Preparation

• In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, Italian seasoning, pepper, egg, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce and whole milk until fully combined.
• Form golf ball-sized meatballs—about 2 tablespoons each—and place them on a plate, about 24 total.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottom stock pot over medium high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides, but don’t worry about cooking them through—they’ll finish cooking in the stew later.
• Deglaze the pan with a few tablespoons of beef stock if necessary. Add the remaining tablespoon olive oil along with the onions, celery and carrots. Cook until vegetables are beginning to soften, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.
• Add in the tomato paste and thyme, stirring to combine. Add the meatballs back to the pot along with the beef stock and the beef bouillon. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.
• Add in potatoes and green beans, cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the meatballs register 160°F on an instant read thermometer.
• In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water together until smooth. Add the cornstarch slurry to the stew broth and stir over low heat until stew has thickened, about 5-7 more minutes.
• Serve the stew sprinkled with parsley with some good crusty bread or buttered egg noodles.