It hasn’t been super cold here yet this winter, but with everyone being sick, comforting stews and quick-cooking soups were our mainstays for a while.

This one saved us on a day when we knew that we were going to busy all day, and would need something waiting for us at dinnertime.

Rosemary Scented Slow Cooker Beef Stew

1-2 tablespoons cooking oil
1½ lb beef
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sazon (or ½ tablespoon cumin ad ½ tablespoon ground coriander)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
rosemary sprig
2 tablespoon parsley
3 cups carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, parsnips, or frozen vegetables in any combination you like

Heat oil over medium-high heat. Place meat, onion, garlic, sazon, bay leaves, a liberal sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper, and a pinch of salt in pot. Saute for a few minutes, until beef starts to brown a bit. Add flour, saute until the flour coats the meat.

Place in slow cooker. Add 2 cups of water to hot pot, and over medium heat, stir and scrape at the sides and bottom of the pot to loosen up any browned bits of flour/meat. Add to slow cooker.

Add water or beef stock to just cover the meat in the slow cooker, along with Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and apple cider vinegar.

Cook on low 4-6 hours or high 8-10 hours.

About an hour before shutting off slow cooker, add vegetables, parsley, rosemary, and adjust salt/pepper to taste. Continue cooking until the vegetables are tender.

Note – you can alternatively place all ingredients directly into slow cooker, and skip the browning step if you are low on time. Or, you can do the browning the night before, and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to place in slow cooker.

You could also add vegetables at the beginning, with the understanding that they will cook down really soft.