Slow-Cooker Country French Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 lb), trimmed of fat, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 3 cups ready-to-serve baby-cut carrots
• 1 cup red Zinfandel wine or nonalcoholic red wine
• 3/4 cup Progresso™ beef flavored broth (from 32-oz carton)
• 3 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms (3 cups)
• 1/2 cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed)
• Hot cooked egg noodles, if desired
• Chopped fresh parsley or basil leaves, if desired

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Preparation ---

2. 2

   Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Place bacon in cooker. Discard all but 1 tablespoon bacon fat in skillet. Cook beef in bacon fat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Stir onion into beef. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Spoon mixture into cooker.

3. 3

   Stir carrots, wine, broth, flour, basil, thyme, salt, pepper and canned diced tomatoes into mixture in cooker.

4. 4

   Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.

5. 5

   Stir in mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 20 to 30 minutes longer or until sun-dried tomatoes are tender. Serve beef mixture over noodles; sprinkle with parsley.

6. 6

   --- Tips ---

7. 7

   Use beef broth instead of the wine if you prefer.

8. 8

   To save time, use beef stew meat instead of cutting the beef roast into pieces.

9. 9

   If you can't find the julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes, cut your whole ones with a kitchen scissors.