Beef Stew

Serves 6
This is a very basic recipe--nothing fancy. Great on a cold winter day.

2 lbs. stew meat
2 Tbls. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 garlic clove
1 to 2 bay leaves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. paprika
1.4 tsp. pepper
dash ground cloves
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 lb. small onions (optional)
1 can organic peas, drained (optional)
2 Tbls. rice flour or cornstarch, mixed with 2 Tbls. cold water

1. Heat 2 Tbls. oil in large pot over medium heat. Brown stew meat in pot with chopped onion, about 5 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaf, salt, sugar, paprika, pepper, and cloves along with 2 cups of hot water to the pot. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot, lower the heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
2. Remove bay leaf and garlic. Add carrots, potatoes, and optional small onions to the pot. (You may have to add additional water at this point; add as much as you need to barely cover the vegetables.) Simmer for 30 - 45 minutes, covered, until vegetables are tender. Add optional peas and heat until peas are warm. Add flour (or cornstarch) and water mixture and stir constantly to thicken the sauce, about 1 minute. Serve.