Slow Cooker Goulash

As my kiddos get older, my afternoons are getting busier and it's time to learn more about my slow cooker.  Right now I have 5 slow cooker recipes:  barbecue pulled pork, taco pulled pork, pot roast, calico beans,  and Italian beef.  I have one slow cooker cookbook, but it has so many recipes that it can be overwhelming (there are pages and pages of pot roast recipes). I borrowed a slow cooker cookbook from a friend a few months ago and finally had a chance to really look through it the other day.  I came across this recipe while I was meal planning and noticed that she'd tried it and written that it was "very good."  I trust her judgement, so I decided to try the recipe.  When I went to the store, lamb stew meat was cheaper than beef, so I bought the lamb.  It was my first time cooking or eating lamb.  It tasted a lot like beef.  My son didn't know the difference.  He still thinks I was joking when I said it was lamb. I used Hungarian half-sharp paprika in this recipe and it was pretty spicy.  My son had to dip his meat and carrots in quite a bit of sour cream.  If you don't like things too spicy, consider using sweet paprika or a mix of the Hungarian and sweet.

Slow Cooker Goulash
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

1 pound stew meat (beef or lamb)
4 medium carrots, sliced into 1 inch pieces
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef broth
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon caraway seed
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
3 cups cooked egg noodles
Sour cream

1) Combine meat, carrots, onions, and garlic in slow cooker.
2) In a medium bowl, combine beef broth, tomato paste, paprika, lemon zest, salt, caraway seed, black pepper, and bay leaf. Stir into vegetable and meat mixture.
3) Cover and cook on low 8 hours (4 hours if you have a newer slow cooker that overcooks things).
4) 30 minutes before you eat, add the red pepper.  Turn heat to high.
5) Serve over warm egg noodles. Top with sour cream.