Food: Beef and Beer Stew

I got this recipe from a popular weight loss company, but then I doctored it up to add taste and, well, a few calories.

You need:

olive oil

1 pound of the leanest stew meat you can find
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
4 red potatoes, cut up into 1/2" pieces (2 cm-ish)
24 baby carrots or just 2 regular carrots cut up
8 oz beer
12 oz beef broth (reduced sodium)
black pepper and salt to taste
1/4 c. evaporated milk
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp cornstarch

Procedure:

just coat the bottom of your pot with olive oil and warm it on medium heat.  When the pan is hot, add your beef, green pepper, and onion, and brown the meat and cook the pepper and onion for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes, stirring to make sure everything gets cooked evenly.

Add the potatoes, carrots, beef broth, and beer, and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for at least 2 hours, or until the beef and vegetables are tender.  (I tend to simmer longer to let the flavors meld together better.)

About 5 to 10 minutes before serving, make a slurry* with the evaporated milk, cornstarch, and paprika.  Stir this into the stew and cook for 5 to 7 more minutes, or until everything is thick and bubbly.

My family tradition dictates that this be served over noodles, but my husband swears it would be fabulous over mashed potatoes.  Of course, serve crusty bread with it.  Better yet, garlic bread.

Feel free to drink whatever beer you have left.

*slurry = suspension of cornstarch in another liquid.  To make a slurry, mix the ingredients for it together VERY well, until there are no cornstarch lumps.