Heart of Italy Skillet Stew

I am developing some new stew and soup recipes for the Diner News in October. This one is especially delish. It features artichoke hearts in a chunky Italian stew.  I took some, packed in a canning jar, to school today. Not so elegant eaten out of a jar, but the taste was a way beyond the standard PBJ!

This will be featured in the News, but if you don't want to wait, you can make it sooner. You can make it in a Dutch oven of course, but if you are in a hurry, it can be made in a skillet just as easily.

 Heart of Italy Skillet Stew

1 1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 onion, diced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 can Hunts Diced Tomatoes with Fennel and Red Pepper (or regular diced tomatoes)

1 can medium artichoke hearts, cut in half

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

Brown ground beef with onion. Drain fat. To the skillet, add the zucchini slices. Let them cook for about 5 minutes. Cut the artichoke hearts into halves or fourths. Add the diced tomatoes, artichoke hearts and seasonings to the skillet. Let simmer for ten minutes or longer.

 Yes, it really is that easy. Easier than Hamburger Helper. If speed is important to you, t is worth a hunt for the Hunts. The fennel flavor really does come through.Unfortunately, Hunts does add some sugar, so the carb count is about 10 carbs more for the entire dish. If want to keep carbs  lower,  then add some crushed fennel seeds to plain diced tomatoes. I hate trying to crush the seeds, so I love this brand. I am not sure how much of a red pepper flavor is in there, so it is probably fine to leave that out for the lowest carb count. 

This stew is great when you need to throw a dinner together in a hurry. A little sprinkle of Romano cheese doesn't hurt either.

If you have a favorite fall soup, stew or one pot meal, please feel free to send it to me for the Diner News. I love recipes from fellow Diners!