Mushroom and Onion Stew with Ham

Hey all.

Soup, stew, pasta and roast meat are my favorite types of dishes to cook (along with complimentary side dishes).

For diner today I am cooking (in the crockpot) the above named stew.

Ingredients: 8 oz ea Portobella and White mushrooms - coarsely chopped, 1 ea lg red and white onion - coarsely chopped, 4 stalks celery with leaves - chopped fine, 1# smoked, cooked ham - 1/2" cubes, 2 oz crispy bacon - crumbled, 4 T Worcestershire sauce, 3 T olive oil, 2 qt roasted vegetable stock - warmed, 1 c cold water, 4 T corn starch

While preheating the slow cooker (with the warmed stock in it), bring a saute pan to med-high heat, put in the oil and then sweat the onions and celery until just limp, add in the mushrooms and stir until the white onions just barely turn color.  Put this in the stock and stir in the ham, bacon and Worcestershire.  Cook on high 6 hours, let slow simmer on Warm overnight.  Turn up to high and when the temp is up again, mix the corn starch into the cold water and add this to the pot.  Let simmer and then keep warm until dinner time.

Serve with fresh baked bread with honey-butter, a salad of shredded broccoli - red cabbage - carrots with cider vinegar - orange juice - ginger dressing and dry white wine.