Since I come from the "Fake it til you make it" school of the culinary delight, there is no "wrong way" with my recipes. Potatoes and meat are your base, the veggies can vary according to whatever you have in the house. The amount of beef should be enough to fill 1/2 of the crockpot and veggies the other half, leaving about 3 inches at the top of the pot.
Peel potatoes (no need to peel unless they have thick skins of course). You can cut them in half to make them fit better in the slow-cooker/ crockpot if you like. Scrub carrots and chop into chunks so that they will layer more easily. Smash four cloves of garlic and toss it in. Next layer is the beef. Use the cheapest cut of roast beef you can find. One with a bone is good (they don't splinter and you just pick them out when the stew is done). Toss in a healthy dollop of herbs de provence or simply, some oregano, thyme and basil (or whatever ya want !) Throw in a handful of peas and/or chopped green beans if you'd like. Slice up some red and green peppers for the final layer. Cover the whole mess + 1 inch with water . Place cover on crockpot, turn on low and leave it for 6-9 hours. I usually take the meat (and bones if any) out, then use a hand mixer (you could also use beater style mixers or a food processor) to mash the potatoes, veggies and broth into a lovely mhurg. Then I add the meat and combine with a fork. Happpppy
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