Vegetarian Red Posole with Jackfruit (Instant Pot)

 Jackfruit does a great job subbing for pork here.  This is a riff on this posole.

Ingredients: 

Group One:

3 guajillo chilis

4 cloves minced garlic

1 small white onion, diced

1 TB ground cumin

2 TB red chili powder

1 can tomato paste (I had to get creative and use 4 TB of harissa paste once instead, and it was great)

Group Two:

3 cans hominy

2 cans jackfruit (make sure you get young jackfruit canned in water, not ripe or canned in syrup)

2 bay leaves

3 cups broth, 4 cups water

To serve: 

Quartered limes, cilantro, sliced avocado, plain yogurt, greens dressed with lime and olive oil, etc. as you prefer

First, halve and de-seed the chilis, and toast them for a few minutes per side in a dry skillet, until they char a bit.  (You may need to open a window).  Put them aside.

Add olive oil to the skillet, and cook the onion and garlic until onion softens, then add the rest of Group One (cumin, chili powder, tomato paste) and cook together.  

Drain the hominy and jackfruit, then add all Group Two ingredients to the instant pot along with the contents of the skillet AND the charred peppers you set aside.  Cook on high pressure for 17 minutes, use quick release, remove the guajillos and bay leaves, and eat.

Hearty Fava and Kale Soup with Polenta Croutons (Instant Pot)

Ingredients

For Soup:

Group One:

1 small white onion, diced

4 cloves minced garlic

2 TB herbs de provence 

Pinch kosher salt 

Pinch crushed red pepper 

Group Two:

1 lb dried fava beans 

4 cups broth, 4 cups water

Group Three: 

1 bunch of kale, washed and torn

For Croutons:

1 polenta log (the firm kind)

Olive oil, salt

More garlic if you like 

To top:  

Hard white cheese and good olive oil

Arugula dressed with olive oil, salt and lemon juice

Cook the onion and garlic in olive oil in a skillet.  (You can do this in the bottom of the instant pot on "saute," but I've had that cause a "burn" error often enough that I prefer to use a separate pan.)  After about 5 mins when the onion softens, add the herbs de provence, salt, and red pepper flakes.  

Put the Group Two ingredients in the instant pot, then add the contents of the skillet (Group One).  Set to cook at high pressure for 20 minutes.  

Meanwhile, make the croutons:  cut the polenta into cubes, coat skillet in olive oil, heat to medium, throw the cubes in, add salt and garlic or whatever other herbs you like, cook (tossing periodically) until browned.  

When the instant pot is done cooking, use the quick release method and stir in the kale immediately, then use an immersion blender or potato masher to get the consistency you prefer.  Top with the polenta croutons, dressed arugula, a swirl of olive oil, and grated hard white cheese.

Eggplant, Pasta, & Sundried Tomato Pesto

 This yumminess (which I failed to photograph) had three components: 

(1) obviously pasta.  A kind with ridges to hold the pasta.  I made 2 packages. 

(2) Eggplant and white beans: Peel two eggplants and slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds.  Cook on medium high heat in olive oil, minced garlic, salt and some red pepper flakes until the begin to char and soften.  Add a can of drained & rinsed white beans & keep cooking until those begin to fall apart.

(3) The pesto:  Quantities here are admitted guesstimates because I made it as I went along, but blend up the following: 

About 3 medium-large ripe tomatoes 

about 8-10 sundried tomatos and a glug of their oil 

about a cup of walnuts 

about a cup of grated hard white cheese 

about a tsp of minced garlic 

salt, pepper, juice of half a lemon

1/2 a cup or more of additional good olive oil or lemon oil oil

Blend, taste, adjust, then mix in as much chopped parsley and basil as you have around. 

Mix the 3 parts together in a bowl and serve warm.  Summer heaven.

Guest Post: Summertime Salmon Peach Salad

Yet another guest post from our lovely cousin Jessica: 

Summa summa summa time! 

