There are literally hundreds of ways of making hundreds of different kinds of stews. It was chilly this morning, and I threw this together out of what I had for my sick papa and I. Something rich and full of spices to warm you up for the cold days still to come. <3

For the broth:

-1 small can chicken broth or 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
-1/3 cup cold filtered water
-2 tablespoons heavy cream or buttermilk
-1/3 cup tomato juice or clamato
-1/4 cup white cooking wine
-4 tablespoons orange or apple juice [I prefer orange]
-1 tablespoon real butter, melted
-3 tablespoons dijon mustard
-3 cloves finely chopped or *crushed garlic
-1 teaspoon curry powder, more to taste if desired
-1/4 heaping teaspoon ground ginger
-1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper [or more to taste, if you like a little heat like me ;D]
-1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper
-1/8 teaspoon crushed oregano
-1/8 teaspoon crushed rosemary
-1/8 teaspoon dried ground sage
-Cornstarch
-Salt to taste

The contents:

-1 lbs. diced small stew meat [for beef, use boneless chuck. I use elk or moose, but if you don't hunt or have family that hunts, that's not always obtainable. The choice is up to you what to use. ^^]
-2 large diced russet potatoes--with peels [Fiber+vitamins~!]
-2 to 3 large sliced peeled carrots
-1/2 cup diced white onion
-1/4 cup chopped walnuts
-1/4 cup frozen or fresh green beans, cut into small pieces
-1/2 cup yellow corn [preferably fresh off the cob]

Stir all the wet ingredients together in a medium saucepan except butter, and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer. Add the garlic, mustard, and remaining spices, and stir well. Simmer covered on low heat for about five minutes. Add few small spoonfulls of cornstarch in until the mixture reaches the consistency of thin gravy, and let it simmer for another ten minutes, stirring occasionally. The more cornstarch, the thicker your broth, but be careful not to add too much as this will dull the flavours. Add salt to taste, and now start working on your meat and vegetables.

Place your diced meat in the bottom of a cooking pot[I use a crock pot, less hazard and clean up]. Be sure to rinse and scrub your vegetables very well before adding them, you don't want dirt stew. Add onion, then potatoes, carrots, corn, walnuts, and beans. Pour your broth in over all of this, and cover. You'll want to simmer this on low heat or in a crock pot on medium to low, depending on how yours works, for at least six hours. IF you can, stir it once or twice in between. I love to use my crock pot because I can come home from work or school, and dinner will be ready right away! :0 No hassle, minus clean up. xP Served best with warm or cold apple cider, and a few slices of homemade bread. <3

If you have excess broth, save it for baked potatoes. It's great by itself when you're sick, and it will keep covered for about a week.

Enjoy!~