Comfort Food Recipe #3 - Parker's Beef Stew, Crockpot Style

I made this recipe after watching Ina Garten make it - which, needless to say, was very time consuming...So I modified it to use with my crockpot, which works with my life and schedule much better because I am no barefoot contessa. It's much less time consuming, has the same fabulous flavor and remains a family favorite!

Parker’s Beef Stew – Crockpot Version (feeds 6)

2 ½ lbs stew meat
1 750ml red wine (zinfandel or cabernet)
3 whole garlic cloves, smashed
3 bay leaves
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1” cubes
½ lb baby carrots
1 package sliced mushrooms
1 lb small red potatoes, halved or quartered
½ cup chopped or julienned sundried tomatoes (oil packed is fine, just drain from oil)
1 tsp crushed garlic
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 14oz can chicken stock or broth
2 small branches fresh rosemary
1 10 oz package frozen peas

Place stew meat in container with wine, garlic cloves & bay leaves; cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight.

The following morning, put flour in a plastic bag. Discard garlic; remove meat from container with a slotted spoon and put into plastic bag with flour. Save marinade & set aside. Shake meat in bag, so that it’s covered with flour; put meat in the crockpot and sprinkle salt & pepper over the meat. Add onion, carrots, mushrooms and potatoes on top of meat; top with sundried tomatoes. Mix crushed garlic & Worcestershire sauce into the marinade; pour mixture into the crockpot. Add chicken broth & rosemary branches into the crockpot. Cook on low/8hr setting. When time is completed, shut off crockpot and stir in frozen peas; put lid back on and let stew sit for about 5 minutes before serving.