Beef Stew with Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Brrrrrr it's cold here!  The temperatures have dropped lately and we have a new blanket of fresh snow on the ground.  We enjoyed spending some time outside yesterday making 'paw prints' and snow angels in the snow.  Not a bad way to spend a Sunday!

My parents recently came down for a visit.  After a day filled with Christmas shopping we headed home and had homemade beef stew and cranberry sauce.  It was a hit!  The was actually the second time I've made this dish in the last week.  It was adult and baby approved!

The one thing I really like about this dish is that it is customizable.  Don't like mushroom - don't add um!  Not a fan of green beans - take um out!  Love love love carrots - add more!

To get started, brown your stew meat.  We cheated and purchased pre-cut stew meat from the grocery store.  You could cut up your own bottom round roast if you wanted too.  I used about 1.5 pounds.

 Once the meat has browned, add your beef broth, veggies and spices.  Let it simmer for about an hour.

While the meat is working chop up your potatoes.  After the meat has simmered for about an hour, add your potatoes and let it continue to work for another 20 minutes.

That's it!  It really couldn't be easier or more delicious!

We made a homemade cranberry sauce to go with it and let me tell you, I don't think I'll be buying from the can again.  This was SO EASY and SO YUMMY!  I dipped my meat in the cranberry sauce and it was fantastic!

 To make the sauce, put one container of cranberries in a pot, along with 1/2 cup sugar, zest of one orange and juice of one orange.  Let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until the cranberries pop and are soft.  So amazing!

Beef Stew
Recipe from Allergy Free Recipes Book

Free of:  Dairy, Wheat, Corn, Peas, Eggs and Nuts!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 pounds stew meat cut into pieces
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
28 ounces beef broth (about 2 cans) Make sure this is gluten free!  Some kinds are not.
1 can sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1 red bell pepper chopped
10 green beans chopped
3-4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped

1.  Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Add beef and cook until the meat begins to caramelize and the juices evaporate.  

2.  Add caraway seeds, salt, pepper and thyme.

3.  Add beef broth and stir to scrap up the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.

4.  Add mushrooms, carrots, pepper and green beans.  Cover, reduce heat to low and let simmer 1 hour.

5.  Add potatoes and bring back to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

6.  Serve and enjoy!

Cranberry Orange Sauce 
Recipe modified from the Food Network

Free Of:  Wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts, corn and peas!

1 package cranberries (about 12 ounces)
1/2 cup sugar
Zest of one orange
Juice of one orange

1.  Put all ingredients together in a medium sized sauce pan.

2.  Simmer over medium heat 15-20 minutes or until the cranberries burst and the sauce thickens.

3.  Serve warm or cold!