Green Chile Stew

When the temperature drops there's nothing nicer than enjoying a nice, warm bowl of soup for lunch or dinner. But when it's downright freezing outside, the only thing nicer than a bowl of soup is a hearty bowl of green chile stew. The warmth from the green chile and combination of tender meat and potatoes will instantly warm you right up.

This is one of those meals that's great to start in the morning and cook all day long; the ingredients will intermingle with each other and get more flavorful by the minute. If you can't find fresh green chile, canned will work fine, or you can try roasting your own (tutorial) Hatch or Anaheim peppers. Keep in mind that heat from chile—even canned—can vary, so start out small and work your way up. If you're making this for a milder crowd, you can always sprinkle in some red pepper flakes to kick up the heat.

Now that the details are out of the way, I really hope you'll enjoy this recipe!

 Green Chile Stew

Ingredients:
2 quarts water
8 beef bouillon cubes
1 capful, kitchen bouquet (for color)
1 capful, Worcestershire
1 pound, beef stew meat, trimmed and cut in chunks/bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon flour
2 russet potatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
1-2 cups, green chile (to taste)
red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
Boil water. Once boiling, add boullon cubes, kitchen bouquet and Worcestershire. Brown meat in skillet; lightly season with salt and pepper. When meat is finished cooking, add it to the crockpot; sprinkle flour on top and mix together. Add broth, potatoes and remaining ingredients to crock pot. Cook for 6-8 hours on low, or if you're in a rush, 4-5 hours on high.