Ranch Pot Roast

           Pot roast makes me think of my grandma. We used to have a family lunch every Sunday at her house. The whole family would come and we would have, what my cousin refers to as, 'The Feast'. It consisted of roast, creamed potatoes with gravy and a whole smorgasbord of different side dishes. Creamed corn, fried okra, green beans, sweet peas, cornbread, candied yams, and potato salad all made appearances at one time or another. We still have family get togethers on holidays and special occasions, but I will never forget all of those wonderful Sunday dinners growing up in my family.
     This pot roast isn't the feast my grandma would serve, but it is delicious and a lot more reasonable for a weeknight or lazy weekend meal. You can serve this over mashed potatoes, or throw a few quartered red potatoes right in the pot.

Ranch Pot Roast

4-5lb chuck roast
olive oil
4-5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 onions, halved
16oz bag baby carrots
button mushrooms
rosemary
thyme
1 packet ranch seasoning
2-3 cups beef stock
salt&pepper


Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

  Heat a couple of tablespoons olive oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onion halves and brown on all sides, remove from pan and set aside. Repeat with carrots.
  Season roast with salt&pepper. If needed, add a little more oil to pan and brown roast on all sides. Add in garlic and cook another minute. Remove roast from pan and deglaze with one cup beef stock, scraping all the little bits of flavor from the bottom of the pan.
   Put roast, onions, carrots, and mushrooms back in the pan, along with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme.
   Mix ranch seasoning with remaining stock and add to pan, using enough to cover roast half way.
Put lid on and place in 275 degree oven. Leave it for 4-5 hours until roast is cooked through and tender.
   Remove roast from pan and shred using 2 forks. Serve, with vegetables, over mashed potatoes.

Yumm!
 

Pizza Stuffed Portobellos

    I am still lugging around some unwanted baby weight. I am not one of those people who doesn't have to try and is just magically skinny again a few months later. It's genetics....and maybe my inability to put my fork down or pass the cupcake truck. My New Year's resolution is to lose the rest of this baby weight. Well, not really, because I don't do New Year's resolutions and I'm not going on a diet. I have an everyday resolution to be more healthy. Basically, I'm going to eat more fruits and vegetables, less sugar and junk, and drink more water. I know from experience that diets don't work. It's stressful and you usually either give up or gain the weight back. So that's why I decided to just focus on being healthier and the rest will follow.
   I had to do an overhaul on my dinner rotation. No more cheese covered calorie-laden casseroles and fried yummy goodness. I love stuffed mushrooms but wanted to make them into an entree instead of an appetizer. Brian loves pizza. Enter: Pizza stuffed Portobellos. These are gooey, satisfying, and much healthier than pizza. They are also versatile. Maybe next time I'll make mexican stuffed portobellos.



Pizza Stuffed Portobellos

4 portobello mushrooms
1/2 onion , chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic,minced
3oz. cream cheese ( I used less fat kind)
bunch of pepperoni , quartered
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
crushed red pepper
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Prepare mushrooms; Wipe clean, remove gills and stems

Saute onion and peppers in olive oil, until soft. Add garlic and saute another minute.
Combine veggie mixture with cream cheese and pepperoni. Add red pepper, salt, and pepper to taste

Spoon a little pizza sauce in bottom of mushroom, then veggie mixture, a little more sauce, then top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, then broil for about 5 minutes until cheese is melted.