You know those hot summer days where nothing sounds good but a popsicle and all you want to do is lay in front of a fan (no AC in Seattle) and sip a fizzy cocktail? Me too. 

I am a grill 'o' holic in the summer, but the same routine of protein and grilled veggies starts to get me down come August.  Enter in PEACH SEASON!  This salad is the perfect combo of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and greens to make you feel satisfied and full for hours after.  It feels like a cheat meal - but it's not! 

Ingredients: 

Salmon - I used salmon steaks, but you can get whatever is fresh. If Salmon is not fresh, do the same thing with Shrimp or any other seafood

Peaches (can swap any stone fruit - plums, cherries, etc)

Salad greens - 6 cups for two people

Farro or any hearty grain - 1 cup for two people

Mozzarella 

Avocado

Some sort of cream - either mayo or greek yogurt

Brown Sugar - 2 tablespoons

Cumin - 1/4 tablespoon

Chili powder - 1/4 tablespoon (more if you like kick!)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Cherry tomatoes (I like the yellow ones for sweetness) - about 6 per person

Basil

Red onion - 1 tablespoon 

Almond slivers (if desired)

Cook the farro according to instructions. Make a salmon rub from the brown sugar, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Rub the salmon with the mixture and throw it on a hot grill. (about 5 min each side - salmon should blacken with the sugar)

Meanwhile make the dressing: 1/2 an avocado (or whole if you are cooking for more than two people); a small spoonful of mayo or greek yogurt, a squeeze of lemon (more to taste) Salt and pepper

Slice up your peaches and tomatoes

Finely dice some red onion - I don't love a lot, but enough for taste

Dice some basil - about two tablespoons 

In a large bowl, add your salad greens and mix in the dressing - coat really well. add in the basil, and red onion. I also added some almonds, but they weren't necessary

Build your salad: 

Faro - about half a cup

Greens with dressing, onions, and basil mixed in already

Top with salmon, tomatoes, peaches, and mozzarella

Delicious!

Instant Pot Dal Makhani

Here is another delicious instant pot find.  I'm writing the recipe up here so I remember to make it again, but it's straight from The Instant Pot Indian Cookbook by Urvashi Pitre.  The dal here retains its shape and the sauce is wonderfully creamy (probably because it includes, um, cream).

With a salad and Heidi's Instant Pot Chickpea Cauliflower Korma (except I was with non chickpea eaters so we did potato cauliflower):  

Group One: 

1/2 cup whole black urad dal, rinsed

2 bay leaves

1 TB chopped garlic

2 tsp grated fresh ginger

2 1/2 cups water

Group Two: 

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup cream

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp each turmeric, coriander, garam masala

1/4 tsp each cayenne, cumin

Group Three: 

2 tsp ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds 

1 TB tomato paste 

Put Group One in the instant pot and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes, then release naturally (I lost patience and eventually did quick release and it was fine).

While that is cooking, whisk together Group Two in a bowl and set aside.  For Group Three, heat the ghee in a small pan, add the cumin seeds, and when they sputter, stir in the tomato paste until it absorbs the ghee. 

Mix Group Three into Group One, then mix in Group Two as well.  Serve with chopped cilantro and fried garlic.  Yum.  

Instant Pot Split Pea with Spinach, Lemon, and Ethiopian Spices

Tonight I made this soup in the Instant Pot (which, when you're a vegetarian trying to get protein, is a pretty lifesaving legume-cooker).

I subbed split peas for lentils because that's what I had, and served over rice with yogurt on the side. Pressure cooked a little extra (13 mins instead of 10) because of using split peas, although I bet they would have been fine after 10 - they were pretty liquified.  I did find it needed more lemon juice and salt than called for.  It was delicious!

