Beef Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lb. beef stew, cut into cubes
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
flour (enough for dredging meat)
shortening (for browning)
2 chopped onions
2 cans Hunt's tomato special
2 c. boiling water
1 bay leaf
4 stalks celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 green pepper, diced
4 carrots, sliced
6 potatoes, cut into cubes

Preparation

Saute the onions with the celery.
Add salt and pepper to dredging flour.
Brown on all sides in hot shortening.
Mix tomato puree and hot water; pour over meat and onions.
Add bay leaf. Simmer for 1 hour.
Add remaining ingredients; simmer until all ingredients are done, approximately 1 hour, on low heat; stir often.
Remove bay leaf.
The liquid may be a little too thick. If so, add a little more water.
It's supposed to be thicker than soup.