Hello! It’s a beginning of a new year. Can you believe it’s 2023 and it’s time for a simpler menu. I call it comfort food. Serve it with apple sauce with a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon on top and good old bread and butter — and you have a great meal, and hopefully you will have leftovers.

I hope you enjoy this great recipe. Thank you Patricia Nicholes for this recipe. You are awesome.

Please send in your favorite recipes and I will put you in the kitchen with Sharon. Send them, along with a story about the recipe if you’d like to share one, to [email protected] or call me at 937-393-3456.

CROCKPOT BEEF STEW

Crockpot low — 7-8 hours

Crockpot high — 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 pound of stew meat (I used a roast)

2 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed

1 — 14.5-ounce can (1 3/4 cups) beef broth

1 — 11.5-ounce can (1 cup plus 7 Tbsp.) V8 Juice

2 celery ribs, chopped

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 medium sweet onion, chopped

3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. water

1/2 cup frozen corn

1/2 cup frozen peas

Directions

1. In a three-quart crockpot, combine the first 12 ingredients.

2. Cover and cook in the crockpot on low for 7-8 hours.

3. Discard bay leaves.

4. In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch until smooth (don’t skip or shortcut this step).

5. Stir cornstarch mixture into the stew.

6. Add corn and peas.

7. Cover and cook in the crockpot on high for 30 minutes or until thickened.

Sharon Hughes is the advertising manager at The Times-Gazette. She is also a mother, grandmother and chef.