One of my presents for christmas was a 6 quart slow cooker. I was so excited that I immediately got on the internet and researched what you can make in a slow cooker. Since we are in the middle of a very cold winter, I decided that I would make my very first stew. I spent two hours at the store picking out just the right ingredients and ended up spending over $80 dollars. After which I decided I should not be allowed to go to the store alone anymore. Well, by the time I got home it was late in the afternoon and the stew has to cook 9-10 hours. So at 10 that night I made my stew and let it cook overnight. In the morning the whole house smells amazing. I was a little disappointed to see that there was not enough liquid to make gravy to go with it, but quickly decided to make it on the side. I took some left over beef broth with corn starch and was pleasantly rewarded with a delicious gravy. I poured it into the cooker and let it sit will the meat and vegetables for about 20 minutes and served. It was worth the effort and my roommates were very pleased. Although I have decided that the next batch will require a much more flavorful broth to go along with such a hearty meal.
