatoes are done.
Add peas then flour which has been mixed with 1/2 cup water. Turn control to high; cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened.

Pigeon Stew: (from the 1764 cookbook titled "English Housewifry)--Directions: Take your pigeons, season and stuff them, flat the breast-bone, and truss them up as you would do for baking, dredge them over with a little flour, and fry them in butter, turning them round till all sides be brown, then put them into a stew-pan with as much brown gravy as will cover them, and let them stew whilst your pigeons be enough; then take part of the gravy, an anchovy shred, a little catchup, a small onion, or a shalot, and a little juice of lemon for sauce, pour it over your pigeons, and lay round them forc'd-meat-balls and crisp bacon. Garnish your dish with crisp parsley and lemon.
(vintagerecipes.net)

Oyster Stew: (from the Boston Cooking-School Cook Book of 1896)--Ingredients--1 quart oysters; 4 cups scalded milk; 1/4 cup butter; 1/2 tablespoon salt; 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Directions: Clean oysters by placing in a colander and pouring over them three-fourths cup cold water. Carefully pick over oysters, reserve liquor, and heat it to boiling point; strain through double cheese cloth, add oysters, and cook until oysters are plump and edges begin to curl. Remove oysters with skimmer, and put in tureen with butter, salt, and pepper. Add oyster liquor, strained a second time, and milk. Serve with oyster crackers. (vintagerecipes.net)