Crockpot Beef Stew

We had an unexpected day at home following icy road conditions, and this was the perfect dish to make.  Not only did it taste delicious and very comforting, but it made the house smell delicious all day.  As I've said before, I tend to throw a bunch of things into a pot, fall in love with the results, and never write down what I did.  So I wanted to head to the computer right away since this one was one of my husband's favorites.  Easy and delicious!

Alicia's Crockpot Beef Stew

2.5 lb stew meat, cubed

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped

4 carrots, peeled and sliced

5 red potatoes, cubed into 1" cubes

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp seasoned salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup red wine

2 T worchestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

1 packet beef stew seasoning

2 cups beef broth

Add flour, salt, and pepper to a gallon-sized Ziploc, and mix well by shaking a few times.  Add stew meat, and shake to coat evenly.  Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil (or whatever you have on hand), and sear the beef in batches for 1-2 minutes on each side.  You may need to add a little oil between batches.  Remove all of the beef to the crockpot.  Lower the heat to medium, add a bit more oil, and saute the onions and celery until slightly tender - about 5 minutes.  De-glaze the pan by stirring in the red wine.  Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all of the brown bits into the sauce.  Add worchestershire sauce, beef broth, bay leaf, and stew seasoning, and stir to combine.  Pour the mixture over the beef in the crockpot, and add in the carrots and potatoes.  Stir to combine, and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.  We served it over egg noodles.  It's the perfect cold-weather dinner.