Halloween Stew

This recipe came from my friend, Lauren. I call it Halloween Stew because it's our Halloween dinner tradition. But it's so good that you could make it anytime during the fall or winter. (Too hearty for spring or summer.) You can also bake it in a pumpkin, but I have never planned that far ahead or have had much desire to clean out a pumpkin on top of cleaning dishes.

A note about stew meat. I have usually purchased "stew meat" at the store ... paying like $4/lb, on sale. And then I've ended up trimming it further at home to remove a lot of fat and gristle. I got to talking with my friend's mother-in-law at soccer practice this week. She mentioned that she grew up on a farm, and they raised their own cows for beef and dairy. So, I asked her what cut of meat would be good for stew since I was "over" buying stew meat that was expensive and that I had to trim anyway. She laughed and said the cheapest meat I could find would be great for stew. Next time I see a cut of meat on sale for 1.99/lb, I'm snatching it up for stew meat.

On with the recipe...

Halloween Stew Baked in a Pumpkin (or not...)

2 lbs. stew meat
2 Tbsp. oil
1 large onion, chopped (I usually use 1/2)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 large tomatoes, chopped (or 4 small romas)
1 tsp. salt (measure and don't skimp ... it needs the full amt)
1/2 tsp pepper (estimate)
1 cup dried apricots, cut in half (I cut the apricots in half, and then measure 1 cup of them)
3 white potatoes, peeled and chopped
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cup water
1 (15 oz.) can of corn, drained

In a large pot, brown the beef in oil. Add onions and garlic. When onions are tender, add tomatoes, salt, pepper, apricots, all the potatoes, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat (to somewhere between med low and low) and simmer with a lid until potatoes are soft. Add corn, stir, and serve. (Don't be alarmed if the sweet potatoes break down and become mushy. It sort of thickens the stew.)