Aunt Maryann's Chicken and Rice

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and enjoyed your time with your families!  I had a great Christmas and unfortunately have ended it with a cold.  I wanted some comfort food and this one has always been like a warm hug on a cold day. Aunt Maryann has been making her chicken and rice for as long as I can remember.  It's famous in our family! It's not the Spanish chicken and rice that probably comes to mind.  This is another one of those red sauce dishes that my family loves.  It's also one of those dishes that is great the next day (just don't heat it in the microwave, it makes chicken taste funny) and I even love it room temperature.  Add peas to it if you'd like to add some color or maybe some chopped parsley for a little pop.  Aunt Maryann doesn't do that but she said it would  be acceptable.   You can use the entire chicken for this recipe but I've been removing the back and the wings and freezing it for stock.  There isn't too much meat there and it will serve me better when I make soup. The only additions I made were adding about 1 tsp Italian seasoning and 2 frozen basil cubes because I like to see the specks of color throughout the dish and I use a whole onion.    Here is Aunt Maryann's recipe as she gave it to me. 

Aunt Maryann’s Chicken and Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 – 16 oz. can Delmonte tomato sauce

1 can water

1 whole chicken cut up and cleaned

½ medium size onion

2 cloves of garlic chopped

2 cups white rice

4 cups warm water

2 tbsp. parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a Dutch Oven heat oil and brown chicken.  Remove chicken and set aside.

Lower flame and Saute onion and garlic until translucent.

Add s, and one can of water (from the delmonte sauce) and stir.  Add cheese salt and pepper, stir well. When sauce reaches a simmer return chicken to the pan and make sure it is covered with the sauce, cover with lid.  Let the sauce cook for ½ hour. 

Add 4 cups of water to sauce and let it come to a boil.  Add ½ tsp of salt or to taste.  Add white rice, stir frequently.  Let cook until all liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked approximately 30 minutes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Aunt Maryann's Chicken and Rice

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and enjoyed your time with your families!  I had a great Christmas and unfortunately have ended it with a cold.  I wanted some comfort food and this one has always been like a warm hug on a cold day. Aunt Maryann has been making her chicken and rice for as long as I can remember.  It's famous in our family! It's not the Spanish chicken and rice that probably comes to mind.  This is another one of those red sauce dishes that my family loves.  It's also one of those dishes that is great the next day (just don't heat it in the microwave, it makes chicken taste funny) and I even love it room temperature.  Add peas to it if you'd like to add some color or maybe some chopped parsley for a little pop.  Aunt Maryann doesn't do that but she said it would  be acceptable.   You can use the entire chicken for this recipe but I've been removing the back and the wings and freezing it for stock.  There isn't too much meat there and it will serve me better when I make soup. The only additions I made were adding about 1 tsp Italian seasoning and 2 frozen basil cubes because I like to see the specks of color throughout the dish and I use a whole onion.    Here is Aunt Maryann's recipe as she gave it to me. 

Aunt Maryann’s Chicken and Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 – 16 oz. can Delmonte tomato sauce

1 can water

1 whole chicken cut up and cleaned

½ medium size onion

2 cloves of garlic chopped

2 cups white rice

4 cups warm water

2 tbsp. parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

In a Dutch Oven heat oil and brown chicken.  Remove chicken and set aside.

Lower flame and Saute onion and garlic until translucent.

Add s, and one can of water (from the delmonte sauce) and stir.  Add cheese salt and pepper, stir well. When sauce reaches a simmer return chicken to the pan and make sure it is covered with the sauce, cover with lid.  Let the sauce cook for ½ hour. 

Add 4 cups of water to sauce and let it come to a boil.  Add ½ tsp of salt or to taste.  Add white rice, stir frequently.  Let cook until all liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked approximately 30 minutes.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.

Rachael Ray's Chili Mac

It was another cold day here in New Jersey and I needed something to warm me up. I had a pound of ground sirloin defrosting in the fridge but wasn't sure what I wanted to make with it. I didn't want to make soup because I have photos of Escarole and Mini Meatball soup that I still haven't blogged about. After some internet searching I found a recipe from Rachael Ray for Chili Mac. There was only one ingredient that I didn't have which was Jalapeño peppers. That didn't stop me because I knew I had chipoltle hot sauce in the fridge and that would provide enough heat that this chili needed.

