Ingredients

　　2 pounds beef stew meat

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　Pinch of pepper

　　1/3 cup all-purpose flour

　　2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

　　1 large onion, quartered

　　1 cup apple juice

　　2 medium unpeeled cooking apples, sliced

　　3 carrots, cut into long, narrow strips

　　1 cup diced celery

　　1 bay leaf

　　1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

　　Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, then dredge it in the flour. Heat the shortening in a heavy skillet. Add the meat and cook until browned on all sides. Add the onion. Pour in the apple juice and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender. Place the apples, carrots, and celery in a casserole, then pour the stew into the casserole. Add the bay leaf and oregano and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Serve the stew over mashed potatoes or rice.

　　The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen. © 2001 by Paula H. Deen. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Paula H. Deen was born and raised in Albany, Georgia. She later moved to Savannah, where she and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, started the Bag Lady catering company. The business took off and evolved into The Lady & Sons Restaurant, which is located in Savannah’s historic district and specializes in Southern cooking. Paula is the host of Food Network’s Paula’s Home Cooking and is a regular guest on QVC, where her cookbooks are one of the newtowrk’s biggest sellers.