Slow Cooked Sunday Roast

This is the best go-to roast recipe! I got it from my friend Jessica's family recipe book that she was so kind to send to me. Thank you thank you Jessica!! This recipe has changed how I think about slow cooking Sunday roasts. I used to be a crockpot roast gal, but this roast came out so moist and tender. So I say slow cooking in the oven is the way to go! This would be perfect to make during afternoon church. I served it with mashed potatoes and brown gravy. So lovely and Sundayish.

Slow Cooked Sunday Roast

beef roast - pot roast, rump roast, etc.
1 packet onion soup mix
1 can cream of mushroom soup
onions, cut into wedges or chunks
carrots - cut big carrots into chunks or use baby carrots

Place vegetables in the bottom of a covered baking dish or dutch oven. Place roast on top of vegetables. Combine cream of mushroom soup and onion soup mix and pour over roast. Cook covered in oven at 325 for 3-4 hours.

*You could also place quartered red potatoes in with the roast if you'd like an all in one kind of meal.

Crispy Butter Bread

This is Pioneer Woman's "The Bread" and wow is it ever THE BREAD. Seriously delicious. And you would think that this recipe isn't worth writing down because it's just bread and butter, but the method of baking it takes this bread to a level that is just... good. So so good. It is crispy, but then it's all soft and warm and bready on the inside. Crispy, melty, buttery, wonderful, amazingness... I could go on and on! I'm calling it Crispy Butter Bread because that's what my kids named it last night.

Crispy Butter Bread

1 loaf French bread, split lengthwise
1 1/2 cups of butter, softened (PW uses 2 sticks/2 cups of butter)

Preheat oven to 350.

Spread 3/4 cup butter on each half of the loaf.

Place on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until butter is melted and starting to soak into the bread.

Crank up heat to broil and broil bread for 3-5 minutes, watching the whole time. Remove when butter has started to brown - will be deeply brown and blackened in parts. The flavor really kicks in when the butter deepens in color.

Slice and serve immediately.

Melanie's Chili (Freezer Meal)

Here's another fun freezer meal. This one is from Melanie in my freezer meal swap and it is a really nice traditional chili with just a little sweetness. I served it over baked potatoes with shredded cheese and everyone loved it.

Melanie's Chili

12 oz ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1, 14.5 oz can Italian stewed tomatoes
2, 15 oz cans pork and beans (pork removed, but do not drain)
1, 8 oz can tomato sauce
3 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan cook ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, basil, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Freezer Meal Instuctions:
Cook as directed above. Cool to room temperature and freeze. Defrost and heat.

Crockpot Instuctions:
Cook meat, onions, etc. as directed above. Place cooked meat mixture and other ingredients in crockpot and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

Western Potatoes

This is a great potato side dish with a little bit of spiciness. We had it the other night with stuffed peppers and everyone liked it. Wow, this recipes makes a ton though so I might try to cut it in half in the future.

Western Potatoes

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1 can cream of chicken (or cream of celery or mushroom)
1/4 cup milk
1, 4 oz can chopped green chilies
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
a dash of hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar (I used medium cheddar)
8 medium sized red potatoes, cubed (about 4 pounds)

Boil potatoes in a pot of water until cooked and tender. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan melt the butter and saute the red bell pepper and onion until tender. Stir in soup, milk, chilies, salt, cayenne, and hot pepper sauce and heat through. Stir in 3/4 cup cheese until melted.

In a large bowl combine potatoes and sauce and toss to coat potatoes well. Pour potatoes into a well greased casserole dish (larger than 9x13). Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly around edges. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic

I made this quick and easy side dish a while ago when our very kind home teacher brought us a bunch of fresh green beans from his garden. I love green beans! And this is a fabulous way to prepare them.

Sauteed Green Beans with Garlic

fresh green beans, ends trimmed (I used enough for my family of 5)
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
salt and pepper

Fill a medium sized pot with water and bring to a boil. Boil green beans in water for about 3 minutes. Drain green beans and set aside. Heat a skillet with some olive oil (a tablespoon or so) over medium heat. Add green beans and cook for 2 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and pepper and continue to cook, tossing the green beans, for another few minutes. Watch the garlic to make sure it doesn't burn. Remove from heat and serve.

Classic Stuffed Green Peppers

This recipe is the same stuffed pepper recipe I have been using since my husband and I were newly-weds. I am a big fan of meatloaf and this is just meatloaf in a bell pepper really. My kids still won't eat the pepper part, but they all love the meaty cheesy part.

Classic Stuffed Green Peppers

5-6 green peppers
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup cooked rice
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Cut the top off of each pepper and remove membranes and seeds from the inside. Boil peppers in enough water to cover for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Brown ground beef in a large skillet with onion; drain off fat. Stir in salt, garlic powder, rice, and 1 cup of tomato sauce. Heat through. Stuff each pepper with meat mixture; stand upright in a casserole dish and pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers. Cover with foil and cook for 45 min. at 350. Uncover and cook 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven until cheese melts.

Hello! and a menu plan

Whoa, it's been a while! My summer was crazy. I moved! But I'm getting all settled and I love my new kitchen so hopefully I'll get in there and make some new recipes soon. But for the time being here is my next 2 week menu plan starting this Sunday. Until my life calms down a bit I think I'll be doing 2 week menu plans which feel more do-able and flexible right now.

Sept. 12th - Crockpot Navy Bean and Ham Soup and Cornbread
Sept. 13th -Linguine Alfredo and Caesar Salad
Sept. 14th - Stuffed Green Peppers and Western Potatoes
Sept. 15th - Pumpkin Pancakes
Sept. 16th - Hawaiian Haystacks
Sept. 17th - Pizza and Root Beer
Sept. 18th - Open Night (whatever sounds good or out)
Sept. 19th - Slow Cooked Roast, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, and Quick Carrots
Sept. 20th - Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes and Ham and Homemade Applesauce
Sept. 21st - Chicken Crepes, Mixed Vegetables and Strawberries
Sept. 22nd - Beefy Macaroni, Green Beans and Baguettes
Sept. 23rd - a Freezer Meal of some sort
Sept. 24th - Pizza and Root Beer
Sept. 25th - Open Night