stayabed stew

One Easy-To-Make Stew

When I saw the recipe card below, I stared at it for a few minutes trying to figure out what Mom had written. After doing a Google search I learned that in fact there was something called “Stay Abed Stew”. Something that has been extended by some to be called “Stay In Bed Stew” as it turns out it’s so easy to make. I prefer the Stayabed name.

I learned that this recipe originated from the “I Hate To Cook Book” written by Peg Bracken in 1960. The book was made for everyone, men and women alike, who want to get from cooking hour to cocktail hour in as little time as possible. I learned a little bit about Peg and she was a copywriter at an ad agency. I would have loved to meet her as I’ve worked with many writers in my days in the ad agency world.

Peg wrote that “Stayabed Stew” could be left to cook by itself and was perfect “for those days when you are en negligee, en bed, with a murder story and a box of bonbons, or possibly a good case of flu”. What’s not to love there?

Despite the slow-cook process, the dish was totally easy to make and very tasty. Thank you, Peg, for showing us that speed and sustenance – above all – are golden.

foodie tips ~

♥ I’m pretty sure I forgot to add the ½ can of water; make sure you do this to give it a little more juice.
♥ My interpretation of this dish involved using cannellini beans, 3 carrots and a russet potato. Delicious.
♥ If you decide to use peas vs. beans I saw an online post where someone said they added the peas during the last 30 minutes of cooking to avoid them being “mushy.” Seems legit.

i. ingredients

1 pound | stew meat
2 | white onions, cut into chunks
2 | carrots, cut into chunks
1 | potato, cut into chunks
1 can | cream of mushroom (or celery) soup
½ can | water
to taste | salt
to taste | fresh cracked black pepper
1 can | beans (or peas), including the juice

ii. what to do

0. Preheat oven to 275°F.

1. Combine everything in a casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid.

2. Cook in oven for 5 hours. No stirring necessary!

Yields: About 5 servings