Eat: Crock Pot Roast

I love to be in the kitchen, but since becoming a mother I have found dinnertime to be the most challenging time of day. I want to spend as much time being mommy as possible, and after a long day at work I am desperate to make up the time I missed with Lily. On a less tender note, it is also very hard to crank out a gourmet meal when your child is finding ways to entertain herself, especially considering your child enjoys the taste and texture of dog food. It was time to dust off the crock pot and find other recipes that would give us lots of flavor. The clear favorite in our house is the crock pot roast.

The crock pot roast fits perfectly into the workday. You can put it on before leaving the house, then return 8-10 hours later to a tender roast. You can even throw in some potatoes and carrots so you don’t have to worry about sides. The best part is the prep requires very little effort; when I say little effort, I mean that I can get it all in the pot before I have even had my morning cup of coffee. I am barely able to walk to the shower without the coffee, so that should give you some perspective. Here’s a quick roast recipe:

Ingredients:

2-3 lb. chuck roast
Season salt (optional)
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 packet onion soup mix
Several cloves of garlic
Several bay leaves
Water to cover

Sprinkle roast with season salt (Tex Joy steak seasoning is my favorite) and brown on all sides in a skillet over medium heat. Place roast in crock pot and cover with mushroom soup and onion soup mix. Cover with water and throw in garlic and bay leaves. Put the lid on and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

You can add potatoes to the roast in the crock pot or whip up some rice when you arrive home. The best part about a roast? You can eat it for at least one more meal and maybe even two. We love roast sandwiches, with leftover roast and provolone cheese on a toasted croissant. The most popular leftover roast dish in my house has to be enchiladas. The secret ingredient? Hatch 5 Pepper Enchilada Sauce. Here’s the recipe that will transform your roast into a delicious and simple enchilada dinner.

Ingredients:

Corn tortillas
Chopped roast
Shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Hatch 5 Pepper Enchilada Sauce

Dip corn tortillas in enchilada sauce, then place 2 tablespoons of chopped roast beef on each torilla along with 1 tablespoon of shredded monterey jack. Roll up each tortilla, place each on in a casserole dish and pour remaining enchilada sauce on the enchiladas. Sprinkle with a cup of shredded monterey jack and bake for 25 minutes at 350. We actually think the roast is better the second time around. Let me know what you think. :)