Chicken Soup With Jalapeño and Lime

Years ago, I worked at a shelter for kids who'd crossed the border without an adult.  Not only were the kids from many different countries, the staff were as well. I would have a steaming cup of cafe con leche set in front of me while I worked a night shift, or walk into a staff meeting to find the largest soup pot I'd ever seen perched on the stove top and filled with posole. But there was no day of the week that I looked forward to more than chicken soup day, where inevitably a chicken soup spiced with jalapeño and cumin bubbled on the stove.  I never could pinpoint which country it originated from, and failed to ever get a clear recipe from the several cooks who'd make it.  I searched and searched the internet, to no avail.

A few things were consistent - the chicken legs would be left on the bone, perched in your soup bowl with the meat tenderly falling off.  The rice wouldn't be cooked in the broth, but separately, then passed around for you to add as you please. Sometimes there were large slices of jalapeño nestled amongst the veggies, but there was always a kick to the broth. And besides the bowl of rice, other toppings would be passed around the table as well.  Cilantro, more onion, avocado, more jalapeno - which the teenagers would pass behind me, laughing about how I couldn't handle the heat. Lastly, there was lime or lemon to squeeze over the top of it all, brightening the flavor and bringing the dish over the top.

K helped me recreate the recipe based on the tips I'd been given and the strong memories of the nose and the tongue. It's the kind of soup that feels healing, somehow, and that warms you to your core on a cold winter's day. Below, our best attempt.

3 large carrots
5 stalks celery
2 large yellow onions
2-4 cloves of garlic
2-3 jalapeños
3 to 5 pounds bone-in chicken legs
Cumin
Salt
Pepper
Water or Stock

To top:
Lime/Lemon Wedges
Avocado
Cilantro
Yogurt
Cooked Rice
Radish
Cheese
Tortillas

Chop and peel carrots, celery and onion into large, bite-size pieces. Dice the garlic finely. De-seed and chop jalapeño, taking note of how spicy they appear to be.  Add celery, onion, and carrots to a large pot with a few tablespoons olive oil.  Saute in the bottom of the pot until the onions are translucent. Add the jalapeño and garlic, to taste, and saute a bit more.

Add chicken legs and saute a bit to brown the skin. Cover with roughly 8 cups of water or chicken stock. Bring entire pot to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Skim foam continually as it rises to the top.  Taste occasionally, adding more jalapeño or cumin as personally preferred. Simmer the soup for at least an hour, until the chicken is tender and falling off the bones.

While the soup is simmering, cook rice and prepare toppings.  Set tables with toppings in bowls to be shared around the table.  Serve soup with lime, cilantro rice, and yogurt at the least, in addition to any other desired toppings (other suggestions above).

Christmas Roundup

A roundup of sweets & treats that could warm your home this holiday week. I've been prepping away for all the family to arrive in Arizona for a desert Christmas, so here are some recipes we love that you can use to welcome the ones you love! For more holiday pie recipes, please see Thanksgiving roundups One and Two, which list almost all of our favorite pies.

Holiday Snacks
Orange Chipotle Spiced Pecans: A great Christmas gift, or a snack to be made in advance of carloads of family arriving at your door. 

Cranberry Chutney with Baked Brie:  This recipe was included in a past Thanksgiving roundup, but really belongs in your holiday party or lunch line-up, so I'm cross-posting here. 

Baked Feta: Writing this roundup reminded me that I haven't written up a recent Parady sister discovery: almost all baked cheese is magic, feta included.

Ricotta and Roasted Grape Crostini I pulled some recipes from an impressive party menu Sarah once created, but I'm pretty sure I've had these elsewhere and they were excellent.

Stuffed Dates: Sarah does hers with bleu cheese & marscapone, I've had them with parmesan and drool just thinking about it.

Roasted Tomato and Rosemary White Bean Dip: K made this for a Christmas spread one year, and it's perfect party fare - a lovely warm dip, without being too heavy.

Gin-Marinated Olives

Cookies!

Holiday Cookie Roundup  I shouldn't even need a cookie section, because almost all the cookies you could need can be found in this post here, from a year where Sarah was clearly amped on holiday cheer and let it all out in the form of baking.

Spicy Gingerbread Cookies: The way gingerbread is meant to be: dark, strong, and with a kick.

