Slow Cooked Beef Stew

1 onion, chopped
4-5 large potatoes, peeled and diced
4 carrots, sliced (I almost always use about 1/2 lb whole baby carrots)
3 ribs celery, sliced
2 lbs stew meat (I used 2 top sirloin steaks and cut them into bite-size pieces)
2 Tbs sugar
2 tsp salt
2 Tbs instant tapioca (you can grind it in a coffee grinder or with a mortar and pestle for a smoother texture)
1/2 tsp pepper
3 cups vegetable juice (I use low-sodium V-8)

Place onion in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the remaining vegetables and stew meat. Combine sugar, salt, tapioca and pepper. Sprinkle over meat and veggies. Pour in vegetable juice. Stir gently taking care to leave onion layer on the bottom so they'll cook better. Cook on LOW 8-10 hours.

(I have pictures of this recipe but I'm unable to locate my camera...dang kids!)