Place the onions, carrots and green peppers in a 5-quart slow cooker. Sprinkle the meat with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. In a large skillet, brown the meat in oil in batches. Transfer it to the slow cooker. Test Kitchen Tip: Common olive oil works better for cooking at high heat than virgin or extra-virgin oil. These higher grades have an ideal flavor for cold foods, but they will start to smoke at lower temperatures.

Add the broth to the skillet, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the pan. Combine the flour, paprika, tomato paste, caraway seeds, garlic, sugar and remaining salt and pepper. Stir the spice mixture into the skillet, and bring it to a boil. Cook and stir for two minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Pour the sauce over the meat in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for seven to nine hours, or until the meat is tender. Editor’s Tip: The mixture may look very thick, but don’t worry! The vegetables and the meat will give off moisture as they slow-cook.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions. When finished, drain the noodles. Test Kitchen Tip: To keep the pasta from sticking together when cooking, use a large pot with plenty of water. Add a little cooking oil if desired (this also prevents boiling over).

Stir the sour cream into the slow cooker. Serve the goulash with the cooked noodles. Editor’s Tip: If the stew is too thick for your liking, stir in water or additional beef broth until the goulash reaches the desired consistency.