Irish Stew

This recipe is AMAZING. My mother in law is from Ireland, born and raised and she has been making this stew for years, probably decades. The only obstacle is that you can't get Oxtail soup packets in Canada so her sister Audrey mails them to her from Ireland when she needs them! If you can get the packets, (relatives in the UK anyone?) try this recipe, trust me, stew night will never be the same!

Ingredients:

2 lbs. extra lean ground beef                                  

1 cup carrots, sliced 
1 cup peas (optional)
1 cup turnip, diced (optional)

1 tomato, diced                                  

4 cups water             

1/2 medium onion, diced                    

1 pkg. Knorr oxtail soup                                       

5-6 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Brown beef in a little olive oil and drain off excess water. Add vegetables and mix together in a large pot. Combine oxtail soup packet with water and add to mixture. Bake in the oven in a covered casserole dish at 350°F for 2½ hours. Stir mixture halfway through cooking, it should be at a nice rolling boil by this point. If not, adjust the temperature accordingly. Stew will thicken on its own as it cooks. This recipe also works well in a crock-pot and left on for several hours. Peel and boil potatoes separately and serve with the stew.