Easy Crockpot Beef Stew

What's better on a cold night than a bowl of beef stew with some wheat bread? It just takes a few minutes to put together, and then you can enjoy the smell of it stewing in the crockpot all afternoon. Measurements are approximate since I don't really measure for this.

1 1/2 -2 lbs. stew beef cut into small chunks

About 1/2 cup flour

Salt and Pepper OR Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste (remember steak seasoning is really peppery, so be careful not to put too much- yes, this is the voice of experience!)

3 potatoes, scrubbed and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 or 3 stalks celery with tops, chopped

1 can tomato soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 big glob (maybe 1-2 T.) beef better than bouillon mixed in about 1 cup water(add more water if needed) and heated to dissolve in the microwave.

Cut up the beef, then put it in a bowl OR just on the cutting board add the flour and seasoning. Mix well. Let marinate while you chop the veggies. Heat some olive oil in a large skillet. Add the beef and brown on all sides. Put in crockpot. If there are bits left in the fry pan, add a little bit of water and deglaze the pan and add that in the crockpot too. Add veggies, bouillon mixture and soups. Mix together and cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours.