Crockpot Beef Stew (Carolyn)

1 cup cubed white potatoes
1 cup (about 20) baby carrots
1 cup diced celery
 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 ½ lbs. lean beef cubes
½ envelope dry onion-soup mix
2 bay leaves
1 TBL. Worcestershire sauce
½ t. dried thyme
¼ t. black pepper
1 can (14 ½ ounce) beef broth
1 can (10 ¾ ounces) cream of mushroom soup
1 can (14 ½ ounce) diced tomatoes with juice
½ cup frozen green peas
3 tablespoons cornstarch

Peel and cut potatoes into roughly ½ inch cubes.  Place evenly in bottom of crock pot.  Scatter carrots over potatoes.  Cut celery into ½ inch pieces and add to pot.
Add remaining ingredients, except for peas and cornstarch, in the order given.
DO NOT STIR.

Cover pot and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours. Stir stew well.  Rinse frozen peas with warm tap water to defrost slightly, and add to pot. Mix cornstarch with 3 TBL water and mix well.  Add half of the cornstarch mixture to stew gradually, stirring gently, but well.  Add remaining cornstarch as needed to reach desired consistency.  Serve at once.

Yield:  6 servings

10 min. preparation – 10 hours cooking time