Savory Slow Cooker Beef Stew Made Quick and Easy

The economy is making me more conscious of how I shop, what I buy, and what I cook for my family on a daily basis. We’re still able to eat organic by thoughtfully planning meals, making extra to freeze in individual portions so we have lunches to take to work and school, eating less meat to reduce food costs, and making a commitment to eating our leftovers. And there’s one kitchen tool that I’ve found essential: the slow cooker. It turns making things like this beef stew into something I can do with my eyes closed (literally!).

A few mornings a week, while I’m packing Atticus’s lunch and downing enough caffeine to cope with his fun new 5:30 am wake-up time (anyone with any advice on that?), I toss the ingredients into the slow cooker. By the time I get home from work, a healthy dinner is ready, the apartment smells like home, and I can relax around the table with the family. Focusing on what really matters. Like whether Atticus got any time-outs at school or peed his pants.