Green Chili Stew

After many requests from Ryan for me to attempt my mom's Green Chili Stew recipe, I finally succumbed to the pressure. Not that I didn't want to, but having never tried the dish, not only did I have no basis of comparison but, I was sure it would not live up to the hype. I called my mom and got the Kathy-version of the recipe which is very similar to mine (highly estimated quantities, if even that). When I get recipes from my mom I get agitated that she just cannot tell me how much of something she used, but then I realize just who I learned to cook from as I hear that same agitation from my friends when I try to explain what I made. Over time I learned to accept that its good not because you followed the recipe, but because you tried something slightly and/or highly original. When it results in success, it is that much more rewarding. However, I digress, back to the recipe. I made some modifications from the original recipe that are quite minor based on ingredients that I did or did not have. This is quite spicy, so if you aren't up for that, leave out the jalapenos.

KATHY'S GREEN CHILI STEW (with some Evan modifications)
2 lb. beef cubes for stew
2 tsp. crushed or minced garlic
Pepper to taste
1 can low fat/low sodium beef broth
1 big can green enchilada sauce
3 small cans diced green chilis
1 small can diced jalapenos
2 cans pinto beans
4 red potatoes, cut in bite size pieces
Brown the beef with a little olive oil (or Pam), garlic, and pepper. Put browned beef with all the following ingredients in a slow cooker. Set slow cooker on low for about 8 hours. *If you want the soup thicker and/or greener, use less or none of the beef broth. Use any salt very sparingly as the other ingredients are quite salty.