Easy, easy pot roast

It is recipe swap day over at Life As Mom, and I have decided to participate for the first time.

Last week when Scott's parents were here, I wanted to make a good, home cooked meal for them, but I needed something easy because most of my time was already accounted for with all of the party preparation and such. I looked through the pantry to see what I had on hand, and I found the following recipe on the back of a lipton onion soup packet. It was delicious, and oh so easy. It seems more appropriate for fall, though, when the leaves are turning, the air is cool, and all you want at the end of the day is a warm and cozy meal.

3- to 3-1/2- lb. boneless beef pot roast (rump, chuck or round)

1 envelope Lipton® Recipe Secrets® Onion Soup Mix

2-1/2 cups water

4 medium all-purpose potatoes (about 2 lbs.), cut into 1-inch pieces

4 carrots, sliced

2 to 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1. Brown roast in Dutch oven or 6-quart saucepot over medium-high heat. Add Lipton® Recipe Secrets® Onion Soup Mix blended with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, turning roast occasionally, 2 hours.
2. Add vegetables and cook an additional 30 minutes or until vegetables and roast are tender; remove roast and vegetables.
3. For gravy, blend remaining 1/2 cup water with flour; stir into Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5 minutes.

SLOW COOKER METHOD: Add vegetables, then roast in slow cooker. Add Soup Mix blended with 2 cups water. Cook covered on LOW 8 to 10 hours or HIGH 4 to 6 hours or until roast is tender. Remove roast and vegetables to serving platter. Blend remaining 1/2 cup water with flour and stir into juices in slow cooker. Cook covered on HIGH 15 minutes or until thickened.

Things I did differently--I added an entire container of beef broth in addition to lots of water. As I was cooking, the roast seemed to be getting dry, so I just kept adding beef broth and water.

Take note of slow cooker method. I first browned the roast on all sides on top of the stove. Then I put the vegetables in the crock pot, followed by the roast, and finally, I added the soup mix. At that point I poured about half of the beef broth in. Then, as it cooked, I added broth and water periodically.

It really tasted good, and the roast was very tender. Really, this is a meal that I will do again and again, I think.

Okay, I am adding to this post. In addition to the pot roast, I made what my family calls divine muffins (Southern Living cook book calls them quick biscuits). They really are more muffin than biscuit, but they are, literally, melt in your mouth good. Warning, there is not one iota of healthy to them, but for a special occasion, that's okay.

Again, an easy, easy recipe.

2 1/4 c. biscuit mix
1 (8 oz) container of sour cream
1/2 c. butter, melted

combine all ingredients, stirring well
drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls into an ungreased muffin pan
Bake at 375 for 15-17 minutes or until golden. Be careful, they burn easily.

yield: one dozen.

Happy cooking, everyone!!