Little Man's Stew

Makes 8 servings

I like to cook this stew on top of the stove—it makes the house smell wonderful. I serve it over kibble. Freeze it in ice cube trays for up to 3 months so that you have single servings that you can pop out of the freezer and reheat. The stew can be refrigerated for 1 week. If you are not feeding your dog kibble, you can serve this stew alone.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound beef, duck, lamb, chicken, or turkey, cubed
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup uncooked pasta, any shape (I like to use vegetable pasta)
1/2 cup dry lentils
1 cup chopped green beans
1 cup corn
1 cup peas
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
8 to 10 cups vegetable, beef, or chicken broth (depending on desired consistency)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, or 2 2/3 tablespoons parsley flakes
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal mixed with
2 tablespoons cold water

1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown well on all sides.

2. Add the remaining ingredients except for the cornmeal mixture. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for up to 2/4 hours. Depending on what type of meat you've chosen, it may be ready in as little as VA hours—just check that the meat is cooked through and the sweet potatoes and pasta are soft.

3. To thicken the stew, stir in the cornmeal mixture and bring it back up to a boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and serve.