Serves: 4
Total Calories: 278

4 slices bacon
1 cup frozen small onion
1 pound beef stew meat
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (10 1/2-ounce) can beef broth double-strength
1 1/4 cups cranberry juice or dry red wine
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf large
3 cloves garlic minced
4 potatoes new, small, halved
4 carrots medium, sliced 1/2 -inch thick
1/4 pound mushrooms halved
2 zucchini small or summer squash, halved and sliced
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

In a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp remove with a slotted spoon set aside. Brown onions remove with a slotted spoon set aside.

Meanwhile, trim beef and cut into bite-size pieces if large. In a plastic bag, mix flour, salt and pepper. Add beef, shaking bag to coat well.

Add oil to drippings in Dutch oven. Over medium heat, brown meat in hot oil. Add beef broth, juice or wine, water, bay leaf and garlic, stirring to loosen browned bits on bottom of Dutch oven. Bring to a boil reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until almost tender.

Add potatoes and carrots, pushing into cooking liquid. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until vegetables are partially tender. Remove bay leaf. Add mushrooms, squash and reserved onions. Stir, cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in reserved bacon, parsley and vinegar.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 278
Calories from Fat: 60

More Recipes from the Just Good Cookin' Cookbook:
"Frankly" Vegetable Soup
Bavarian Beef Stew
Chicken Soup With Mini Dumplings
Very Vegetable Soup