Nutmeg Maple Butter Cookies: Another place these flavors blend together perfectly is this pie. 

Sweet Potato Biscotti: A guest post by one of our mum's co-librarians!

G-Free Salted Oatmeal Cookies

Grown-Up No-Bake Cookies

Flourless Mexican Chocolate Cookies

Christmas Wreath Cookies Inexplicably, these cookies that I made as a college student in a tiny apartment reign supreme as one of the top five  most popular recipes ever posted on this blog. 

Eggnog Florentines

Pie & Other Desserts

Chocolate-Covered Candied Oranges My favorite stocking gift as a kid were those chocolate oranges that you "whack and unwrap".  Here, a much classier version. 

Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Pie: A recent original Parady pie recipe.

Black-Bottom Citrus Pie: Four & Twenty Blackbirds makes a black-bottom lemon pie that is a dream during citrus season, but I've played with the idea of hearkening to the above-mentioned chocolate oranges by replacing the lemons with oranges here. Let me know if you try it!

The Molasses Pie!: Another cross-post...I know I tell you to make this every Thanksgiving, but you should make it every Christmas, too.  

Egg N' Grogg Pie: Another Four & Twenty Blackbirds creation - all the boozy, creamy goodness of eggnog wrapped up in a pie. 

Whiskey-Soaked Dark Chocolate Cake: Can you think of anything else a dessert needs to contain? I can't. 

For Christmas Morning: Growing up, our family used to be gifted with a homemade potica by an old family friend, and I would always have a slice on Christmas morning. Seeing as how I haven't yet mustered the energy to tackle that kitchen challenge, I'm forever in search of a Christmas breakfast that is both festive and minimal effort the morning-of, lest breakfast stand in the way of present-opening.

Applesauce Sticky Cake with Dates

Stromboli: This is a guest post by my very good friend, whose family is filled with chefs, and who whip this up quickly for their family each year while making hundreds of cinnamon rolls for family and friends. 

Orange, Pistachio and Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Green Chili Souffle K & S made this for a long-ago Christmas morning for which I was not present, so I'm thinking I'll force them to make it again this Christmas, no? 

Gingerbread Dutch Baby: Dutch Babies are SO much easier than pancakes and waffles, and here's a perfect Christmas one!

Dark, Stout Gingerbread

Drinks - the warm and the boozy

Winter Marshmallow Trio: Chai, Peppermint, and Espresso: If you're going to get fancy enough to make your own marshmallows, you might as well go to town on the flavors, too. 

Decadent Hot Chocolate Mix: I often find myself disappointed in hot chocolate, and have searched high and low for a recipe that's foolproof to creating a rich, sturdy mug of hot chocolate without being sickeningly sweet.  Deb, of course, had the answer.  You will never need another hot chocolate recipe again.

Italian Amaretto Cookies and Bourbon Hot Toddys: Our hot toddy recipes on this blog are extensive (here, here and here). In this edition, Kate paired them with some lovely cookies for a Christmas celebration.

Coconut Curry Hot Chocolate: Make your hot chocolate with coconut milk and add curry marshmallows, because we all need a little sweet & spicy for our holidays. 

Gingerbread Latte Make a batch of syrup in advance and you're set for holiday coffee without the drive-through line.

Cranberry Sorbet Fizz

Fairytale of New York: This is described as a "winter-spiced old-fashioned", so I made a batch of the syrup in advance of our whiskey-loving family arriving.  It made my kitchen smell like heaven. 

Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup 2

Our poor blog is beyond neglected, perhaps bordering on forgotten, but one year ago I set a reminder to finish and post a follow-up to last year's Thanksgiving Roundup of recipes, so here we are. Hopefully, I've given you enough time for you to plan or adjust your menu and buy the ingredients for some of the worthy offerings below.

Turkey and Stuffing
Crockpot Turkey and Gravy: A great option if you have a smaller number of people to host this year, or simply don't feel like hauling a full turkey in and out of the oven.

