Faith's Beef Stew

I have a couple of beef stew recipes that I've thrown together that have become hits in our family. This is the one that ended up in the crockpot yesterday. You can also simply simmer it on the stove until the veggies are tender, but I prefer the ease of the crockpot, especially on a busy night.

Faith's Beef Stew

2 pounds stew beef*
2 medium white or yellow onions, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped fairly small (it's okay to use some leaves in this)
3 tsp jarred minced garlic (or 3 cloves, minced fine)
2 tbsp olive or canola oil
6-8 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut up into bite sized pieces
6 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into 1/4" rounds
1/4-1/2 cup blackberry red wine (use whatever red you like - if you don't care to use wine, deglaze with some beef broth)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4-6 cups beef broth (add enough to just cover the veggies and meat)
8 oz. tomato sauce (you can use tomato puree or an 8 oz can of diced tomatoes - whatever liquid type tomato you have on hand and like)
scant tsp molasses or unpacked brown sugar
3 tbsp melted margarine or butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour

Peel and cut up the potatoes and carrots. Place in crockpot. Sear beef on all sides; place in crockpot. In same pan, saute onion and celery in olive oil until translucent (if they start to brown, it's no big deal). Toss in garlic for about 30 seconds (or just until you can smell it). Put sauteed veggies in crockpot. Deglaze the pan with the wine, then pour that into the crockpot. Put broth, tomato sauce, molasses, salt and pepper in pot. Stir. Cover and let cook on low for about 6-8 hours, until 15-20 minutes before serving. Combine melted butter and flour in a separate bowl; stir in a few spoonfuls of the stew liquid, then (gently) stir the flour mixture into the pot. Turn the crockpot to high, leave the cover off, and in 15-20 minutes you'll have a lightly thickened beef stew.

Serve in shallow bowls with fresh buttered Italian bread.

*I never, ever by stew beef - it is usually unevenly cut and riddled with fat. I buy cheap steaks or roasts which I trim and cube myself. It's an extra step but (IMO) well worth it.