Spiced Beef Stew with Dried Cherries

• 2 teaspoons olive oil or other vegetable oil, divided
• 8 ounces beef bottom-round, trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1 large shallots halved and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon thyme dried
• 1/2 teaspoon sage dried and rubbed
• 1 x salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons flour, all-purpose
• 1 cup beef stock low salt
• 2 1/2 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed
• 1/2 cup cherries, dried or cranberries

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large ovenproof saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add beef and cook until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes.
4. Transfer to a plate.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and shallot to the pan, cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
6. Stir in thyme, sage, salt and pepper; cook for 30 seconds.
7. Return the beef to the pan and sprinkle with flour.
8. Cook, stirring often, until the flour browns, 2 to 4 minutes.
9. Add broth, scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
10. Continue to cook until the liquid bubbles and thickens slightly, 1 to 3 minutes.
11. Stir in squash.
12. Cover the pan and transfer to the oven.
13. Bake for 1 hour.
14. Stir in cherries, cover and continue baking until the meat is tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes more.
15. Serve warm.

olive oil, shallots, thyme, sage, salt, flour, beef stock low salt, butternut squash, cherries

Taken from recipeland.com/recipe/v/spiced-beef-stew-dried-cherries-51904 (may not work)