Beef Stew

500gm beef cubed (no bones more meat if you desire) 
3 medium-large potatoes cubed 
2 carrots peeled and sliced 
1 large onion diced into small pieces 
cauliflower (optional) 
broccoli (optional) 
peas (optional) 
1 packet of French onion soup (you don't have to add all if you find it to salty) 
1 - 1 1/2 cups of water 
Salt and pepper to taste 

Method: 

Seal meat in a fry pan (but don't cook through). Put all meat and vegetables in slow cooker. Add French onion soup mix and pour water over (water should not cover everything) give a good mix. Cook on high (slow cooker temp) for 2 hours then turn to low for 3 hours. Check taste and thickness if it is to runny you can add a bit of cornflour (mixed in water) to thicken up sauce (or if you can get beef packet gravy powder that works good to). 

Dumplings ingredients: 

1 cup of self-raising flower 
salt and pepper 
1 tablespoon of butter 
approx 1/2 cup of milk 

method: 

sift flower, salt and pepper into bowl. Rub in butter. Using a knife mix in milk slowly till it is glugy (can't explain that bit well) Spoon mixture in big dolops on top of stew, replace slow cooker lid and cook for approx another 1/2 hour when it looses the wet look it is cooked. (Also do not open lid whilst dumplings are cooking because they will not rise and be yucky)