Citrus Beef Stew

This is a stew I made recently that I really liked. The citrus and butternut squash add a nice twist to the traditional beef stew. I made a few minor changes (used russets cut into 1 inch cubes instead of new potatoes and 1 tablespoon dried parsley instead of fresh) I think you could tweak it any way you'd like and it will still be good! The recipe is in "The New Creative Crock-Pot Slow Cooker Cookbook" Maybe they could have been a little more creative with the cookbook name - but it does have some good recipes!

Give this a try and let me know what you think!

1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 cup non-fat beef stock
1/4 cup fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup orange juice
3 strips orange zest
1 1/2 lbs stew meet
1 cup butternut squash, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 cup new potatoes, quartered
1 cup green beans, trimmed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 bay leaf

In a large skillet, saute the onion, carrot and celery until tender. Place in slow cooker. In a small bowl whisk the tomato paste into beef stock. Add to vegetables. Add the remaining ingredients to the stoneware. Cover, cook on low 8-10 hours (high 4-5 hours). Makes 6 servings.