Chunky beef stew

Man, it's soooo cold in my house! Chicago winters are brutal, especially in a drafty home. That's why I always try to keep busy in the kitchen by baking cookies or huge entrees. There are some days when I don't have time to cook when I get home from work. That's when I use a crock pot. I get up a little early in the morning and start getting the ingredients ready to toss into the pot. While Becca and I are at work our dinner is cooking. My chunky beef stew is one of my favorites to make. I use lots of baby carrots and potatoes in this.

Chunky Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of vegetable juice (like V8 or tomato juice)
• 2 cups of water
• 2 lbs of stew meat, mostly BEEF!!!
• 2 large russet potatoes or 5 small red potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped, or a small bag of baby carrots
  
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup of ketchup
• 3 tablespoons or cubes of beef flavored instant buillon
• 2 tsp of black pepper

Directions:

1. Make sure you use a liner for your slow cooker! So much easier for clean up.
2. Pour vegetable juice, ketchup, and water into the slow cooker.
3. Add bouillon, beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and pepper. Stir gently. 
4. After stirring ingredients together, put lid on slow cooker.
5. Set slow cooker on LOW for 8 to 9 hours OR HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until beef is tender.

Bon appetit!