Make this stew when you need a quick and easy recipe. It only takes about 5 minutes to prepare and then you can let it cook in the slow cooker for about 5 ½ to 10 ½ hours. (depending on when you need it to be ready)

You will want to eat this Western Stew with “Sour Cream Cornbread” or “Southwest Seasoned Bread sticks” – recipes for both follow. My family likes to dip the bread sticks in the stew, and when we have the cornbread they like to sop it in the stew. I hope you will like it both ways also.

Texas Stew

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef tips, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (14 ½ -ounce) can Mexican styled stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 (10 ½-ounce) can condensed beef broth, undiluted
1 (8-ounce) jar medium or mild picante sauce
1 (10-ounce) package frozen whole kernel corn
3 carrots, scraped and cut into ½-ince slices
1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
2 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
1/3 cup water
¼ cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a 3 or 4 quart electric slow cooker.
2. Put the lid on and cook on HIGH for 5 hours.
OR
3. On LOW for 10 hours or until meat is tender.
THEN
4. Combine water and flour, stirring until smooth or shake it up in a bottle with a lid
5. Stir this into the meat mixture in the slow cooker.
NOW
6. Cook the stew, uncovered, on HIGH for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens, stirring often.
Makes about 10 cups of stew.

Sour Cream Cornbread

Ingredients:

2 T shortening
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1 (8 ½-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
¼ cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

• Heat the shortening in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet at 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until skillet is almost smoking
• Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal and the rest of the ingredients
• Stir them together until they are just moistened
• Remove the skillet from the oven and spoon the batter into the hot skillet
• Return to the oven
• Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden
Makes 6 servings

Southwest Seasoned Bread sticks
Ingredients:

2 ½ T butter or margarine, melted
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp ground cumin
1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated bread sticks

Directions:

• Combine the first 3 ingredients and stir till well mixed
• Unroll the bread sticks from the package- put them on a large cutting board
• Brush the dough with the butter mixture
• Cut the dough in half crosswise- this will make 16 pieces
• Stretch each piece of dough and twist the ends in opposite directions 3 or 4 times
• Use a lightly greased cookie sheet or baking pan
• Put the twisted bread sticks about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets
• Press each end securely on the baking sheet
• Bake for 350 degrees for 15 to 16 minutes until golden brown

Makes 16 bread sticks.

Enjoy!