Slow Cooked Guinness Beef Stew and for dessert, Petite Pumpkin Toffee Tarts

Slow Cooked Guinness Beef Stew

Ingredients

3 cups (750 mL) 1" (2.5 cm) potato cubes or mini potatoes, halved

2 cups (500 mL) each, baby carrots and sliced celery

1 small onion, cut into wedges

2 bay leaves

1-1/2 lb (750 g) 1" (2.5 cm) stewing beef cubes

1/4 cup (60 mL) all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground black pepper 

 1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil

2 cups (500 mL) CAMPBELL'S® Ready to Use 25% Less Salt Beef Broth

200 ml Guinness

1/2 tbsp (7 mL) Worcestershire sauce

 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh thyme leaves

 2 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation:

Combine vegetables in 4-1/2 qt (4.3 L) slow cooker. Add bay leaves.

Place stewing beef, flour and pepper into a sealable plastic bag and toss to coat beef.

Brown beef well on all sides in heated oil over medium-high heat in large non-stick skillet. Place beef on top of vegetables in slow cooker.

Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and garlic to skillet and combine well with pan drippings. Pour mixture over beef and vegetables. 

Cook, covered, on HIGH setting for 4 hours* or until the beef reaches internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and is fork-tender. Discard bay leaves before serving

Petite Pumpkin Toffee Tarts

Makes 24 tarts

Ingredients

tart shells

3 39-g Skor chocolate bars

1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened pumpkin pureé

1/3 cup (75 mL) lightly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup (50 mL) whipping cream

2 eggs

1/2 tsp (2 mL) vanilla

 1/2 tsp (2 mL) pumpkin pie spice or 1/4 tsp (1 mL) each ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg

24 pecan halves, about 100-g pkg

Arrange oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Preheat to 375F (190C). Place tart shells on 2 large baking sheets, leaving a bit of space between them. Thaw at room temperature for 10 min.

Meanwhile, finely chop chocolate bars. Spoon 1 scant tsp (4 mL) into each shell. In a medium bowl, whisk pumpkin with sugar, cream, eggs, vanilla and pie spice until blended. Fill shells nearly to the top, then place a pecan half on each.

Bake sheets on separate racks. Rotate baking sheets between racks after 10 min. Then continue baking until filling is set, about 10 more min. Serve warm or cool on a rack. If making ahead, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They'll keep well for 2 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

I think I'll be bringing some of these to work for the kids!