INA’S COMPANY POT ROAST aka  My Fancy Pot Roast

Servings: 8

Here I go again, ANOTHER delicous Ina Garten recipe! I was looking for something fancy to serve for a family dinner and while looking through Ina’s collection I found this and well with all the delicious ingredients in this pot roast, I thought “how bad can it be?”   I was not dissapointed! I served it with a Ina’s baked potatoe recipe that will follow! Enjoy!

*Ina calls for the use of a dutchoven, since I do not have one yet I used my handy dandy slow cooker instead! *

INGREDIENTS:

1 [4-5lb] boneless beef chuck roast, tied

4 carrots

2 yellow onions

4 celery stalks

2 leeks

5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 cups red wine

1 [28oz] can whole plum tomatoes

1 cup chicken stock

1 chicken bullion cube

3 branches fresh thyme

2 branches fresh rosemary

1 tbsp. unsalted butter at room temperature

all purpose flour

salt and pepper

olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Rough chop carrots, onions, celery,  and leeks [white and light green parts only].

3.  Pat beef dry with paper towel. Season roast all over with salt + pepper. Dredge the whole roast in flour, including the ends.

4. In a large  pot,  heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add roast and sear each side for about 4 minutes, or until nicely browned. Remove roast to a large plate.

5. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to pot. Add the carrots, onions, celery, leeks and garlic, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned.

6.  Add the wine and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, bouillon cube, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen string and add to the pot.  Put the roast back into the pot, bring to a boil, and cover.

7.  Transfer the roast with all the veggie goodness to a warmed 5 qt. slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or on slow for 8 hours, basically until meat hits 160 degrees.

8.  Remove the roast to a cutting board. Remove the herb bundle and discard.

9. We’re making sauce! Transfer half the sauce and vegetables to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour the puree back into the slow cooker pot, on low heat and return the sauce to a simmer. Place 2 tablespoons flour and the butter in a small bowl and mash them together with a fork. Stir into the sauce and simmer for 2 minutes, stirring until thickened. Taste for seasonings.

10. Remove the strings from the roast, and slice the meat. Serve warm with the sauce spooned over it.

CHILI MAC

Servings: 4

CHILI MAC is an all American one pot hearty meal that will satisfy even the pickiest eater out there! Its hearty enough to serve alone but also pairs well with a big green salad or steamed green beans.

Ingredients:

1lb. ground beef *

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 [14.5oz can] stewed tomatoes

1 1/4 cup canned tomato sauce

3 tbsp canned green chili peppers

3 tsp chili seasoning

2 cups of whole-wheat elbow macaroni*

1 [150z] can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Optional Garnish:

sour cream

sliced scallions

shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a large skillet cook beef, onion, and garlic until meat is brown, about 15 minutes.

2.  Stir in undrained stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili peppers, chili seasoning; bring to a boil.

3. Stir in uncooked macaroni and kidney beans. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 20 minutes.

4. Garnish with sour cream, scallions and cheese!

* This super easy recipe is pretty much just a template that can be modified with what you’ve got in the fridge and pantry. For example you could ground chicken instead of meat and white pasta shells instead of the whole-wheat elbow macaroni. Cooking is not an exact science, roll with what you’ve got and remember to taste as you cook!

SPICED BEEF WITH POTATOES

Servings: 4

I found this delicious crock pot meal while browsing the web for an EZ but hearty weekday meal. 

Ingredients:

1.5 lb beef chuck roast

3 medium yukon or golden potatoes

1 [28oz] can of whole peeled tomatoes

1 large red onion

1/2 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup beef stock 0r water

2 tsp. each cumin, garlic powder and ginger

1/2 tsp. each cinnamon, cayenne and salt

1 [15oz] can garbanzo beans, rinsed

2 cups baby spinach leaves

2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions: 

1. Rough chop potatoes and onion. 

2. Combine cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, garlic powder and salt  in small container.  Rub roast with half of spice mixture. 

3. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Sear roast on all sides for 2-3 minutes on all sides to create a brown crusty exterior.

4.  In a 4-6 quart slow cooker combine beef, potatoes, onion, tomatoes with juices, remaining spice mixture and 1/2 beef stock. Cook covered until the meat is tender, on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.

5. 10 minutes before serving add chickpeas to slow cooker and cook until heated through about 2-3 minutes. Stir in spinach.

6.   Serve over cuscous or rice and ENJOY! 

EZ TACO SALAD

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. quality ground beef

1/2 white onion

3 vine ripe tomatos

2 tbsp. corn oil

2 tsp. minced garlic

salt + pepper

1 [15oz] can of beans [your favorite variety]

4 flour tortillas, burrito size

Seasoning:

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. smoked paprika

Toppings:

1/4 lettuce

1 beef steak tomato

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream

Directions: 

1. Prepare taco shells:

• Preheat oven to 450
• Spray each tortilla with cooking spray [both sides]
• Place tortilla over small oven proof container, as shown -OR- make a ball the size of your fist with aluminum paper and place tortilla over ball
• Cook for 8-10 minutes

2.  Prepare meat as shown  in Ground Beef Tacos recipe

3.  Rinse and drain beans, add to ground beef. Cook for about 5 minutes.  

4.  Chop tomato, slice lettuce and great cheese.

5. Load up your taco salad: place beef at bottom of bowl and  top with lettuce,  cheese, tomato and sour cream! 

SOPES

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2lb beef stew meat*

1/2 onion, minced

2 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 16oz can low sodium pinto beans

2 tsp. chipotle sauce

12 sopes

1 cup lettuce, chopped

Queso Fresco

1.  MEAT:

• Cook stew meat in crock pot [with 1/4 onion, 2 garlic cloves, salt, pepper and 1/3 water] on low for 3 hours
• When done take out of pot let it cool, shred and set aside.

2. BEANS:

• Coat the bottom of a skillet with vegetable oil, once its hot add 1/4 onion cook until translucent and then add 1tsp. garlic
• Add drain beans smash until zmooth, you’ll need to add water or veggetable broth while mashing to keep beans from sticking to pan
• Cook to a paste consistency
• Set aside

3. PREPARE MEAT: 

• Coat the bottom of a skillet with vegetable oil, once its hot add remaining onion cook until translucent and then add 1tsp. garlic
• Add tomato cook until tender, about 5 minutes 
• Add chipotle and shredded meat let it all simmer for 10 minutes
• Keep meat on super low or on stop of hot griddle 

4. SOPES:

• Coat a small skillet with 2 inches corn oil let it heat to 360 degrees F. 
• Place 1 sope into oil and cook each side for 1-2 minutes or until crispy
• Drain oil on paper towel

5. ASSEMBLE: 

• Place sopes on indented side up
• Spread a thin layer of refried beans on bottom
• Add about 2 tbsp. of meat 
• Top with lettuce and crumble queso fresco

6. ENJOY!!!!

* can substitute with pork or chicken