Beef And Squash Stew

• 1.5 lbs cubed stewing beef (half Costco pkg)
• 2.5 cups beef broth
• 3 cups tomato puree
• 1 cup dry white beans
• 1 white onion, diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 dried ancho chili chopped
• 2 cups cubed roasted butternut squash
• 1.5 teaspoon salt

1. Salt the beef and sprinkle with herbs de Provence. Let sit for a few hrs. Dredge beef cubes in flour and brown in heavy pan with oil.
2. After all beef has been well browned, placed beef in slow cooker. Add some beef stock to frying pan, scraping up all brown bits. Add stock to slow cooker.
3. Add remaining stock, tomato puree, and all other ingredients except squash. Ensure ingredients are covered by liquid. Turn slow cooker on low and cook for several hours until beef is pulling apart and stock is reduced. After 3 hrs I turned the slow cooker onto the "warm" setting and then left it for another 18 hrs (not necessar, I just didn't feel like chilling it and reheating it again).
4. About 30 minutes before serving I added the squash and turned up the heat.
5. I served the stew over buckwheat and it was delicious.

stewing beef, beef broth, tomato puruee, white beans, white onion, bay leaves, cloves, garlic, butternut squash, salt

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/beef-and-squash-stew-52797801 (may not work)