Lazy Man's Beef Stew

(This is after the initial baking period of 4 hours as I was stirring in the
frozen peas and mushrooms.)

Again, here I am using up all the fresh veg etc. that I can from the fridge before I go on holidays. The Toddster is a meat and potatoes kind of a guy. As you know all I have to do to please him is throw some meat and potatoes on to a plate and he is quite happy . . . AS IF! I would never just throw some meat and potatoes on to a plate!!!

(The finished product.)

On his Birthday this week, I baked him a lovely cherry almond cake, AND a fruit cake AND I made him this lovely stew. He was one very happy camper. You just can't beat a good stew can you?

Fruitcake, cherry cake . . . meat and potatoes!
This is a very easy stew to make. All you do is throw everything into a casserole dish and bake it in the oven. No browning. No mess. No fuss. Easy peasy as can be!

I love it when things are easy and yet come out tasting gloriously delicious and as if you'd spent all day slaving over a hot stove, don't you? (Tis called Lazy Man's Beef Stew, coz who'd ever believe a woman would be lazy? tee hee!)

*Lazy Man's Beef Stew*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

An oldie but a goodie. Delicious, easy and quick to throw together. Beef and vegetables baked in a slow oven until the meat is meltingly tender and the accompanying sauce, rich and delicious.

2 pounds of stewing beef, trimmed of all fat and cut into cubes
4 large carrots, peeled, quartered and cut into pieces
1 tin of cream of tomato soup
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp savoury
freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
8 fluid ounces of red wine
2 leeks, trimmed, washed and thinly sliced
8 ounces of frozen peas (1 small package)
1 punnet of fresh mushrooms, sliced and browned in a bit of butter, or 1 tin of sliced mushrooms, drained
(about 1 cup)

Oven temperature 140*C/275*F/ gas mark 3.

Grease a large casserole dish. Put into the beef, carrots, tomato soup, leeks, potatoes, bay leaf, black pepper and 1/2 of the wine. Stir well together. Cover tightly and bake for 4 hours. Remove from the oven and stir. Add the frozen peas, mushrooms and remaining red wine and if necessary a little water. Cover tightly and cook for 1 hour longer.