Beef Stew with Butternut Squash

On the menu: Beef Stew with Butternut Squash, perfect meal for a winter night :-)

Most stews are easy, it doesn't take a lot of time to prepare, you can just put the ingredients into a slow cooker and forget about it for a few hours. The ingredients are simple and cheap, and can be found at any major grocery store.

The ingredients for the stew:

1. 1 lb. beef chuck roast- $5.99 at Smith's

2. 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour- $0.00, got from my pantry!

3. 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil- $0.00 (pantry)

4. 1 lb. russet potatoes- $0.85

5. 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-in. pieces (about 2-1/2 cups)- $1.25 at Sunflower's Market

6. 1 onion- cut into wedges- $0.00 (pantry)

7. 2 cloves of garlic- minced- $0.00 (pantry)

8. 1 14-oz can of beef broth- $0.99

9. 1 cup vegetable juice- $2.50 (I had to buy a whole bottle)

10. 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce- $1.75

11. 1 Tbsp lemon juice- $0.00 (fridge)

12. 1/2 tsp sugar- $0.00 (pantry)

13. 1/2 tsp paprika- $1.50

14. 1/4 tsp black pepper- $0.00 (pantry)

15. 1/8 tsp ground allspice- $1.75

16. 1 package (or can) of green beans- $0.75

Makes 6 servings.

Need:

Slow cooker- borrowed from my moms :-). BUT, she bought it at Macy's for only $16.99 so it's very affordable. And, its worth it since you can use it for a lot of things.

Directions:

1. Cut the meat into 1-in pieces and trim off any fat. Place four in a large resealable bag, add a few pieces of meat at a time, and shake to coat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add meat and cook until brown. Drain off any fat.

2. In a slow cooker, combine meat, potatoes, squash, onions, and garlic. In a large bowl, combine broth, vegetable juice, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, sugar, paprika, pepper, and allspice. Pour over meat mixture.

3. Cover and cook either on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-seat setting for 5 to 6 hours.

4. Add in green beans for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

This meal calls for an extensive list of ingredients, however, it only cost me $16.08. This is a pretty cheap for a meal for two people. Also, I can use most of these ingredients again for other things. There were still plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day! Beats going to McDonald's by a long run :)