This recipe makes a lot (8 servings) so I have halved it so I would have enough for me and Steve and some leftovers for lunch. I have more than enough for lunch so I will be sharing that with my coworkers (taste testers!). I'm very happy with the way it came out. I wish I had some Mexican cheese to add to my dish but I didn't so I did sprinkle a little Romano. I know, I know, it's not an Italian dish but I was desperate. It's hard for me to eat any pasta without cheese!

Besides using only one pound of meat and half pound of pasta these are the changes and additions that I made. Did not use the Jalapeños but used 1/2 red bell pepper (because I had it) and a few shakes of chipolte sauce. I didn't use another hot sauce like Rachael uses but did add some smoked paprika, additional chili powder and adobo seasoning. Season this however you would normally season your chili. I don't measure the seasonings I just taste and adjust. I used two cans of diced tomatoes and broke them up with my wooden spoon as they cooked. With the amount of meat and pasta I had adding crushed tomatoes would make this dish too saucy for me. I wish I had scallions for garnish but I just finished my scallions a couple of days ago.

Here is the recipe in it's original form which could be found on the Food Network Website.


Ingredients:

1 pound corkscrew shaped pasta with lines or elbows with lines
2 pounds ground sirloin
2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan in a slow stream) extra-virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seed and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 palm fuls) dark chili powder
2 tablespoons (1 palm ful) cumin
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce
Coarse salt
1 cup beer or beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Chopped scallions, for garnish
Directions
In a large pot, boil pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, in a big, deep pot, brown beef in oil over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, and garlic. Season meat mixture with chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Cook together 5 minutes, stir in beer or broth, and reduce liquid by half, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain pasta. Add hot pasta to chili pot and stir to coat pasta evenly. Remove from heat and garnish big bowlfuls of chili mac with chopped scallions.

Rachael Ray's Chili Mac

It was another cold day here in New Jersey and I needed something to warm me up. I had a pound of ground sirloin defrosting in the fridge but wasn't sure what I wanted to make with it. I didn't want to make soup because I have photos of Escarole and Mini Meatball soup that I still haven't blogged about. After some internet searching I found a recipe from Rachael Ray for Chili Mac. There was only one ingredient that I didn't have which was Jalapeño peppers. That didn't stop me because I knew I had chipoltle hot sauce in the fridge and that would provide enough heat that this chili needed.

This recipe makes a lot (8 servings) so I have halved it so I would have enough for me and Steve and some leftovers for lunch. I have more than enough for lunch so I will be sharing that with my coworkers (taste testers!). I'm very happy with the way it came out. I wish I had some Mexican cheese to add to my dish but I didn't so I did sprinkle a little Romano. I know, I know, it's not an Italian dish but I was desperate. It's hard for me to eat any pasta without cheese!

Besides using only one pound of meat and half pound of pasta these are the changes and additions that I made. Did not use the Jalapeños but used 1/2 red bell pepper (because I had it) and a few shakes of chipolte sauce. I didn't use another hot sauce like Rachael uses but did add some smoked paprika, additional chili powder and adobo seasoning. Season this however you would normally season your chili. I don't measure the seasonings I just taste and adjust. I used two cans of diced tomatoes and broke them up with my wooden spoon as they cooked. With the amount of meat and pasta I had adding crushed tomatoes would make this dish too saucy for me. I wish I had scallions for garnish but I just finished my scallions a couple of days ago.

Here is the recipe in it's original form which could be found on the Food Network Website.


Ingredients:

1 pound corkscrew shaped pasta with lines or elbows with lines
2 pounds ground sirloin
2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan in a slow stream) extra-virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seed and chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 palm fuls) dark chili powder
2 tablespoons (1 palm ful) cumin
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce
Coarse salt
1 cup beer or beef broth
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
Chopped scallions, for garnish
Directions
In a large pot, boil pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, in a big, deep pot, brown beef in oil over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, and garlic. Season meat mixture with chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Cook together 5 minutes, stir in beer or broth, and reduce liquid by half, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain pasta. Add hot pasta to chili pot and stir to coat pasta evenly. Remove from heat and garnish big bowlfuls of chili mac with chopped scallions.

