A new crockpot recipe and yumming baking too!

Lamb Stew:

1 large onion, sweet, chopped
2 ½ to 3 ½ tablespoon oil, olive, divided
½ cup flour, all-purpose
2 teaspoons salt
3 pounds lamb stew meat, boneless, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons sugar, divided
3 14-oz can broth, beef
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon thyme, dried
1 tablespoon romsemary, fresh, chopped
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 pounds potatoes, petite Yukon gold, halved
1 package peas, frozen
Cook and stir onion in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until golden. Add to slow cooker.

Mix flour with salt and pepper in large bowl. Dredge lamb in flour mixture. Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add lamb to skillet and cook until browned on all sides. Add 1 tbsp sugar and mix well to coat all of the meat. Cook several minutes until meat is caramelized. Add 1 to 2 tbsps oil as needed.
Add meat to slow cooker.

Add broth to skillet and boil over high heat, scraping the sides and bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits. Add tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary. Stir to combine. Pour over meat in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW 4 hours or HIGH 2 hours.

Add carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook 3 to 4 hours more on LOW or 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on HIGH.

Add peas. Cook 30 minutes more.
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Healthy Pumpkin Banana Muffins:

1 ½ cups flour, all-purpose
2 cups flour, whole wheat
⅔ cup rolled oats
½ cup oat bran
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ginger, ground
1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
3 bananas, ripe, mashed
1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
15 ounces pumpkin, canned
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar, granulated
1 cup sugar, brown, packed
1 cup walnuts, chopped, toasted

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease or line muffin tins with paper liners.
3. Combine flours, bran, oats, baking powder, spices, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
4. Using whisk or spoon, stir until well mixed.
5. Combine remaining ingredients (excepts nuts) in large mixing bowl; beat until smooth.
6. Gradually beat in flour mixture.
7. Beat just until combined.
8. Spoon into prepared pans or tins (fill cups until just about full).
9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the middle of the muffin comes out clean.
10. Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack as soon as they come out of the oven.

* The walnuts are optional - I did half of the muffins without them and half with them. I also decided to add raisins with some of the muffins.