Meme's Beef Stew

This is the quintessential winter meal. I made it a few weeks ago and decided to make another batch and share the recipe while we deal with these frigid temps. I must preface this by saying that Meme doesn't have recipes per se, she's more of a roundabout sort of cook so these are approximates. The beauty of this method is that you can take out the stuff you don't enjoy and put in something else you do.

1 lb. stew meat

1 small white onion

can of beef broth

water

2-3 potatoes

green beans (fresh or frozen)

peas (fresh or frozen)

corn (fresh or frozen)

carrots (fresh or frozen)

corn starch

Brown the stew beef in a little bit of olive oil. Add the onion, chopped and cook until the onion is soft. Note: if you are cooking this in the crockpot, this is the point that you would transfer it to the crockpot. Add a small can of beef broth and enough water to cover completely with about an inch or two of liquid above the meat. Meme doesn't do this, but I sometimes add a little wine to it. Cover and simmer for as long as you'd like, the longer the better. About an hour before you are going to serve, peel the potatoes chop into pieces along with your veges and add to the simmering beef. Allow to cook for 30-45 minutes. To thicken, make a slurry of cold water and two tablespoons of corn starch, add slowly and stir into the stew until the desired thickness is achieved.