Dinner Tonight

Today is the first morning it has felt like Fall here in the South! I woke up wanting something good for dinner tonight! We have a book report and academic team to study for tonight and I thought of the perfect recipe! I thought I'd share...

5 1/2 lb. beef chuck roast**, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 oz. bacon, cut into small dice
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
4 carrots, peeled and cut
1/2 lb. new potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Cup cooking wine
2 cups beef stock or 1 can beef consume
Buttered parsleyed noodles

Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon until browned and crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per batch. Transfer the beef to a large bowl.

Reduce the heat to medium and warm the olive oil. Add the onions and carrots and sauté until almost softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and bay leaves and sauté for about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Add the stock, and the reserved bacon and bring to a simmer. Return beef and veggie and broth to crock pot. Simmer until the meat is tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the bay leaves and discard. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the stew over buttered parsleyed noodles. Serves 8 to 10.

**Beef chuck, from the shoulder, because of its marbling of intra-muscular fat, is the choice for any type of stew. If you can't find chuck cubed for stew in your meat department, buy a thick chuck steak and cut it into 2-inch cubes