Beef-Wine Stew

Salt and pepper, to taste
2 pounds stew meat or small chuck roast, cut up
2 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 onions, chopped, 1 quartered
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can beef bouillon
1 1/2 cup red wine or sherry
1 bay leaf
1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch slices
4 to 6 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Salt and pepper meat; then slowly brown in bacon drippings on top of stove. Add chopped onions and minced garlic; let brown. Pour bouillon over meat, scraping sides and bottom to get browned bits. Transfer meat and gravy to a Dutch oven or casserole. Ad wine, bay leaf and quartered onion. Put in 350?F oven and bake, covered, for 45 minutes.

Add carrots and potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and baste with gravy. Continue to cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until vegetables and meat are tender. If gravy is too thin, thicken with flour and water paste. Remove bay leaf.

Yields 4 to 6 servings.