Crock Pot Roast Dinner

I love it when I find a good crock pot recipe. The crock pot is my friend these days, because I find that the worse time of the day to try to cook dinner is dinner time. Why is it that your children insist on being the most whiny and uncooperative during the time you need to prepare dinner? I know you other moms out there know what I am talking about since it seems ALL children do this. My mom always called it the "witching hour." And it truly is in our home. So you can understand my excitement over finding a dinner that is prepared in the morning when the chaos is under control!

This is the perfect time of year for pot roast, it is comfort food at its best! This recipe is paired perfectly with homemade gravy using the cooking liquid from the roast and homemade biscuits.

Crock Pot Roast with Gravy

3-4 lb top round beef roast, trimmed of visible fat
1/4 cup of flour
1-2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 ribs of celery, cut also into large chunks
2-3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into large chunks
1 onion, cut in half and then each half quartered
1 can of cream of celery condensed soup
1 pkg Lipton onion soup mixture
1 cup of water (can use low sodium beef broth)

Directions:
1. Layer all veggies in crock pot and turn on HIGH.
2. Preheat large skillet medium-high heat with olive oil.
3. Salt and pepper roast, and then pat flour on all four sides. Brown roast on each side and then place in crock pot.
4. Spread can of cream of celery over roast and sprinkle top with Lipton onion soup mix packet.
5. Pour water into the same skillet you browned the roast in, and using a wooden soup scrap up any browned bits left in pan. This is where the good flavor is! Then pour water mixture from pan into crock pot to cover the veggies.
6. Cook on HIGH setting for 1 hour; then turn to LOW setting and cook for an additional 7-8 hours.
7. Once cooked, remove roast carefully and let rest on cutting board (may want to cover with foil to keep warm)until ready to slice.
8. Using a slotted spoon remove the veggies to a serving bowl and cover with foil.

Ready to make gravy now? It's easy, I promise.

2 tbsp butter *unsalted
2 tsp all purpose flour
cooking liquid left in crock pot from roast
gravy master (optional)
pepper to taste

In a large skillet melt butter with the flour. Using a wire whisk cook for 1 minute on medium heat until flour is incorporated into melted butter and lightly browned, whisking the entire time. Add about 1 cup of cooking liquid from roast and continue whisking until smooth. Turn temp to low and slowly add more cooking liquid (only add about 1/2 cup at a time until desired consistency, I added another 1 cup total to mine). It will continue to thicken up as it sits so don't worry if it looks thin at first. Add about a teaspoon of gravy master to enhance the flavor and color - completely optional, I didn't have last night and it was still wonderful. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste. Be careful not to add salt unless you taste it and think it needs it. Let gravy simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes until thickened. I promise that it is worth the effort to make your own gravy, the taste is amazing.

Homemade Biscuits

These are so easy and fast to make just be careful not to overwork the dough! The key is to handle the dough as little as possible. This will ensure tall flaky biscuits.

2 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into little cubes
3/4 c. milk

Mix flour, baking powder, and salt; cut in butter with a pastry blender or two butter knives until mixture resembles coarse pea sized crumbles. Mix in milk. Mix well by hands. Place on board, floured, and roll out to 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Cut with large 2-3 inch round cutter. Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes. This will make 6-7 large biscuits.

Enjoy!