Italian Countryside Beef Soup for the Crock Pot

• 2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
• 12 ounces new potatoes (the tiny ones are my favorite, halved or quartered if needed)
• 2 medium carrots or 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 medium fennel bulb, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
• 1 cup dry red wine or 1 cup beef broth
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 12 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 -2 cup basil leaves, spinach leaves (or mix them all if you like) or 1 -2 cup torn fresh escarole (or mix them all if you like)

1. Trim fat from meat, cut meat into 2-inch pieces and set aside.
2. In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, combine potatoes, carrots or parsnips, onion, and fennel.
3. Add meat; sprinkle with rosemary.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, wine, tomato paste, tapioca, pepper, and garlic.
5. Pour over mixture in cooker.
6. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.
7. Just before serving, stir in basil.
8. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

chuck roast, potatoes, carrots, onion, fennel bulb, rosemary, beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, tapioca, ground black pepper, garlic, basil

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/italian-countryside-beef-soup-for-the-crock-pot-482501 (may not work)