Rigatoni with Flank Steak and Mushrooms

Here is another Giada De Laurentiis recipe from her cookbook, Everyday Italian. The first time I made this recipe I didn't make any changes besides the type of steak I used (I used London Broil) and it was fabulous! I really loved it. I wanted to make this again but I also wanted to use ingredients I had in the fridge already. That meant no arugula but it was still a very tasty dish. I think that this recipe can be used as a guide and all different things can be substituted. I sauteed some cremini mushrooms, added some kalamata olives and used flank steak instead of a strip steak. You could add some sliced red onion, some sort of beans such as chick peas or cannelini beans, maybe some broccoli or green beans. There really is no right or wrong way to make this. Just use what you like and what you have. I haven't changed up the dressing at all but I'm sure you could add some other flavors if you want. Just be careful not to add all the dressing before you taste it. It makes a lot and if you use it all it could overpower everything.

Penne with Beef and Arugula
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula

Directions:

Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Toss, pack for the picnic, or serve.

Rigatoni with Flank Steak and Mushrooms

Here is another Giada De Laurentiis recipe from her cookbook, Everyday Italian. The first time I made this recipe I didn't make any changes besides the type of steak I used (I used London Broil) and it was fabulous! I really loved it. I wanted to make this again but I also wanted to use ingredients I had in the fridge already. That meant no arugula but it was still a very tasty dish. I think that this recipe can be used as a guide and all different things can be substituted. I sauteed some cremini mushrooms, added some kalamata olives and used flank steak instead of a strip steak. You could add some sliced red onion, some sort of beans such as chick peas or cannelini beans, maybe some broccoli or green beans. There really is no right or wrong way to make this. Just use what you like and what you have. I haven't changed up the dressing at all but I'm sure you could add some other flavors if you want. Just be careful not to add all the dressing before you taste it. It makes a lot and if you use it all it could overpower everything.

Penne with Beef and Arugula
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 (1-pound) New York strip steak
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons
1 pound penne pasta
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for steak and pasta water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for steak
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 cups chopped arugula

Directions:

Season the steak with salt and freshly ground black pepper, herbs de Provence, and minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Cook steak about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat from pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, fresh herbs, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a large bowl toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Add the arugula and steak, more dressing, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed. Toss, pack for the picnic, or serve.

Tortellini in Artichoke Sauce

I am not a fan of using creamed soups in recipes. My mom and Nanny never cooked that way but when Steve told me that this is his favorite dish I decided to give it a shot. His mom found the recipe in a magazine years ago and it wasn't her cooking style either but I'm glad she was brave enough to try it out! I've been making this dish for a couple of years now and it has become one of my favorites. I lighten it up by using 98% fat free soup and a little more chicken broth. I don't usually measure the broth just add it until it's the consistency I like. Since this is one of Steve's favs I actually buy two packages of tortellini (he eats one on his own!) but still use the same amount of sauce. I also add more prosciutto because we love it and it adds a lot of flavor to this very simple dish.

I hope you love this as much as we do. We all need a dish that doesn't take a lot of time to put together but still has big flavor and this is just that!



Here is the original recipe. Follow it as it is written, use my changes or make your own. Either way it will be fabulous!


Tortellini in Artichoke Sauce


Ingredients

2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ tsp. dried crushed Basil leaves
2 tbs. Olive Oil
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) condensed Cream of Celery Soup
½ cup chicken broth
1 can Artichoke hearts, drained
3 – 4 slices prosciutto, cut in strips
¼ cup sliced Black Olives
4 cups cooked tortellini


In saucepan, cook garlic and basil in oil a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients except tortellini. Heat through stirring occasionally. Toss with tortellini.

Makes 3 ½ cups.


Happy New Year to my readers...old friends AND new, and to your families! Thank you to my parents, my sister and my brother for always reading my posts and being supportive of this new project! Thank you all for giving me a reason to keep posting! Thank you to my Nanny, Emilia, for inspiring me to start this blog. May she Reast in Peace.

Be safe! Have fun! Talk to you in 2009!!!

Tortellini in Artichoke Sauce

I am not a fan of using creamed soups in recipes. My mom and Nanny never cooked that way but when Steve told me that this is his favorite dish I decided to give it a shot. His mom found the recipe in a magazine years ago and it wasn't her cooking style either but I'm glad she was brave enough to try it out! I've been making this dish for a couple of years now and it has become one of my favorites. I lighten it up by using 98% fat free soup and a little more chicken broth. I don't usually measure the broth just add it until it's the consistency I like. Since this is one of Steve's favs I actually buy two packages of tortellini (he eats one on his own!) but still use the same amount of sauce. I also add more prosciutto because we love it and it adds a lot of flavor to this very simple dish.

