Today was the first day of class at the Darien Parks and Rec. We created Stone Soup Stew from fresh seasonal ingredients. The SproutChef's decorated their own aprons and cookbooks. The cookbooks do not have to be brought back to class, because they are for the purpose of copying recipes off my website from home. They may add recipes from other sources too. Today's recipe follows.

Stone Soup Stew

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of beef stew meat, cut into small chunks

• Flour to dust the meat

• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

• 4 grinds of the pepper mill

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 large onion, cut into large chunks

• 2 gloves of garlic, minced

• 2 large garden tomatoes, diced into small pieces

• 4 cups of beef broth

• 2 tablespoons of flour, made into a paste from the hot beef broth

• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste

• 2 medium sized new potatoes, cut into chunks

• 4 carrots, scrapped and sliced

• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

• 1 fresh ear of corn

• 1 handful of green beans trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

• Garnish with parsley and/or cilantro

Directions:

1. Put the meat into a bowl. Sprinkle the salt and the pepper over the meat.

2. Sprinkle flour over the meat and mix together so the meat is thoroughly coated with salt, pepper and four.

3. Brown the meat in a pot with the olive oil.

4. Once the meat is browned, add the cut up onion and minced garlic.

5. Add the tomatoes, beef broth and heat through.

6. Once the broth is hot, put two tablespoons of flour into a cup and add a tablespoon at a time of hot broth to flour until it looks like a smooth paste. Be careful to do this gradually, so that it does not become lumpy. Then add the paste to the stew.

7. Add the tomato paste, potatoes, carrots, thyme, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce.

8. Cook in a slow cooker for 2-4 hours.

9. When the potatoes and carrots are almost tender, add the corn and green beans and cook an additional hour. Serve hot in bowls.

Serve hot in a bowl and garnish with parsley and/or cilantro.

*For years I had the children make this stew with fresh meat and canned veggies. This year I decided to upgrade to fresh veggies. I cooked the veggies ahead of time, due to time restraints. This recipe will taste much better cooked slowly at home in your kitchen on a chilly fall night. It is especially good when made by young hands and adult assistance.