Martha's Beef Stew with noodles

So for years I have made a very favorite beef stew recipe but have always found it somewhat cumbersome to make. But hooray I have found one in the latest Martha Stewart magazine that is really easy and tastes almost exactly the same as the old recipe I have.

The bonus with this one is it makes the gravy while it's cooking in the pot on the stove. I am to say the least "challenged" when it comes to making gravy. I have tried for years and honestly I know just give the task to Faruq when he is home.

So on one of those cold winter nights I think might be coming soon give this a try and I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

(I forgot to take a picture of my stew so I snagged a pic from her magazine but honestly mine look identical to this picture)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Serves 4 (we actually got more like 6 to 7 servings)

What you will need:

1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

2 pounds boneless beef chuck. (cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 medium onion sliced lengthwise

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 cans (14.5 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled an cut into 1-inch dice

2 cups egg noodles

3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp red-wine vinegar ( I omitted this and it was fine)

How to make it:

1. In large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat oil over high. Add beef, season with salt and pepper. Cook until seared and brown about 6 minutes.
2. Add Onion and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until onion begins to soften (reduce heat if necessary) - about 5 minutes.
3. Stir flour until beef and onion are coated and cook 1 to 2 minutes (do not burn).
4. Add broth + 3 cups of water, stirring and scraping up browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until beef is tender - about 25 minutes.
5. Add carrots and potatoes - cook until potatoes are tender - about 10 minutes.
6. Add noodles and cook until tender - about 8 minutes
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. To serve, stir in parsley and vinegar.

A few things:

• Cutting veggies into evenly sized cubes helps to ensure that they'll finish cooking at the same time.
• It can be frozen in airtight containers for up to 6 month. Thaw in the fridge before reheating. Honestly, I have never had enough stew leftover to even consider freezing it.
• I honestly didn't season with salt quite as often as the recipes says and it was still very yummy.