Beef Stew

I've been making this since college.  It still works and we still like it.  I think the original was from a book called "Where's Mom Now That I Need Her?"  I've changed it a little, but not much.

Ingredients:

1/2 c flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb stew meat, cubed small

2 T oil

1/4 cup Italian dressing

6 cups water

1 chopped onion

1 bay leaf

6 potatoes, washed and cubed (skin if you like, I leave them on)

2 cups carrots, sliced

Directions:

In a paper sack, combine flour, salt and  pepper.  Add stew meat and shake to coat each piece.  Heat oil in a large pot.   Remove meat from sack, reserving remaining flour, and add to heated oil.  Brown meat.  When beef is almost done, add the Italian dressing (secret ingredient here!).  Add water, onion and bay leaf.  Cover and cook over low heat until meat is tender.  (This can be 2 hours if you have the time or 30 minutes on higher heat if you didn't plan ahead - like me.)  Add potatoes and carrots and bring back to a boil.  Cook until tender, about 20-30 minutes.  Thicken with reserved flour stirred into a tiny bit of cold water.  Add extra salt and pepper if desired.