I know this is much later than usual for me to post. This morning was a little crazy. And by crazy I mean it was really cold out so I dragged my feet about going grocery shopping (I go at 6 AM usually, because my grocery store is the hottest place to be on a Saturday). And then I finally went and came back, and The Renaissance Man wanted breakfast tacos, so I made some, and then Pinterest got its hooks into me and now we’re here.

See what I mean? Crazy.

But, I’m here now, and I have a wonderful recipe to share today. Pot Roast. I know a lot of ways to make pot roast. And all of them make me say “eh.” Some recipes have you put the potatoes in with the roast. This leads to mealy, tasteless potatoes. Some recipes have you sear the outside of the roast. I find this a wasted step.

This roast, however, is a meat masterpiece. And it’s done in the crock pot, which is always a plus.

The sauce is a winey conglomeration of flavors that make me want to rip the lid off of the crock pot when I get home and dive face first into it. But that would scald me, so I haven’t ever done it. The meat is tender, and you can add whatever veggies you want to it.

If it’s as cold where you are as it is here (it’s 40 degrees; I’m a wimp) then today would be a great day to try this.

Crock Pot Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 3-4 Lb. beef roast (I used chuck, but really any roast will do)
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can of golden mushroom soup
• 1 packet onion soup mix (or onion gravy; it’s all the same)
• 1 1/4 C. red wine
• assorted root vegetables (I used carrots and leeks; onions work well too)

Step 1: Empty both cans of condensed soup, the packet of soup mix, and the red wine into the crock pot and stir together.

Please, please, please use at least one can of golden mushroom soup for this (you can replace the cream of mushroom with more golden mushroom). I have made this pot roast with only cream of mushroom before, and I can tell you that the golden mushroom soup takes the flavor from “pretty good” to “oh, man, I can’t stop eating  this.”

Step 2: Add the roast, submerging as much of it in the sauce as you can.

Step 3: Chop up the vegetables you’re putting into the pot. Leave them in sizable chunks to they don’t fall apart during the long cooking time.

I always use carrots, and usually use onions too, but I had a giant leek on hand, so I replaced the onion with it this time. I can tell you that I will probably make the switch permanent. The leek was amazing. I’d also bet that parsnips would be a good addition.

Step 4: Add the chopped veggies to the pot.

Step 5: Cover the crock pot and set it to LOW for 9 hours. Go to work. Come home and faint in the doorway because your house smells so good.

Those last two are optional but encouraged.

Serve this with mashed potatoes. Or what we call “Amy potatoes”, pictured above. My friend Amy makes these thin-sliced potatoes on camping trips, but we make them at home, they’re so good. I’ll give you the recipe some time; it’s easy.

I hope everyone gets a chance to curl up under a blanket with a mug of something hot this weekend.

The Wife