Beef Stew Over Mashed Potatoes

Yes...Stew over mashed potatoes. My kids don't really like the way potatoes taste when they have been cooking all day in a crock pot. I love it but the kids...not so much and especially The Ballplayer. Since The Ballplayer is the only child at home right now (The Tortured Teenager is off at college and when she hears I made my mashed potatoes I might get in trouble) and he is the pickiest of eaters. I feel the need to keep the boy nourished. And to be honest who doesn't like creamy potatoes with stew over them?

I grew up eating stew. Although I am not entirely sure my grandmother ever put alcohol in it. She may...or not. I never paid attention. I just ate it. But anyways, stews were something we ate because it was cheap. They fed an army. And my family was an army. There was always uncles and cousins and great aunts over. More importantly there was always dessert. But now I have gotten off topic. My family does that to me.

Even better is that this meal is a two for one. I have enclosed a leftover soup meal.


Beef Stew Over Mashed Potatoes

1 pound stew meat
1 bottle dark beer (honestly I grabbed so I dont even know what I have)
1 carton beef stock
2 TB thick Worcestershire sauce (only because The Fireman grabbed the thick-reg works)
3 ribs of celery (halved)
3 carrots (halved)
1 onion quartered
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2-1 cup flour
2-3 TB oil
salt and pepper
lawrys season salt

Mashed Potatoes
10 potatoes peeled and chopped
1 cube light cream cheese
1/2 cup light butter
1 cup milk
salt and pepper

I always start with 1/2 cup of flour and if I need more then I will go for more. There are only three of us eating so about a pound of meat is fine. If there were five to six of us I would get to pounds and double everything.
I use an old cake pan. Season the flour with about a tsp seasoned salt and same of pepper. Stir it up with a fork.
I quartered the onions but left the ends on and then took the paper off. This will help them stay together in the crockpot. If your kids dont dig the onions this is how you keep them happy and keep the adults happy.
Look Ma! No papers!!
We are going to do a quick dusting of the flour and dump it into a HOT pan that has a couple TB of oil heated up
Put some of the meat and a couple of the onions in the pan. Do not put all the meat in the pan. Over crowding is bad even for food.
Flip when you get this brown crusty yummy good stuff.
Make sure you do that to all the sides of the meat and onions
Just stack on a plate and keep cooking

Dont wash this pan! This is flavor!!!
Now add the veggies. I halved the veggies so we dont get mushy veggies.
Salt and pepper the veggies. You'll thank me later. Cook just until they get some flavor on them. Really they are not getting soft. They are HUGE.
Add them to the pile with the meat.
I sometimes crave chopping garlic. I know, it's a little weird.
Add the garlic to the pan. Let it cook just a minute
Then add the Beer and since it is just barely noon resist the urge to drink it even though it is 5:00 some where ;)
It will smell good. Garlic and alcohol always does.
Add the Worcestershire Sauces. Now it really smells good
And Thyme. I need some time...I mean thyme..I am such a dork somethymes (and I crack myself up)
Smell it. Ok enough. Into the pot!!!
Everybody into the jacuzzi!! I mean crock pot!
Add the beef stock just until you cover the meat. You are not looking for soup.
Little more...
That looks better! Cover and cook on low for a good four hours. The flour you used to fry the meat will make a nice gravy.
Now for The Tortured Teenager's favorite part...Mashed Potatoes. You may not want to know what I really put in my mashed potatoes. I mean this really is not good for any diet so if you are dieting now is when you advert your eyes.

Mashed Potatoes
10 potatoes peeled and chopped
1 cube light cream cheese
1/2 cup light butter
1 cup milk
salt and pepper

In salted (really salted) water boil ten potatoes until they are FORK tender.
Add one block of LIGHT (hey I am trying to lose weight here) cream cheese
1/2 cup LIGHT margarine
mash until smooth and add 1 cup of milk
Season with salt and pepper
Now look at this stew! The veggies are not mush!
Serve on a heap of mashed potatoes and with plenty of gravy

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BONUS RECIPE FROM LEFTOVERS


Beef Noodle Vegetable Soup


This is all that was left from last night's stew. There might be three or four pieces of meat and carrots but what I can tell you is this is the making of a really good soup.


Yank out all the carrots and meat. Everything else is done and dismissed.
In a pan add some celery (I am just cooking for two) and the meat
Add whatever stock you have. I have 1/2 carton from last night and 1/2 carton from another night.Bring to a boil and add egg noodles

About a cup
Once tender add the carrots back to the pan. They are cooked, they just need to warm up. and add frozen cornJust let it all simmer a couple minutes and serve. We got distracted with Miss Emma. It was her last night with us. I sure do miss her. You can see her still sprinkled throughout the blogs posts.