Healthy Fall and Winter Stew

There is nothing better served on a cool fall or winter day, than a bowl of warm, hearty stew. And the good thing is, with an equal balance of meat and vegetables; it is healthy for you, as well.

Stews were always an easy meal for my family. My kids would eat almost anything, and they could usually eat to their hearts content when I fixed a big pot of stew. I did have one son though, that would not eat cooked carrots. He would always pick them out, and refuse to eat them. What I started doing was, after the vegetables were cooked, I would take the carrots out and puree them in a small amount of the stew juice, then I would add it to the stew right before I thickened the broth. It worked great, and he never knew that he was eating cooked carrots.

Here is one of my family's favorites for stew.

Casserole Stew

You will 1 large kettle, 1 large casserole dish, 1 tube Pillsbury Biscuits, and the following ingredients:

For Stew

1 ½ to 2 pounds round steak, cut into small pieces

Dredge, or coat evenly with -
¼ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

In a large kettle over medium heat -
¼ cup canola or olive oil

Add the meat and brown it all over by occasionally stirring it with a spatula. When the meat is almost browned to your liking, add

1 medium to large onion, chopped (depends on your family's liking for onions)

Finish browning the mixture, then slowly add -
4 cups hot water (If water is not hot, or if added too fast, it could splash out onto you)

At this point I like to add a couple of bay leaves. It adds a nice, earthy flavor to the stew when finished.

Bring the broth to a boil quickly, then reduce heat to a very low simmer (not boiling), cover, and simmer for about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Check periodically, as you might need to add more water as it cooks.

When the meat is cooked, and tender, it is time to add -
4 carrots chopped
3 potatoes - cubed
1 stalk of celery - sliced. Sometimes I add the leafy tops for added color and flavor
1 cup of fresh or frozen peas
1 cup of fresh or frozen corn

Cover again, and let simmer for about ½ hour, or until vegetables are done. Remove the bay leaves. At this point I ladle about 1 cup of the broth into a bowl, and using a wire whisk, I whisk into the liquid 3 - 4 tablespoons of flour. I take this, and slowly stir the thickening into the stew while it is simmering; stirring constantly. Within a few minutes it will be thick enough to put into your casserole dish.

Before you start to thicken the stew, preheat your oven to 350˚.

Carefully, spoon the stew into the casserole dish. Open the tube of biscuits and place each one over the top of the stew. Brush the top of each biscuit with a little melted margarine, and place into the oven for about 10 - 12 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden. You can serve the stew in the same dish.

Because stew is made with fresh ingredients, it is chalked full of protein, fiber, potassium and vitamins, which makes it a very healthy meal.