Celebration beef stew

I'm calling this Celebration beef stew because of the beer!  Since I spent the day painting, I needed something that could cook all day in the slow cooker.  Man, was this g-o-o-d!  I think you could easily not cook it in a slow cooker, depending on what cut of meat you use.  I just used 'stew beef'.

Ingredients:

2 TB olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1-1.5 # stew beef
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 cup flour, plus more for dredging
1 tsp paprika
32 oz beef broth
2 TB tomato paste
8 oz. Sierra Nevada Celebration beer
1 tsp dried thyme
1-2 TB dark brown sugar
3 celery stalks, chunked
1/2 lb baby carrots or whole carrots, chunked
2 large potatoes, chunked
sea salt, fresh ground pepper

In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, heat olive oil and add onions.  Saute till translucent.  While onions are cooking, peel and smash garlic, and dredge beef in flour.  Add garlic and beef and cook until the meat gets a nice crust on it.

After the meat has a nice crust on it, put it in the crock pot and add a cup of beef broth, tomato paste and the beer.  Let beef cook for several hours on low.  (I cooked mine for 5 hours)  Preheat oven to 375 and spread veggies on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil.  Roast veggies for 45 minutes.  Add to crock pot, along with the rest of the beef broth, reserving a little for the rue.  Make a rue out of the flour and some beef broth and add to the crock pot.  Add thyme, a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper, paprika and brown sugar and stir.  Let cook for another hour or two on low.  This is a nice, hearty dish and pairs well with homemade biscuits!

Chicken cacciatore stew

E-A-S-Y

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 chicken thighs
2 chicken legs
1 onion, sliced
2 red AND green peppers, sliced
2 stalks celery, chunked
2 whole carrots, unpeeled and chunked
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large cans chopped tomatoes, plus juice
8 oz chicken stock, plus a little extra
3 TB flour
2 TB oregano
sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Layer everything, except flour, in the crock pot starting with the vegetables.  If you have 2 crock pots, it's easier to cook the chicken in a separate pot so you don't have to sift through the bones.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Take the skin and bone off of the thighs and legs, and pull apart the meat.  Add the meat to the vegetable crock pot.  Add the flour, mixed with a little chicken stock, and cook on high for another 3-4 hours.  It will thicken as it cooks.  Serve over barley or noodles.

    

Beef ribs

The sauce on these ribs is so versatile.  It's a hot/sweet sauce.

Ingredients:
Beef ribs (short ribs is a great option)
3 cloves garlic
2 TB balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup beef broth
rub for ribs

Directions:
Sprinkle ribs with my rub.  Place in crock pot and add minced garlic, beef broth, and vinegar.  Cook on low for 7 hours.  Serve topped with hot/sweet sauce.