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Much to my everlasting shame, and most likely my Grandma Minkie's mortification, I never learned how to make stew. Seriously. Stew: the beefy goodness of thick, rich gravy that caresses browned potatoes and carrots. For some reason stew intimidated me. How does one get the meat so mouthwateringly tender, while at the same time keeping the vegetables from turning to mush? And the gravy? How is it possible to thicken it so that it's not pasty, but rather rich and luxurious?

I had long ago relegated myself to a canned stew buyer. There, I've said it out loud. Iboughtcannedstew. Maybe if I say it really fast, no one will notice.

Now, my youngest daughter Alex loves stew. In fact, she loves it so much that she literally begs for it. And by beg, I mean wraps herself around my leg in the middle of the canned stew aisle and whines, "Pulleeeeezzzeeee mooommmmyyy, make me some stew. Pulhlleeeeezze." And, if that doesn't work she breaks out her "redneck" voice and starts talking like one of our southern relatives we'd rather not recognize in public, and begs even harder. And, if that doesn't work, she'll break into song in the stew aisle and "rap" about how much she wants stew. This of course is performed with the redneck voice. By the time she's done with the complete begging process, and I wipe away the tears of laughter, there are at least six large cans of Dinty Moore in my shopping buggy.

One night after feasting upon my gourmet fare, my husband Grant made an off-handed comment: "Why don't you make this yourself?" Ugh! The gauntlet had been thrown and now I had to learn to make stew. Grant is one of those kind of guys who thinks everyone should make or fix everything themselves. Of course he can make or fix just about anything. But that's another story for another time.

Rising to the challenge I went to the store and purchased the necessary ingredients for beef stew. After three batches and figuring the meat-to-potato ratio, I believed I had created a fairly decent recipe for stew.

At the next beef stew dinner, Grant sighed in pleasure at how good the stew was. However, the true taste bud litmus test was Alex. Would it measure up? Would it meet the stew aficionado's standards? She smiled big, asked for seconds, and there were no leftovers. Ahhh ... sweet success!

This week, I present to you a recipe developed over time, and determination. So, fear not my fellow canned stew buyers, you too will enjoy sweet success of stew! Until next time...

Eat and enjoy,

Midgi

BEEF STEW

1 - 1/4 lbs beef cut up for stew

1 large onion, rough chop

3 large carrots, cut into 1 -2 inch pieces

3 large potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes

4 cups (1 large box) beef broth

½ cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

¼ cup red wine

Pre-heat Dutch oven, add oil. Combine flour, pepper, salt garlic power, and onion powder. Dredge beef pieces in flour. Pieces should be bite-sized.

Cook floured beef in oil, turning frequently to ensure all sides are well browned. Add wine. This deglazes the pan and gets all the yummy, crispy love on the bottom of the pan. Add broth in 1-cup increments, ensuring the stew doesn't get too thin.

Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook about 1.5 hours, or until beef is tender. Add onion, carrots and potatoes, cook additional 20 minutes.

HINT: Prefer not to use wine? Deglaze pan with broth, it works great too!

Kelly Moore, a.k.a. Midgi, is a writer and cook from Southeast Alaska. Visit her blog, www.mealswithmidgi.com, for additional stories and recipes. Send comments and any recipes you would like to share to midgi@mealswithmidgi.com.