Beef Pot Roast

 Beef
Aug 132011
 

This recipe can be prepared and allowed to cook overnight or prepared in the morning and allowed to cook during the day while you are at work.  Either way, it’s a feast only leaves the side items to be prepared before dinner is ready to place on the table.  Mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans or peas all come to mind as easy to prepare (from frozen) side items, all of which were on sale last week!

Beef Pot Roast Servings: 6-8
Preparation: 15 minutes
  Cooking: 6-7 hours in a slow cooker
 
Ingredients
4-5 lbs beef chuck roast 1 rib of celery, chopped
1 garlic clove, cut in half 1 small onion, sliced
Salt to taste ¾ c sour cream
Pepper to taste 3 T flour
1 carrot, chopped ½ c dry white wine
Instructions
Rub roast with garlic.  Season with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker.
Add carrots, celery, and onion.
Combine sour cream, flour, and wine.
Pour into slow cooker.
Cover.
Cook on low 6-7 hours.

Braised Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomatoes

 Eggplant, Zucchini
Jul 092011
 

Yesterday I started harvesting some of the herbs from my garden and it’s about time for the zucchini and tomatoes to start coming in.  Here’s a recipe that freezes well and tastes great to add to your collection!  You may recognize it as ratatouille.

Braised Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomatoes Servings: 4
 
Ingredients
1 small eggplant (about 1 lb), unpeeled, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 large ripe tomato, peeled, cored and chopped
1 T lemon juice 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil 1 T tomato paste
1 medium-sized yellow onion, sliced thick ½ t each dried thyme, basil and marjoram, crumbled
1 medium-sized zucchini (about ½ lb), sliced ½ inch thick 1 large bay leaf
1/3 c dry white wine or water 1/8 t black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a colander, toss the eggplant with the lemon juice and let drain for 15 minutes; pat dry on paper towels.
In a MERT Stainless Steel 4.8 Quart Casserole, heat the olive oil over moderate heat for 1 minute, add the onion and cook, uncovered, until soft (about 5 minutes).
Add the eggplant and zucchini and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and cook uncovered, for 1 minute.
Mix in the tomato, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, basil, marjoram, bay leaf, and pepper.  Cover and bring to a gentle simmer (about 2 minutes).
Transfer the MERT Stainless Steel 4.8 Quart Casserole to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Remove the bay leaf and serve.