Irene was a dedicated vegetarian for years and years…and then one fine day, she fell off the meat wagon. Here, she offers a beefed-up version of her most famous recipe to bring you the best of both worlds.

Directions:

1. Brown stew meat in a skillet with oil.
2. Put browned meat in a crock-pot on lo-setting and cover with water, about 3 cups.
3. Prepare the celery, carrots, potatoes, and onion and add to crock-pot.
4. Cover the vegetables with water, about 2 additional cups.
5. Add the tomato paste to the crock-pot.
6. Add the bay leaves, oregano, parsley, some salt and pepper.
7. Cook on lo-setting all day long (8-10 hours) until the vegetables and meat are cooked through.
8. Add the D.D. Williamson Caramel Color Powder; a little more may be needed to achieve a “beefier” color.

Serving Suggestions:

On a cool fall day, hot soup served in a bread bowl is a top notch winner.

Tips:

• If you prefer thicker stew, combine 2 Tbsp cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water in a small cup and add to the stew with constant stirring. Continue adding cornstarch & water until the stew has reached its ideal thickness.
• Be sure to use your favorite vegetables in the stew.
• If you planning on eating soup for lunch and don’t have all day to wait, prepare it in the morning, and then use the high-heat setting on the crock-pot for 3-4 hours. The stew can be kept on lo-heat setting while waiting to be served.