Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs stewing beef (Today, I actually had a roast that I cut into cubes)
• 3 medium potatoes, cubed
• 3 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 large onion cut into large pieces
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of peas (Today, I used 1/2 peas and 1/2 cup edamame)
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp steak spice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• (1 cup left-over mashed potatoes optional if you want to make the stew creamy)

Directions:

Heat 3 tbsp cooking oil in a large pot.  Sear beef a few pieces at time.  When all the beef is brown, add 4 cups of water and bay leaf.  Simmer for 40 minute to 1 hour.  Add remaining ingredients  and continue to simmer until potatoes are tender.

Blue Cheese Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of flour
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp butter or shortening
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 to 2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

Mix the dry ingredients.  Blend in butter and blue cheese add milk just
until blended.  Put about 8 small spoonfuls on top of simmering stew.  Allow stew to simmer until dumplings are cooked.