Ghostly Beef Stew

• Dredge the meat in the flour and reserve 1 Tbsp. of the flour.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large stockpot and brown the meat in a single layer, flipping it once or twice, until it is almost cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Reduce the heat if it is getting too brown.
• Remove the meat from the pan and add the onions and 1 Tbsp. flour. Sauté the onions for about 5 minutes until they begin to brown.
• Return the meat to the pot and add the broth, tomato sauce, wine or juice, Worcestershire, salt and thyme. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover it. Simmer it for 45 – 60 minutes.
• Add the carrots and cover and simmer the stew for 45 minutes more, until the meat and vegetables are tender. (Meanwhile make the whipped potatoes for the ghosts.)
• Serve it right away or refrigerate it for up to 3 days, or let it cool and freeze it for up to 3 months.

Slow Cooker Directions

• Place the carrots in the slow cooker.
• Dredge the meat in the flour and reserve 1 Tbsp. of the flour. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet and brown the meat in a single layer, flipping it once or twice. Remove the meat from the pan and add it to the slow cooker on top of the vegetables.
• Add the onions and 1 Tbsp. flour to the skillet. Sauté it for about 5 minutes until the onion starts to brown. Remove the onions from the pan and add them to the slow cooker on top of the meat and vegetables.
• Add 2 cups broth or 1 cup broth and 1 cup water (rather than 1 cup broth above), tomato sauce, wine or juice, Worcestershire and thyme to the skillet and warm through while scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture over the meat and vegetables.
• Cook for 8-10 hours on low, or 4-5 hours on high. Add extra broth or water during cooking if it looks too thick. (Slow cooker cooking times may vary—Get to know your slow cooker and, if necessary, adjust cooking times accordingly.)

Whipped Potato Ghosts

• Bring a large pot that’s about half full of water to a boil. Peel and cut the potatoes into 1-inch pieces. While the water is coming to a boil, add the potatoes, the garlic clove and about 1 tsp. of the salt to the water and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
• Drain the potatoes and garlic and return them to the pot over medium heat, shaking until any remaining water dries. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to a large mixing bowl; add the butter or margarine, the milk (or buttermilk, if you have it), thyme and remaining salt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until they are just smooth—don’t over mix (or mash them, if you prefer). Serve immediately or transfer to an oven-safe serving bowl and keep warm in a 300 degree oven until you are ready to serve.
• Put the whipped potatoes in a strong plastic bag (sandwich-sized Ziploc works well), snip 1 inch off the bottom corner of the bag on the diagonal, and squeeze out the ghosts. The eyes can be peppercorns, coriander seeds, pieces of olives or carrots; use your imagination!