Is it a soup? Is it a stew? Is it chili? Whatever you want to call it, we call this Shipwreck Stew absolutely delicious. The dish combines the typical flavors of a Tex-Mex chili bowl thinned out with a little extra tomato soup to make the stew extra luscious and flavorful. Plus, this dish is mostly prepared in your slow cooker, which means you can make it in the morning for a hot meal at night.

The recipe below uses familiar chili ingredients like ground beef, potatoes and kidney beans while also adding a wider range of vegetables like celery, onions and white button mushrooms. It's a creative way to hide the veggies for tricky eaters, with the result that kids and adults of all ages love this stew! Remember to keep the sizes of your vegetables consistent to ensure even cooking time.

Shipwreck stew
Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 7 hrs
Total Time: 7 hrs, 15 mins

Ingredients
1 pound 80/20 ground beef
3 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced ½-inch thick
1 white onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained
1 cup sliced white button mushrooms
2 21-ounce cans condensed tomato soup
1 packet taco seasoning
1½ cups water
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese for garnish

Directions
1. In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until fully cooked.

Drain meat and add to the slow cooker.

2. Add all other dry remaining ingredients, except cheddar cheese garnish, to the slow cooker. Mix together until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

Then add tomato soup and water.

Mix well.

3. Cover slow cooker and turn on low power for 7 hours. Do not open or stir the stew while it's cooking. After 7 hours, remove the lid and carefully taste and adjust seasonings. Allow to cook an additional hour if needed.

4. Serve the stew directly from the slow cooker using a ladle. Serve hot in individual bowls, garnished with a portion of shredded cheddar cheese and any of your other favorite chili toppings.

Pro-tip: Save on the sodium by omitting the taco seasoning and adding spices like cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder.

Pro-tip: Like it spicy? Add a few slices of fresh jalapeño pepper to the crockpot at the beginning of cooking for a little extra heat.

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