Harvest Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds beef stew meat 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb butternut squash peeled seeded chopped
• 14.5 oz beef broth canned
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 0.3 cup flour all-purpose
• 3  garlic cloves crushed
• 4 tablespoons olive oil 
• 8 servings garnish: parsley sprigs fresh
• 0.3 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
• 1.5 teaspoons salt 
• 1 cup onion sweet chopped
• 6 oz tomato paste canned

Equipment

• dutch oven
• slow cooker

Directions

1. Rinse beef stew meat, and pat dry.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss in flour, shaking off excess.
3. Cook half of beef in 2 Tbsp. hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until browned. Repeat procedure with remaining beef and oil. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute.
4. Add broth, and stir to loosen particles from bottom of Dutch oven.
5. Transfer mixture to a 6-qt. slow cooker.
6. Stir in celery, onion, and garlic. Top with butternut squash. (Do not stir to incorporate.) Cover and cook on LOW 4 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
7. Serve over hot cooked mashed potatoes, if desired.
8. Garnish, if desired.