Spooktackular Stew!

So tonight for dinner we are taking it back to the home land so to speak, I am making a traditional Irish Stew with a Halloween twist. It was a whopping 45 degrees here today and I thought something warm would be a good idea. So here we go.

You will need...

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced or 1Tbs Garlic Powder
• 8 cups beef stock or canned beef broth
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 7 cups)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled carrots
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef and sauté until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes.

Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add beef stock, sugar, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, melt butter in another large pot over medium heat. Add potatoes, onion and carrots. Sauté vegetables until golden, about 20 minutes. Add vegetables to beef stew. Simmer uncovered until vegetables and beef are very tender, about 40 minutes.

Now we wait... I use this time to be "SuperMOM" you can follow suit or do something else to fill your time.

Discard bay leaves. Tilt pan and spoon off fat. (Can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.) Transfer stew to serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.