Easy, Flavorful Pot Roast

I realize I started this blog two weeks ago, but last weekend was pretty busy since we got a new dog (Zoey!) and although I make some pretty good meals, I didn't have the time to write about them.

Tonight I'm making round 2 of a pot roast I made a while back. When Publix has sales on meat, I've learned to stock up and keep a bunch of chicken breasts, pork loin chops, roasts and ribs in the freezer so I have something on hand whenever we need a good meal. I'd used up everything except the pot roast so I needed an idea of how to prepare it on the spot with no special ingredients. I open the spice cupboard, and....

Grill Mates Montreal Steak Marinade!

(*The one I used was actually the low-sodium kind, which I thought would be better for us in conjunction with the meat, but I couldn't find the low-sodium ones again at Publix so we'll be using the regular type tonight)

Let me show you how easy it is to make this roast: 

1) Brown roast in pan with a little bit of olive oil on both sides.
2) Add 1/2 cup of water and 2 Tbs white vinegar plus packet seasonings (basically following packet directions, without the oil) to a crock pot.
3) Put roast in crock pot. Set for 6-8 hours.

I figured that this roast couldn't be bad, but I never expected how good it would actually be! Now, I love pot roast, but there's a certain point where the meat starts to taste bland after eating a few bites of it. Not THIS roast! Every bite was amazing and had just a bit of that peppery kick to it.

Not to mention that the gravy made from the leftover liquids in the crock pot was fabulous, too! :)

We almost always eat ribs/pot roast with mashed potatoes and corn. These are made from a box/ warmed up in the microwave. Also easy. Sometimes I go all out and make Bisquick biscuits too, which takes all of 10 minutes, and are so yummy.

See, good cooking can be easy and fool-proof! ;)

Betsy

Cooking: reality or hobby?

Hello, Blog-world.

Although I've written about my life as a teenager in high school, about my travels and internships, and various posts throughout college documenting my relationship highs and lows-- This time I've reinvented myself as a recipe blogger.

Since graduating and moving out of the house, not to mention relocating 1,000 miles away from my hometown in Michigan to sunny and busy Central Florida, learning to make meals has become more important than ever to me-- especially for my health and happiness. However, in my early months, it was only every couple of weeks that I would actually plan and create a full meal for myself (and occasionally the roommate.)

Since meeting my awesome boyfriend Jason, and reorganizing his small apartment kitchen to suit my own preferences, I have been making meals for the two of us on a nearly daily basis. The advantage of cooking for two is that one of us is always bound to have the energy to put something together, and Jason makes the best salads I've ever tasted. :) Although the main course is almost always something I've dug up online or a recipe book or from family traditions, we usually supplement the meal with Uncle Ben's 90 second microwaveable rice, the various flavors of boxed mashed potatoes for 2, vegetable steamers and/or a fresh salad. Sometimes I even make Bisquick biscuits. But it's always something healthy, delicious, and yet easy to put together.

My own recipe book is something I've come to treasure, especially with the "winners" that we'll make more frequently. These are almost all recipes I've found elsewhere and adapted to meet my own needs. But I love these recipes so much that I'd love to be able to share them with friends and family-- especially the people who find it even harder to find time to cook than I do. There are easy recipes out there that will make you drool when you walk into the kitchen and smell what's coming out of the oven or crock pot! It also goes to show that you do not need a modern, updated kitchen to learn how to cook and to make some amazing meals. Jason and I do not have a real kitchen table, either. We eat at a low coffee table on the couch. We look forward to a day when we'll have the kitchen I've always dreamed of (counter space, double oven, and a window over the sink!) and a real dining room table, but for now, I'm happy with what I've got. :)

So, a few recipes you can look forward to---

*The easiest, most flavorful pot roast you'll ever have
*Best bbq ribs ever
*Wakiki chicken
*Chicken Parmesan in homemade tomato/artichoke sauce!


My hope is that I can share these delicious recipes with you and hear how other people are able to enjoy them, too. :)

Betsy