Spicy Beef and Potatoes

In my never-ending search for crockpot recipes I came across this on about.com. Most of my crockpot recipes are for chicken, so I was eager to give this beef one a try. I was a little nervous about the bbq sauce/salsa combination, but the flavors worked. It's not the prettiest dish, but was a decent, hearty fall meal.

Spicy Beef and Potatoes

2 lb. stew beef
1/2 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (14 1/2 oz.) can of Italian stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup red wine
1 to 2 pounds potatoes, cut in large chunks
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp each of oregano, cumin and chili powder
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
1/4 c. salsa
2 c. frozen corn
l tsp. salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Tb. flour or cornstarch mixed with a little cold water, optional

PREPARATION:
Combine salt, pepper, and flour; toss with beef and brown beef in 1 Tbsp. of oil in skillet. When browned on all sides, remove from pan and set aside. (I didn't bother browning the beef before putting it in the crockpot and it turned out fine.) Place potatoes in the bottom of the slow cooker. Combine all ingredients except corn and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours, or HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, Add corn during the last hour (I put the corn in for the entire time and it was fine). If it is too thin, thicken with cornstarch and water mixture.