Fireside Beef Stew with Squash

By á-174535

When the weather gets cooler, nothing better than a beef stew. This one is loaded with nutrient-dense vegetables like butternut squash, Italian green beans, onions, and garlic, so that you can feel good about the food your family is eating. Serve this recipe over rice or mashed potatoes for an added touch of richness or if you'd prefer to indulge in lighter sides, try pairing this meal with a lightly dressed side salad and some of your favorite crusty bread.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck pot roast
• 2 1/2 cups peeled and seeded butternut squash cut into 1-inch pieces, about 1 pound
• 2 small onions, cut into wedges
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (14-ounce) can reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 (9-ounce) package frozen Italian green beans
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

Step 1

Trim fat from meat. Cut meat into 1-inch pieces. In a 3.5 to 4.5-quart slow cooker combine meat, squash, onions, and garlic. Stir in broth, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, the 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and the allspice.

Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

If using low-heat setting, turn to high-heat setting. In a small bowl combine cold water and cornstarch. Stir cornstarch mixture and frozen green beans into meat mixture. Cover and cook about 15 minutes more or until thickened. If desired, sprinkle each serving with freshly ground black pepper to taste.