apple cider beef stew

I got some stew meat a while back*, and decided that it was well past time to use it, especially considering how good hot stew tastes when its cold out. So I was looking around online for a good stew recipe that consisted of things that I have in my kitchen. I noticed a trend as I pawed through different recipe sites: using apple in a beef stew. I thought, "Well, that sounds interesting! Couldn't hurt to try, right?" The great thing about being single is that I am the only one to disappoint if something doesn't turn out.

Because I was using my slow cooker, I figured it would be best to find a recipe that is specifically for the slow cooker. Crockpot.com away! Here http://www.crock-pot.com/Recipe.aspx?rid=1025 is where to find the original recipe; I will share what I actually ended up doing.

1. Finely chop 8 carrots, 4 sticks of celery, 6 medium potatoes, 1 medium onion, and 2 apples.
2. Layer 2 pounds beef stew meat, and all the chopped veggies in the crockpot.

3. Pour 36 oz. apple juice over the ingredients in the crockpot.

4. Add (at least) 2 teaspoons salt and a teaspoon or so of thyme (I didn't measure either of these...)

5. Cook for 12 hours on low, then keep warm until time to serve!

Reading over the recipe again, I realize that I forgot the vinegar. that might have taken the edge off the sweetness. I ended up having to add more salt, and it was fine. The thing that I didn't like about the timing of this recipe is how long it takes to cook. I made it for lunch, so I ended up staying up really late just to start it. I guess the other option would have been to cook it on high for dinner. But that would have involved starting it around noon to have it between 5-6.

It also makes a ginormous thing of soup. Great for big families, but I am going to be eating it for a week!

*Don't worry, I put it in the freezer!