I hope you love this as much as we do. We all need a dish that doesn't take a lot of time to put together but still has big flavor and this is just that!



Here is the original recipe. Follow it as it is written, use my changes or make your own. Either way it will be fabulous!


Tortellini in Artichoke Sauce


Ingredients

2 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ tsp. dried crushed Basil leaves
2 tbs. Olive Oil
1 can (10 ¾ oz.) condensed Cream of Celery Soup
½ cup chicken broth
1 can Artichoke hearts, drained
3 – 4 slices prosciutto, cut in strips
¼ cup sliced Black Olives
4 cups cooked tortellini


In saucepan, cook garlic and basil in oil a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients except tortellini. Heat through stirring occasionally. Toss with tortellini.

Makes 3 ½ cups.


Happy New Year to my readers...old friends AND new, and to your families! Thank you to my parents, my sister and my brother for always reading my posts and being supportive of this new project! Thank you all for giving me a reason to keep posting! Thank you to my Nanny, Emilia, for inspiring me to start this blog. May she Reast in Peace.

Be safe! Have fun! Talk to you in 2009!!!

So Good You'll Burn Your Tongue Chili

Yes, it really was that good. I burned my mouth and tongue in several places while eating this chili. I just couldn't wait for it to cool off! So consider this a warning!!!

This was the very first chili recipe I ever made and I am sticking with it. There has been no need for me to try any others. Don't be put off by the amount of beans, it really is very tasty. However, you can substitute the beans for whatever you like or leave out the ones you don't like. This time I used what I had in the pantry, dark kidney beans and pinto beans. This dish is very hearty but can also be very lean. Substitute the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken and you have a very high protein low fat chili. Of course, watch out for those toppings! Choose low fat sour cream and reduced fat cheese to keep this healthy.

This recipe was created by Food Network Chef, Ellie Krieger and can be found on their website www.foodtv.com. I followed the recipe exactly but added extra cumin because I can never get enough of that smoky flavor. I didn't plan on making chili so I didn't have any sour cream in the house so instead I topped the chili with shredded cheddar and crushed tortilla chips. I think I like the added crunch better than the sour cream. If you are doing this the low fat way you should skip the chips.

Three Bean and Beef Chili

Copyright 2005, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 pound extra-lean ground beef (90 percent lean)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ground beef; raise the heat to high and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

So Good You'll Burn Your Tongue Chili

Yes, it really was that good. I burned my mouth and tongue in several places while eating this chili. I just couldn't wait for it to cool off! So consider this a warning!!!

This was the very first chili recipe I ever made and I am sticking with it. There has been no need for me to try any others. Don't be put off by the amount of beans, it really is very tasty. However, you can substitute the beans for whatever you like or leave out the ones you don't like. This time I used what I had in the pantry, dark kidney beans and pinto beans. This dish is very hearty but can also be very lean. Substitute the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken and you have a very high protein low fat chili. Of course, watch out for those toppings! Choose low fat sour cream and reduced fat cheese to keep this healthy.

This recipe was created by Food Network Chef, Ellie Krieger and can be found on their website www.foodtv.com. I followed the recipe exactly but added extra cumin because I can never get enough of that smoky flavor. I didn't plan on making chili so I didn't have any sour cream in the house so instead I topped the chili with shredded cheddar and crushed tortilla chips. I think I like the added crunch better than the sour cream. If you are doing this the low fat way you should skip the chips.

