Something Savory: Mom's Pot Roast

Oh man, the house smelled so good when this was cooking. I think I found excuses to leave the house just so the smell would be that much more intense when I got back. Even if it was only going as far as the mailbox.

Chase and I had a roast in our freezer for at least a month or two before I finally called my mom for her recipe. I had bought the roast on sale, but never got around to cooking it and eventually forgot about it. Mostly because Chase and I only get in the freezer if there's ice cream in there, and we've been trying to be good about not buying ice cream. Probably because it's winter.

Anyway, I rediscovered the frozen roast and decided that a big ol' pot roast would hit the spot. And it did.

And then two days later I used the leftovers to make an Oven Stew that also hit the spot (and will hit the blogspot later this week).

My mom never put fresh onion into her pot roast, and this time I didn't either, but Chase noted that some thick-sliced mild yellow onions would add a great extra texture to the mix. So that's included in the recipe below, and will likely be part of our roasts in the future.

I'm going to put a caveat on the serving size: A roast should serve about 3 people per pound. However, if you want to be sure to have enough leftovers for the Oven Stew recipe (coming this Thursday), make a roast that's about three-quarters of a pound larger than what you need for the initial serving. Chase and I made a two-pound roast, which gave us enough for 4 servings plus leftovers for the stew.

Happy slow cooking!

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Mom's Pot Roast

Ingredients

2 lb beef roast

5-6 medium potatoes

1 lb thick baby carrots; or 2 cups carrots, cut into large chunks

1 cup thick-sliced yellow onion or pearl onions (optional)

1 packet dry onion soup mix

1 ½ cups water

Directions

1. Peel and half potatoes, and trim excess fat from roast.

2. Place the potatoes at the bottom of a large crock pot, the carrots and onions on top of the potatoes, and roast on top of the vegetables.

3. Pour the water into the crock pot over the vegetables.

4.

Pour the packed of the onion soup mix directly on top of the beef roast.

5. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours for a two-pound roast (increase to 10-12 for a three- or four-pound roast).

6. Carve the roast, and serve the roast, potatoes and carrots topped with the extra liquid in the pot.

Vegetable layer.

Our two-pound roast.

Topped with oniony goodness.

Slow-roasted and ready for eating.

Happy cooking!

Something New: Dad's Five-Bean Chili

First new recipe of the year!

My dad concocted this recipe sometime when I was a kid, combining lots of beans for flavor and taking the chocolate idea from the Skyline chili he ate in Cincinnati back in his residency days. It all comes full circle back to Ohio!

Then, while Chase and I were in Oklahoma over Christmas break, we made this recipe for his Mema & Pa and family. I hope this becomes a tradition: last Christmas, Chase and I made soup for his family, too! Food is a happy gift to give.

(To the Bolligs: Sorry it took a couple weeks to get the recipe up!)

This recipe can also be done in a slow cooker. Cook sausage in a large skillet, throw everything into a crock pot, and cook all day on low. Easy as that.

Happy cooking to all!

ps- The recipe for the bread pictured can be found here.

pps- Because this is a bean-heavy chili, it's easily vegetarian. Just skip the pork!

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Dad's Five-Bean Chili

Ingredients

1 lb country-style ground pork sausage

2 32-oz cans diced tomatoes

1 can black beans (16 oz for all beans)

1 can kidney beans

1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

1 can white northern beans

1 can chili beans

1 Tbsp chicken bouillon crystals, or 2 bouillon cubes

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp chili powder

1-2 tsp dried onion flakes

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp garlic powder

2 squares Dove dark chocolate

Shredded cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot, cook sausage through.

2. Add tomatoes, beans and all liquid in cans (Do not drain!) to the pot.

3. Mix in spices.

4. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook uncovered at a simmer for 2 to 3 hours, until thick.

5. Serve topped with shredded cheese.

It took two pots to feed the Bolligs!

The secret weapon: chocolate!

Happy cooking!

Something New: Old Fashioned Bean Soup

Since it's been snowing for a straight week now in Columbus, I knew that this week's new recipe had to be soup. Mostly because I wanted to make soup. This recipe was the first to fall into my hands when I was flipping through the cookbooks, and while I had to wait 20 hours between starting time and eating time, it was worth it. Nothing was complicated. That's just the nature of soaking beans and running the crock pot.

My grandma made this for all the cousins when she'd have us over for game days. We could smell the soup cooking all day as we played cards (caddy!), and then near dinner time our parents would come over so they could eat soup too.

So this chilly week, stay in and eat soup!

Happy cooking!

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Old Fashioned Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 lb dry navy beans

1 meaty ham bone (I used a 1.5 lb bone-in ham shank)

1 cup chopped onion

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 quarts (8 cups) water

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight according to package directions.

2. The next morning, drain and discard the soaking water (not the same thing as the 2 quarts water).

3. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover.

4. Cook on high for about 8 hours.

5. Remove ham from cooker and debone. Shred the ham or cut to bite-sized pieces.

6. Stir the ham back into the soup. Serve.

Beans in a pot for their overnight soak.

Yes, this will turn into soup.

Ham off the bone (it fell off itself), waiting for shredding.

Delicious pile of slow-cooked shredded ham.

Happy cooking!

Something Old: Hearty Lentil Soup

Now that the turkey dust has settled, it's time for something quite different but just as savory. This is a recipe my mom made every winter, and one Chase and I have adopted into our rep.

My favorite memory of this recipe was when Chase and I drove into Duncan to visit his Mema and Pa, and we made this soup for them. They loved it, and I'm pretty sure it was all gone by the next day.

Oh, and there's a crock pot version for slow cooker fans!

Happy cooking!

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Hearty Lentil Soup September 26, 2010

Ingredients

6 slices bacon

1 pound (1 package) little smokies

1 cup dried lentils

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes

¼ cup diced onions

1 cup chopped carrots

¼ cup chopped celery (optional)

1 bay leaf

⅛ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp pepper

Directions (Stove top)

1. Wash lentils, removing any that are shriveled

2. Put lentils in a pot with 3 cups of water. Add onion, celery, carrots, garlic, pepper and bay leaf. Bring the whole thing to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and simmer covered for an hour. Stir every 15 minutes or so, adding more water as needed to keep the lentils covered.

4. Meanwhile, cook the bacon and cut into small pieces. Cut the smokies into thirds or quarters.

5. After an hour, check to see that the lentils and carrots are cooked through. If so, add the smokies, bacon and tomatoes.

6. Cook for another 15-30 minutes, until the smokies are warmed through.

7. Serve.

Directions (Crock pot)

1. Wash lentils, removing any that are shriveled.

2. Put lentils, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, pepper and bay leaf into the crock pot with 2 cups of water. Cook on high for an hour.

3. Reduce to low and cook for 5-7 hours.

4. About 30 minutes before serving, add tomatoes, smokies and cooked bacon. Continue to cook on low.

5. Serve.

All the ingredients you'll need (unless you like celery).

The first time Chase and I made this together was on a Sunday dinner Skype date.

Veggies and spices, ready to boil.

Last bit of simmering then ready to bowl.

Happy cooking!