My Extra Recipes

I have some recipes that I love, but don't make all the time. This pot roast is one. It is a little more work and time than most recipes, but it's the best pot roast ever. This is our Father's Day dinner.

Pot Roast with Vegetables
(Cooks Illustrated)

1 boneless chuck-eye roast (abt 3 1/2 lbs)
salt and pepper
2 T. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped medium
1 small carrot, chopped medium
1 small celery rib, chopped medium
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. sugar
1 cup canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned low-sodium beef broth
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 - 1 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes
8 medium carrots

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Thoroughly pat roast dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

2. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering, but not smoking. (I don't have a dutch oven pan so I used a large stock pot or large deep frying pan). Brown roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke, 8-10 min. Transfer roast to a large plate; set aside. Reduce heat to medium; add onion, carrot and celery to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and beef broth and thyme, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot; add enough water to come halfway up sides of roast. Bring liquid to simmer over medium heat, then place large piece of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid; transfer pot to oven. Cook, turning roast every 30 min, until fully tender and meat fork/sharp knife easily slips in and out of meat, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

3. When roast is almost tender add 8 medium carrots, sliced 1/2 in thick; and 1 1/2 lbs small red potatoes, quartered, to pot submerging them in liquid. Continue to cook until vegetables are almost tender, 20-30 min.

4. Transfer roast to carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Allow liquid in pot to settle about 5 min., then use wide spoon to skim fat off surface; discard thyme sprig. Add salt and pepper to taste; boil over high heat until vegetables are fully tender, 5-10 min., Transfer vegetables to serving platter. Transfer roast to platter with vegetables.

5. I added about 1 T. of cornstarch (mixed with a little water) to liquid in pot to thicken it a little. Use like gravy.

Spinach Dip

This is Zoila Schank's recipe for the dip that she brought to the piano recital.

Knorr Spinach Dip
1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 container (16 oz.) sour cream
1 cup Mayo
1 pkg Knorr Vegetable recipe mix
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)--I left these out.
3 green onions, chopped (optional)--I usually use 4.

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2hrs.
Serve in a bread bowl with favorite dippers.

4 Cups Dip/Prep Time: 10 minutes/ Chill Time: 2hrs.

3 Month Supply

Once you have your list of dinners for the month you can create a master list of ingredients. This helps with planning a 3 month supply. I have mine figured using amounts for a 1 month, 2 month and 3 month supply. That way when there is a sale on something I use I know how much of it to buy. I use the money I have set aside for food storage. Happy Planning!

Fruit Salad

Just tried this yummy fruit salad recipe!

Sunday Best Fruit Salad

Raspberry Vinegar Spring Salad

Mixture of lettuce ( use iceberg, red leaf, romaine, green leaf) to fill a big bowl or a total of 2 heads of lettuce cleaned and chopped.

2 granny smith apples, peeled and diced
1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled (I usually buy the precooked bacon)
1/2 c craisins
4-6 green onions, chopped
1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese (not grated)
1 1/2 c sliced almonds (put on cookie sheet, spray with butter, sprinkle with sugar and bake at 325 til brown) (I never have much luck with this, so I buy a bag of salad accents)

Mix above salad ingredients well.

Dressing:
1 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp salt
1 c oil
1/4 c sugar
1/3- 1/2 cup raspberry vinegar (could sub. red wine vinegar)
2 T. poppy seeds

Put dressing ingredients in a blender and puree well. Stir in 2 T. Poppy seeds. Pour over salad before serving. Dressing will keep in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

*This is also really good with a rotisserie chicken cut up and tossed in.

Chicken Wings

1 pkg chicken drumettes/wings
1/2 c flour
1/2 c cornstarch
3 eggs, beaten

Sauce:
1/2 c chicken broth
1/2 c vinegar
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c ketchup

Combine flour and cornstarch in flat pan. Dip wings in flour mix, then eggs and brown in pan with a little oil. Place in pan and pour sauce over all and bake 1 hour at 350, basting occasionally and turning.

I buy two packages of chicken wings, but I don't double the ingredients. The recipe makes enough for two packages.

*For chicken broth I buy the chicken broth granules. 1 tsp of granules in 1 cup of water makes 1 c chicken broth. I heat 1/2 c water in the microwave and add 1/2 tsp. granules.