Three Bean and Beef Chili

Copyright 2005, Ellie Krieger, All rights reserved.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
2 carrots, diced (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 pound extra-lean ground beef (90 percent lean)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from the can of chipotles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Heat the oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and carrots, cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ground beef; raise the heat to high and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until the meat is no longer pink. Stir in the tomatoes, water, chipotle and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Cook, partially covered, stirring from time to time, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans and continue cooking, partially covered, 20 minutes longer. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I am a pot roast virgin. I've never made it before and it isn't something my mother made often but I have eaten it and I've wanted to make it for a long time. I decided that this fall I'm going to try to use my slow cooker more often. It's so nice to come home from work to a kitchen that smells like I've been there cooking all day without having to do any watching or stirring. So this morning I prepared my crock pot for some pot roast. In hindsight, I can laugh at what I must have looked like rushing to get dinner started and get dressed and ready for work at the same time. It resulted in a cut finger and the smoke alarm blaring which means I'll need to do some preparing the night before the next time I make this. I may have rushed around but when I came home I was nice and relaxed and ready to enjoy my dinner. I have only one complaint and it's not with the recipe but just something that comes with using a slow cooker....I could not make the gravy in the crock. I took all the meat out and the potatoes, added my thickeners (tried three different methods) and it just did not thicken up to a gravy like consistency. I took out the juice and added it to a small pot and put the heat up, within minutes I had a delicious thick gravy (Dad, you would approve!) I assume that the crock pot does not get hot enough for the liquid to boil and that's why it didn't thicken. If anyone has any tips for this I would love to hear them!

I found the recipe just by searching for healthy slow cooker pot roast recipes. This recipe was found at about.com I searched for healthy recipes because most of the ones I found contained canned gravy or condensed soup. Although I'm sure those would taste equally delicious it's just not what I was going for.

Give this recipe a try, it's definitely a keeper in our house!

Crock Pot Pot Roast Dinner

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1-1/2 lb. boneless beef top round, cut into 6 pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
16 oz. pkg. baby carrots
14 oz. can ready to serve beef broth
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Preparation:

Combine flour, salt, pepper, and thyme in small bowl and coat beef with this mixture. Cook beef pieces in olive oil in a nonstick skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side to brown. Set aside.

Combine potatoes, carrots and onion in 3-4 quart slow cooker. Place meat on vegetables. Pour beef broth and Worcestershire sauce over meat. Cover crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours until beef is tender.

Remove meat and vegetables from crock pot and place on serving platter. Cover with foil to keep warm and place in slow oven.

Combine rest of broth and the cornstarch in a small bowl and mix well with wire whisk. Add to liquid in crock pot, turn to high and cook for 10-15 minutes until gravy is thickened.

Serve with beef and vegetables. 6 servings

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I am a pot roast virgin. I've never made it before and it isn't something my mother made often but I have eaten it and I've wanted to make it for a long time. I decided that this fall I'm going to try to use my slow cooker more often. It's so nice to come home from work to a kitchen that smells like I've been there cooking all day without having to do any watching or stirring. So this morning I prepared my crock pot for some pot roast. In hindsight, I can laugh at what I must have looked like rushing to get dinner started and get dressed and ready for work at the same time. It resulted in a cut finger and the smoke alarm blaring which means I'll need to do some preparing the night before the next time I make this. I may have rushed around but when I came home I was nice and relaxed and ready to enjoy my dinner. I have only one complaint and it's not with the recipe but just something that comes with using a slow cooker....I could not make the gravy in the crock. I took all the meat out and the potatoes, added my thickeners (tried three different methods) and it just did not thicken up to a gravy like consistency. I took out the juice and added it to a small pot and put the heat up, within minutes I had a delicious thick gravy (Dad, you would approve!) I assume that the crock pot does not get hot enough for the liquid to boil and that's why it didn't thicken. If anyone has any tips for this I would love to hear them!

I found the recipe just by searching for healthy slow cooker pot roast recipes. This recipe was found at about.com I searched for healthy recipes because most of the ones I found contained canned gravy or condensed soup. Although I'm sure those would taste equally delicious it's just not what I was going for.

Give this recipe a try, it's definitely a keeper in our house!

Crock Pot Pot Roast Dinner

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1-1/2 lb. boneless beef top round, cut into 6 pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
16 oz. pkg. baby carrots
14 oz. can ready to serve beef broth
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. cornstarch

Preparation:

Combine flour, salt, pepper, and thyme in small bowl and coat beef with this mixture. Cook beef pieces in olive oil in a nonstick skillet for 2-3 minutes on each side to brown. Set aside.

Combine potatoes, carrots and onion in 3-4 quart slow cooker. Place meat on vegetables. Pour beef broth and Worcestershire sauce over meat. Cover crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours until beef is tender.

Remove meat and vegetables from crock pot and place on serving platter. Cover with foil to keep warm and place in slow oven.

Combine rest of broth and the cornstarch in a small bowl and mix well with wire whisk. Add to liquid in crock pot, turn to high and cook for 10-15 minutes until gravy is thickened.

Serve with beef and vegetables. 6 servings