Ancho Turkey: K made an ancho chile turkey in a slow cooker for P their first Thanksgiving away from the desert in Boston.  Email exchanges at the time suggest that this could be accomplished as follows: Season turkey breast with lemon, butter and garlic salt. Cook ancho chiles, garlic and onion together on the stove until browned, transculent, and/or slightly blistered. Blend the mixture into a sauce, and marinate the turkey breast in it overnight.  Cook in a slow cooker, likely 4-5 hours on high. (If this inspires you to find a more exact recipe, please send our way!). You could do the same to a full turkey, and roast it.

Roasted Chestnut Cornbread Stuffing: Last year I hosted Friends-giving in my cozy Boston home, and this was a perfect New England addition to the table.  I replaced the white bread with cornbread, and would do that again.

Southwestern Green Chile Cornbread Stuffing: Cornbread is best with jalapenos, right?  Cornbread stuffing probably is, too.

Vegetables and Sides
Smoky Scalloped Sweet Potatoes: K made these scalloped sweet potatoes last year, and added smoked paprika along with the thyme to make them smoky, spicy and creamy.  She doesn't remember exactly how much paprika, but she strongly suggests you do the same.

String Beans with Ginger and Garlic: Another addition from K's table last year, when her goal was a straightforward, but hearty Thanksgiving meal.  These fit the bill as a simple but flavorful side.

Mary's Cranberry Orange Relish: P's mother Mary makes this relish every year, so it's become a staple for us as well.  It's bright with flavor, and great for those who aren't fans of the usual homemade cranberry sauce.

Bejeweled Rice: If you have vegetarians on the guest list, this dish is a good staple to have on your table - with the opportunity for a stunning presentation as well.

Cabernet Cranberry and Blueberry Sauce: A genius friend of mine once had a booze-themed Thanksgiving (yes, I agree, I need to hear more about her menu, too), and says this recipe was one of the best of the year.  

Leftovers
Mom's Turkey Pot Pie: If you were over-zealous about your pie crust making, as we often are, transforming your leftovers into a portable desk lunch is going to be a breeze.

Thanksgiving Leftovers Stuffing Waffles: Our brilliant cousin guest posted these on our blog last year, they've become a tradition in her household.  They also involve a cheese sauce made with your leftover gravy.

Mashed Potato Waffles: Another Thanksgiving carb turned into waffles, this time by Joy the Baker.  Last Thanksgiving, I accidentally made 5 pounds of mashed potatoes for just 4 people, so this recipe came in handy when I had brunch the following weekend.

Turkey Enchiladas: K's idea for when she had some additional family come visit a few days after Thanksgiving. Dip some tortillas into a mole sauce. Place tortillas in a 9x13 pan, fill with shredded turkey and queso fresco.  Wrap tortilla, continue until pan is filled. Top with  more mole sauce and cheese, bake at 350 degrees until bubbling (just 10-15 minutes).  Could also be done with an enchilada red sauce, instead of mole.

Classic Turkey Soup: When Kate posted this years ago, she said to bookmark it for your Thanksgiving leftovers now...so I'm just helping you along.  

Turkey, Kale, Date Salad: After making this salad (subbed with kale, as mentioned in my last Thanksgiving roundup!) and having plenty leftover, my genius friend Sarah suggested we throw some leftover turkey in it for a healthy and fast reset meal.  It was the perfect post-Thanksgiving work lunch!

Turkey and Stuffing Dumpling Soup:  Another turkey soup, yes, but this one turns the stuffing into dumplings!  Using multiple leftovers in one dish is ideal.

Pie, Pie, Pie
New England Cranberry Walnut Pie: K made this last year when her table started to transform from Southwestern to New England. Consider it a good sign that it's a menu contender again for this year, as we have a lot of pies that we love.

