Beef stew is an autumn favorite, and a fantastic meal to throw together in the morning and let cook while you go on with your day. All you need to do is chop up a few raw ingredients and put them in your crock pot, by dinner time you have a super hearty meal ready for the table.

Beef stew is also a meal where you can be creative with whatever you have in your fridge. Traditionally, beef stew doesn’t include zucchini or summer squash, but this recipe does because I had some left over in my fridge. Any veggie you have can add a little something to your stew — try cauliflower or broccoli for texture, celery for a flavorful crunch, or leafy greens like kale or spinach for a little extra potassium and vitamin A. Feel free to experiment with this recipe!

Crock pot beef stew

32 oz. of beef broth
2 lbs. of raw stew meat
5 medium-sized carrots, chopped
5 medium-sized potatoes, chopped
1 cup of chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup of corn nibblets
1/2 of a red onion, diced
1/3 cup of chopped zucchini
1/3 cup of chopped summer squash
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt

The instructions for this recipe are quite simple: just put all of your ingredients in a 6-quart crock pot and mix until they are well combined. Cover the crock pot and set it on high heat for 6-7 hours, or low heat for 10-11 hours.

This recipe is fantastic when served with warm dinner rolls or crusty bread to soak up the beef broth, or along side a nice green salad. As with most stews and soups, it just gets more and more delicious the longer the ingredients sit together — so definitely save any leftovers for a very satisfying lunch.

ALICIA BANE is Wire Editor of The Times Record, and a food blogger. See more recipes from her at eeshaeats.wordpress.com