Crockpot Chili Stew

I actually shared this recipe last year, but it is SO good that I figured I may as well share it again, for those of you who missed it. This one really is the perfect dish going into fall and winter... hearty, warm, flavorful, and delicious. Definitely a favorite around here, and freezable, too! Matthew and I always argue over whether it's chili or stew. Finally, we just started calling it chili stew. I'll never make chili any other way again. Hope you try it!

Yields: 6-8 servings

You’ll need:
2 1/2-3 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes (I trim off excess fat)
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
4 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 dried bay leaves
1 1/2 cups beef-flavored broth
1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup green bell pepper (I leave these out since I don’t like them)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles

Garnish with:
Freshly grated cheese
Sour cream
Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions 
1. In a large resealable food-storage plastic bag, place half of the beef and 1 tablespoon of the flour; seal bag and shake to coat. Repeat with remaining beef and flour. In 4-quart Dutch oven or other large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef in oil until brown on all sides; drain, if desired.
2. Transfer meat to crockpot and stir in remaining chili ingredients except cornmeal, beans, and chiles. Cook on low about 6-8 hours or on high about 3-4 hours (it’s done when the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender!).
3. Stir in cornmeal; cook and stir about 1 minute to thicken. Add beans and chiles; cook until thoroughly heated. Remove bay leaves. Serve chili with garnishes and biscuits or cornbread. Enjoy!