Pot Roast and Bountiful Basket Veggies

Not the most appetizing photo in the world, I know, but it tastes fantastic.

Although I usually consider pot roast more of a winter meal, I just couldn't resist cooking one today for a couple of reasons. First, cooking a pot roast in a slow cooker is the easiest and least labor intensive way to cook and it allowed me the opportunity to spend time outside planting my garden instead of stuck inside in the kitchen. Second, I had some beautiful carrots and onions from my Bountiful Basket that needed to be used. I've fixed pot roast about a million different ways (okay maybe just five or six) but this recipe from Paula Deen's "Lady & Sons" cookbook may just be my new go-to pot roast recipe. Although Paula's  recipe calls for baking the roast in the oven for two hours, it was easily adapted to a slow cooker method.After cooking all day, the meat and vegetables were fork tender and the gravy I made from the pan drippings was fantastic.

Ingredients

One 3-4 lb boneless chuck roast

2 tsp season salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon beef bouillon granules

1 thinly sliced small onion

3 large carrots, cut into 1 inch chunks

5 medium red potatoes,  cut into 1 inch chunks

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

1/4 cup red wine

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Rub the roast with the season salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet and brown the roast, searing it on all sides. Place the vegetables in the bottom of the crock pot and place roast on top of vegetables.

2. Sprinkle the bouillon granules over the meat and cover with the garlic and bay leaves. 

3. In a small bowl, combine the mushroom soup, wine and water and pour over the roast. 

4. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. 

5. Remove meat and vegetables from slow cooker and pour the remaining gravy into a small saucepan. Thicken with cornstarch/water mix as necessary.