Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

Everybody likes a good beef stew on a chilly night.  Even better if you've done the preparation ahead of time and all you have to do is come home and eat it.  This is great after a busy day at work and Christmas shopping.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Pounds of stewing beef cubes
1/2 Cup of flour
1 Tbs of canola oil
1 Large can of whole tomatoes
1 Onion, cut into wedges
10 Pearl onions, skins removed
1 Cup of sweet potatoes, chopped into cubes
1 Cup of Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped into cubes
2 Celery stalks, chopped
1 Carrot, peeled and chopped
1 Parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 Turnip, peeled and chopped
2 Bay leaves
1 Tbs of thyme, chopped
1 Tsp of oregano, chopped
1 1/2 Cup of beef stock
1 Cup of red wine
1 Cup of frozen peas
Salt and pepper
2 Tbs of corn starch

For the stew:

In a bowl coat the beef with flour and salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large saute pan on medium-high heat and brown the beef working in batches.  Transfer to plate.

In your slow cooker, crush tomatoes in their juices.  Add all your vegetables (excluding the peas), herbs,  beef with any juices that may have accumulated on the plate, beef stock and wine.  Cover and cook on low heat until all vegetables and beef are tender, about 10 hours. 

Add peas and salt and pepper.  Whisk together corn starch with a little of the liquid from the stew and stir into the stew.  Cook, and cover until thickened, about 15 minutes.  Discard bay leaves and serve.