Hatch Chile Apple Pie with Cheddar Crust: The perfect Southwestern pie twist from the New York Times.  The spice level will depend on the heat of your chiles, but serving it a la mode allows the vanilla ice cream to mellow the kick.  You can use canned green chiles if you're a desert person adrift in an Eastern city. (But I'm sorry, it's really so much better with real hatch chiles).

Salty Honey Pie: This February, a friend and I took a pilgrimage to the Four and Twenty Blackbirds shop in New York City for our birthdays.  There, this pie changed my life.  Make this pie, and use good honey.  (Perfect for a Thanksgiving table with someone who has a nut allergy, but also as a compliment to almost any other pie).

Pumpkin Cream Pie: For when you need the easiest pie you can imagine, in order to attend to other parts of the meal.

Pear, Fig and Hazelnut Crumb Pie: Figs are a highly underrated fall fruit, and I've been looking for a way to put them between pie crust.  This may be just the ticket. Although, it sounds like it has many steps, so perhaps I'll just crumble some hazelnuts on top of this one.

Cardamom Custard Apple Pie: I have a deep love of cardamom, which is a lovely and unexpected winter spice.  This pie suspends apples in a sour cream custard laced with cardamom.  I've used pears and even peaches in place of the apples, and each was dreamy. Bonus points: the custard makes your top crust bake perfectly flat, making it easy to make a very attractive pie to impress your guests.

Cranberry Pie with Pecan Crumble: Yes, this is another cranberry + nut pie, but this one is my personal favorite.  It has a tart, pure layer of cranberry buried underneath all the pecan crumble your heart desires.

Drinks
Apple Hot Toddy: Sarah's husband, Chris made these as a Thanksgiving cocktail years ago, so I'm reviving them here. They include muddled baked apples and I'm definitely requesting these from him this year when our family gathers in Boston.

Cranberry Margarita: Did I offer you enough opportunities to put a Southwest spin on your Thanksgiving, yet?.

Cranberry Sorbet Champagne Fizz:  Easy, and easy on the eyes.

Mom's Crockpot Turkey and Gravy

This was a staple of wintertime in our childhood home, so it feels a little wild that it's not posted on the blog yet.  I'm sure I've texted Mum for the recipe many, many times over the years. Without further ado, the perfect thing to come home to on a cold winter day...creamy, warms-you-to-your-bones turkey and gravy. All of the Thanksgiving comfort, with much less of the fuss.

Turkey Breast (Easily found at Thanksgiving, these look like a mini turkey when wrapped up in the produce section. We use the boneless, skinless turkey breast. Buy a couple if you have the freezer space)
1 to 2 boxes of chicken or turkey broth
Sage
Pepper
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1/3 cup to 1/2 cup Cornstarch
Cold milk

Heat broth in crockpot until hot - enough broth + water to cover the turkey breast.  Once hot, add the turkey breast, and sage and pepper (as desired).  Add the cream of mushroom soup now, or later if you like. Cook on high for four to five hours, until meat is cooked through and easily shredded. Cooking for longer won't hurt, if you need, and once the meat is cooked through you turn to low heat. Once cooked, put cornstarch in a mug or bowl. Stir cold milk into cornstarch. Heat in microwave until thickened, stir well. This mixture is a roux, stir the roux into the broth in the crockpot until thickened into gravy as desired.  Shred meat, serve meat and gravy over rice or mashed potatoes.

Food considerations:  Could be gluten free, so long as you use gf broth and soup.

Vermicelli Bowl

Except with no vermicelli (just rice) and many many items from my fridge allowed to join the party:

- At base of the bowl are some black kale, snow peas and firm tofu slices cooked in the skillet with soy and peanut oil (the only hot item)
- Then cold leftover rice on top
- Then vermicelli sauce (lime juice, mirin, and fish sauce with finely chopped scallions)
- Then toppings!  Avocado, radishes, sprouts, mint, cilantro, leftover baked sweet potato, peanuts, fried garlic, these chickpeas, and the best part....... quick pickled watermelon!

