Magic Stew

This is definitely my favorite stew recipe. It definitely pays to double it, and it's nice that you don't have to brown the meat first.

2 lbs. stew beef, cubed
2 onions, sliced or diced
2 stalks celery, cut in chunks
6 carrots, cut in chunks
3 potatoes, cubed
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp minute tapioca
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 cup tomato juice or V8

Place meat in large casserole or medium roaster.  Arrange vegetables on top of meat.  Combine salt, pepper, tapioca and sugar; sprinkle over vegetables.  Drizzle tomato juice over all.  Cover tightly with foil so no steam escapes.  Bake at 250 F for 5 hours or at 300 F for 4 hours.  Don't peek!  Yield: 4 to 7 servings.