Hello Friends,

Here's one that's just perfect after a busy day of shopping. A slow cooker makes this aromatic pot roast largely hands-off, but if you don't happen to have one, just follow the modifications at the end of the recipe. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes, along with roasted root vegetables or sautéed greens.

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Hello Friends,

Here's one that's just perfect after a busy day of shopping. A slow cooker makes this aromatic pot roast largely hands-off, but if you don't happen to have one, just follow the modifications at the end of the recipe. Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes, along with roasted root vegetables or sautéed greens.

Slow-Cooked Pot Roast with Mustard & Horseradish Gravy

Ingredients

2 carrots, peeled and cut in half widthwise
1 medium yellow onion, peeled, root trimmed but left intact, and sliced into 4 wedges
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 large bay leaf
3 whole cloves or allspice berries
1 cup homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
2 Tbs. tomato paste
1 boneless beef chuck roast (2-1/2 to 3 lb.)
2 Tbs. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. brandy
1/2 tsp. prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp. grainy prepared mustard
2 Tbs. sour cream
1 tsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Put the carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, and cloves or allspice in the bottom of a slow cooker crock. In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the broth, wine, and tomato paste to blend.

Set a large heavy-based skillet over medium high heat. Pat the roast dry with paper towels, rub both sides with the olive oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Sear the roast in the skillet until a dark crust forms on one side, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn and sear the other side, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and put the roast on top of the vegetables in the crock. Add the broth mixture to the skillet, bring to a simmer, and scrape the pan bottom to loosen any browned bits. Pour the liquid over the roast and cover the crock; don't stir. Turn the slow cooker to low heat; cook gently without lifting the lid until the roast is fall-apart tender, 8 to 10 hours.

Transfer the roast to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Strain the contents of the crock through a sieve set over a medium saucepan. Discard the solids. Skim the fat from the top of the strained liquid (or use a fat separator). Bring to a boil and then simmer rapidly until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the brandy, horseradish, and mustard. In a small bowl, mix the flour into the sour cream, stir in a few tablespoons of the sauce, and then pour the sour cream mixture into the sauce, whisking vigorously to blend. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Meanwhile, slice the roast thinly. Serve with the gravy and a sprinkling of parsley. Serves 4.

Pot roast without a slow cooker:

If you don't have a slow cooker, you can still make this pot roast, just make the following modifications to the recipe. Heat the oven to 250° F. Sear the meat in a heavy Dutch oven or similar pot. Transfer the meat to a plate. Add the broth mixture to the pot and bring to a simmer. Return the meat to the pot and turn once to coat the meat in the broth. Scatter the vegetables and herbs around the meat, return to a simmer, cover tightly, and roast in the oven until the meat is very tender, about 4 hours. Check occasionally to be sure the broth isn't bubbling too rapidly, and flip the meat if the top surface looks dry.

Have A Wonderful Christmas Friends,

Phil

Hi Pat,

Sorry that I've been away and that I am just now getting back to you. Made a short detour through the Hospital once again at the end of the year.

Hope that your New Year will be everything that you desire. Here's one that's always been a favorite of mine. These baked beans made in the slow cooker are slightly sweet and tangy, with a smoky, meaty flavor that everyone will love. The best part? They're very easy to make.

Bandito Beans

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound mild pork sausage
• 1/2 (15 ounce) can wax beans, drained
• 1/2 (15 ounce) can cut green beans, drained
• 1/2 (15 ounce) can lima beans, drained
• 1/2 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1/4 (28 ounce) can barbeque baked beans, with liquid
• 1/2 (15 ounce) can chili beans, with liquid
• 1/2 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons barbeque sauce
• 1/2 small green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seed

Directions

Place sausage in a skillet over medium heat, and cook until evenly brown. Drain grease, and transfer sausage to a slow cooker. Into the slow cooker with the sausage, mix wax beans, green beans, lima beans, and black beans. Mix in baked beans with liquid and chili beans with liquid. Stir in the tomato paste, brown sugar, barbeque sauce, green bell pepper, onion, and fennel seed.

Cover slow cooker. Cook on Low at least 6 hours. Serves 8-12.

Have A Happy & Prosperous New Year,

Phil

Hello Everyone,

My grandma always called this soup Hobo Soup. She said that it was something they made way back when, out of whatever they had available in their garden and shelves. It is a large dish (they were a family of 10), so have a big pot or slow cooker. I have halved it and honed it a little since most of us use a grocery now and don't have 8 kids to work the Farm.

Hobo Beef & Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

• 1 (32 fluid ounce) container beef broth, or more if needed
• 3 carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 large stalk celery, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 2 bay leaves

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced, or to taste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can green beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can peas, drained

Directions

1. Stir the beef broth, carrots, celery, parsley, celery seed, and bay leaves into a slow cooker set on High, cover, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 2 hours.
2. Place the ground beef, onion, and garlic into a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently to break the beef into small pieces, until the onion is translucent and the beef is browned and no longer shows pink areas, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain off fat, and stir the stewed tomatoes into the beef mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes are broken up into small pieces.
3. Stir the potatoes, corn, green beans, and peas into the soup in the slow cooker, and add the beef mixture. Stir everything together, cover, and set the slow cooker on High. Cook for 4 hours. Serves 6-8.

To go along with your Hobo Soup, why not try this bona fide Southern tradition? Authentic Southern corn pone is never sweet, and is baked in a cast iron skillet. Just like Grandma used to make.

Southern Corn Pone Bread

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups white cornmeal
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/3 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Place a 9 inch cast iron skillet on the center rack.
2. When the skillet is hot, carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Pour the canola oil into the skillet and gently swirl the pan to coat the bottom and the sides. Return the pan to the oven for ten minutes.
3. While the oil is heating, mix together the cornmeal and salt in a medium bowl. Add the eggs and buttermilk and mix together to make a thin batter.
4. Carefully pull out the rack with the cast iron skillet and pour the batter into the preheated skillet.
5. Bake the corn pone until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. If desired, turn the oven to broil for the last few minutes of baking to brown the top.
6. Remove the skillet from the oven and shake the pan to loosen the corn pone from the skillet. Serve the corn pone warm from the skillet or turn out onto a plate. Serves 8.

Have A Great Week My Friends,

Phil

Hello My Friends,

These tender chops and tangy sauerkraut are a classic duo. It's a go-to dinner that's always simple, straightforward, and downright delicious. This is the easiest recipe in the world, and it's so good. It's great when served with mashed potatoes.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops
• 16 ounces sauerkraut with juice

Directions

1. Place the chops in the bottom the slow cooker and pour the sauerkraut over the top. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.

Have A Terrifc Weekend My Friends,

Phil