Mom's Turkey Pot Pie

This is not only a Thanksgiving leftovers option, it's a meal I'm dreaming of as the air turns to winter here in New England.  Mom's pot pie is the ultimate comfort food, the kind of meal you look forward to all day while out and about during the cold.  I texted her for the recipe tonight, just in case you are swimming in turkey like I am.

*Portions are somewhat guesstimates, as this is cobbled together from several texts from our dear Mum.  Use your best judgement.

2 cups shredded leftover turkey
3 cups chopped veggies (celery, onion, carrot, potatoes, peas, green beans, corn, etc. Mom does carrots, peas, corn, and chunks of potato.)
Cornstarch
2/3 milk
3/4 cup chicken broth
Sage
Thyme
Salt
Pepper
2 unbaked pie crusts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll one pie crust on to pie plate. Cook veggies in broth til tender but not soft.  Add the sage, thyme and pepper.  Make a roux with the milk and a spoonful or so of cornstarch (in a separate cup, stir until smooth).  Add the roux to the veggies and broth, stirring constantly until incorporated.  Add shredded turkey.  Add filling to prepared pie crust, lay second crust over the top and crimp edges shut. Slit the top crust for ventilation. Bake until crust is browned to a nice golden color, and is crisp when you knock gently on it with a utensil.

Guest Post: Weekly Meal Plan by Cousin Jessica, Wednesday & Thursday

Wednesday – “Finally together as a family” – Crockpot Pot Roast with carrots and potatoes

When Dexter heads to our house for his time with us, I try to have hearty, healthy kid friendly meals that can be ready quickly. Josh and I both have a long commute home and using the crockpot allows us to spend more time playing with legos vs cooking in the kitchen.

This recipe is a mix between what my mom told me, what my grandma suggested, and what I’ve found works for a long day in the crockpot. 

Ingredients:

·       A large roast – any kind – I’ve been using tri tip and it’s wonderful

·       1 can cream of mushroom soup (Amy’s organic is wonderful)

·       1 package Lipton onion soup

·       1 can roasted tomatoes – whole or diced, with liquid

·       6-10 red potatoes (washed) depending on your family size

·       6 – 10 pealed whole carrots

·       1 onion – cut into chunks

How to build:

·       Potatoes on the bottom of your crock pot, followed by carrots

·       Place roast on top

·       Lipton soup – sprinkle throughout

·       Cream of mushroom – on top

·       Can of roasted tomatoes

·       Stuff the onion chunks into any nooks and crannies

·       Set crock pot for 8 hours on low

Tips for a busy family:

·       Build the night before and place in the fridge

·       Freeze your roast, let it thaw a bit in the crock pot overnight – adjust cooking time to 10 -12 hours depending on how long you are out of the house during the day

·       Buy a crockpot with a timer and a warmer – this way you can set for 8 hours and keep on “warm” until you get home

Serve:

·       The roast will be very tender, use tools to remove from the crock pot and place on a cutting board to slice

·       Scoop out potatoes and carrots and some onions if you desire

·       I don’t love gravy, so I don’t make it . . . but you can use the juices to make a gravy if you like! Strain, add a roux and I’m sure it’s delicious!

·       We eat ours with sour cream and BBQ sauce because we love sauces J

Thursday: “It’s time for leftovers” – Eat up!

Suggestions for serving:

·       Grain bowl:

o   Use leftover veggies, add some cheese and stuff in a tortilla for a hearty burrito

o   Add another egg and eat up just like before!

·       Stuffing:

o   Serve up with some cheese and crackers

o   Add an egg and eat up!

·       Pot Roast:

o   Pot roast heats up great as is – throw in the microwave and serve

o   Pull roast apart, add some bbq sauce, heat up and make sandwiches

o   Potatoes – these potatoes make great potato pancakes! Smash them up, add some onions and spices, and fry! You can also smash in the carrots for some extra flavor. Serve with sour cream and apple sauce

·       Mix and match!

o   Mix any combo of the above together, add some scrambled eggs and bacon – makes great hash!