Baked Stew with Root Vegetables

**This recipe was found in a Taste of Home magazine. Submitted to the magazine by Barb Templin of Norwood, MN.**

Prep Time: 35 minutes Bake Time: 2 1/2 hours
Yeild: 8 servings (3 quarts)

1 cup flour, divided
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
2 garlic cloves
5 cups beef broth
1 bay leaf
3 celery ribs
3 medium carrots
3 medium parsnips, peeled
1 small rutabaga, peeled

***Family Chef's changes: I added a little more beef, two extra carrots, and an extra parsnip. I did not add the bay leaf (since I was out of them) or the rutabaga.

In a resealable bag, combine 3/4 cup flour, salt and pepper. Add beef, a few pieces at a time; shake to coat. In an ovenproof Dutch oven, brown beef in oil in batches. Remove and keep warm.
In the same pan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in garlic and remaining flour until blended. Gradually add in broth; stir in bay leaf and beef. Bring to a boil.
Cover and bake at 350* for 1 hour.
Cut vegetables into 1-inch pieces; stir into stew. Cover and bake for 1-1/2 hours longer (or until beef is tender). Skim fat and discard bay leaf.

I love beef stew, so I was excited to try a stew that baked in the oven, rather than simmered on the stove or in a crock pot. My family is a "meat and veggies" type of group, so I always tend to add a little more of both of those to any stew I make. I have to admit, I didn't even know what a parsnip looked like before making this recipe. I didn't add the rutabaga, mostly because I thought trying one new veggie at a time would be less shocking for my sometimes picky kids. They didn't pay much attention to the parsnips, however, and mostly focused on the beef and carrots. My husband and I both loved this recipe and I'll definitely make it again. So hearty and delicious! The meat just fell apart when I tried to cut it and the veggies were perfectly tender.

Family Chef's Grade: A