Beef Stew with Mushrooms

I had such high hopes for this recipe. It had so much going for it: beef, mushrooms, noodles, the stamp of The Pioneer Woman.... I was definitely disappointed in the end though (although not as disappointed as Hubby who asked if I would "never make that again".) When tasting the stew as it was simmering away I noticed that it was a bit bland, so I attempted to add a few things to try and boost the flavor (namely Worcestershire Sauce which tends to be my cure-all...) In the end I was moderately satisfied and down-right starving so I gave up. The meal was a bit bland, but that's nothing too far out of my comfort zone; however, it was so bland that Hubby would not touch it after the first few bites (the fact that I made him have peas as his vegetable probably didn't help matters at all!) I'm sure this could be improved upon by a better cook than I, and since I have been forbidden to give this one another shot, perhaps someone else will be able to make this a winner.

Beef Stew with Mushrooms
Serves 8

Ingredients
2 pounds Beef Stew Meat (sirloin Cut Into Cubes)
2 Tablespoons Flour
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 whole Shallots, Minced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
8 ounces, weight Cremini Or White Button Mushrooms
½ cups Red Wine
½ cans Beef Consomme
Salt And Pepper, to taste
Pasta - Cooked And Drained
2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
2 Tablespoons Flour

Preparation Instructions

Sprinkle flour over meat. Toss to coat.

Melt butter with olive oil in heavy pot. Sear meat over high heat in batches; remove to a plate when brown.

Add shallots and garlic to pan (without cleaning); saute for 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and consomme (and add an extra half can of water at this time as well.) Then add salt and pepper to taste, and stir. Bring to a boil, then add back into the mix the browned meat. Reduce heat to low. Add thyme sprigs to pot.

Cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. After that time, mix 2 tablespoons flour with a little water and pour into the stew. Allow to cook and thicken for ten more minutes. Turn off heat and allow stew to sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.