Crazy Girl's Kitchen

Get ready:

• 1/4 lb smoked bacon, cut in chucks
• 2.5lb beef stew meat
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 3 14oz cans of tomato sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 large russet potatoes, cut in 1/2 inch wide stripes
• 1.5 lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 lb frozen green peas
• salt and pepper

Now let’s play:

Heat up a 7 qt dutch oven w/o the lid on medium high heat. Season stew meat generously with salt and pepper. Sear the meat in batches until gold brown on all sides. Set meat aside. Saute the onion for 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Put meat back into the dutch oven. Pour in the chicken stock. Scrap off the brown bites on the bottom of the dutch oven with a wooden spoon. Add tomato sauce and bring to boil. Cover with the lid, turn down the heat to medium, and simmer for 2-3 hours until meat is tender but not falling apart. Fold in sliced mushrooms and stir until they are slightly cooked. Fold in the frozen peas and cook through. Serve immediately (6-8 servings).

After-play thoughts:

Baby bella mushroom has more flavor than the white button mushroom, but you can substitute it with the latter if so desired. Also, it’s better not to fold in the peas before mushrooms. Otherwise the peas will be overcooked while the mushrooms are barely cooked.