Irish Stew

I'm Irish, so my stew is Irish Stew, right?  Haha....  here is the recipe that our Irish (and Swedish and Danish) family will be having for dinner tonight.

In the morning, layer in order in a crockpot set on high:

2 lb. stew meat of choice.  Lamb is good (we had it that way in England); but for us tonight it's venison.
4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1 large onion, diced
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 C. frozen peas (or fresh if you have them)
1 T. garlic powder
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 C. beef broth, poured over top of all

Simmer on high 4 hours, then turn to low -- it can simmer along on low until dinnertime.  Do not open the cover - you do not want heat and juices to escape.
Right before serving time, it will probably need to be thickened (this will depend largely on the starchiness of the potatoes and how thick you like your stew).  Make a roux with 1/4 C. butter and 3 T. flour (melt butter in a small saucepan, then briskly stir in flour until well-incorporated), remove from heat, whisk in 1/2 C. of stew juices, then return to stew pot and stir well into stew.  Cover and let simmer a few minutes to thicken.
Serve with Irish Soda Bread and good beer. 
This is also good served with steamed cabbage that has been buttered and sprinkled with a pinch of nutmeg.
We're having green frosted cupcakes for dessert -- our one concession to the kitschy-ness of the holiday!