I've been slacking off on my computer fun. My girlfriend from work, Joyce, told me on Monday that she was having beef roast with potatoes and carrots for dinner. It sure got my taste buds flowing! I use bases when I make meat dishes as I don't think the aromas are the same as I remember growing up! So on the market (Sam's Club...) are various forms of bases. I always have beef and chicken on hand, ALWAYS! These are NOTHING like bouillon cubes or sprinkles. These are more of a paste that wield the rich flavor of the meats of today that have little flavor. I am including my Beef Roast for 2, Autumn Beef Roast and the always heart warming Chicken Pot Pie recipes for you today.
Beef Roast for 2
1 pound beef roast (Look for cuts of beef that come from the rib, short loin or sirloin section of the steer. Cuts of roast from these areas are more tender and flavorful than other cuts and tend to roast well. Rib, top sirloin and the tenderloin all make excellent roast choices.)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove, mashed and minced
salt and pepper
Rub oil all over the roast. Mix seasonings and sprinkle all over the roast. (I like to do this the previous night.) Preheat oven to 325*. Line Baking dish with foil, add meat and roast for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 225°, and continue roasting for about 20-40 minutes longer, or until done as desired. For medium rare, the beef should register from 150° to 155°. on a meat thermometer or oven probe in the thickest part of the roast.
Let the roast rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Autumn Roast Beef, serves 6 - 8
1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, diced
-Cook to crisp, remove bacon to paper towel.
1 piece 3-4 pound beef chuck roast
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
-Pat beef dry and season all over. Increase bacon grease heat and add roast, turning to -brown all sides. Remove meat to plate and add the following to the bacon grease:
2 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
-Cook over medium until onions are translucent (5 or 6 minutes), then add:
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried rosemary or 3 sprigs of rosemary that has been chopped well.
-Cook for about 3 minutes and add:
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup water
3 tablespoons of Tone’s Beef Base
-Stir over heat until beef base is dissolved, scraping sides and bottom for the browned bits....yummy!
-Return the roast to the pan, cover and bake 1 hour.
-Add:
1 pound small white potatoes, halved
1 bunch carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
4 stalks of celery cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large onions, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
½ pound whole white mushrooms
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
Bacon that you set aside
-Cover and continue baking until vegetables are tender. Let rest 15 minutes on a platter -before serving. Add vegetables around roast and drizzle braising liquid over to serve.
Chicken Pot Pie or Stew with Biscuits
This makes one 9-inch deep dish pie or comparable baking dish
1 1/2 pound chicken, roasted, baked...(cooked in liquid? save liquid), cooled to touch. Remove
skin, fat and de-bone. Set semi-shredded meat aside. You could use flavorless skinless
boneless chicken or even (gasp!!!) canned chicken. SET LIQUID aside!
1 1/4 cups carrots, peeled and cut to bite size pieces
1 1/4 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
Seasoning salt, pepper and a little thyme and sage
Water with 1 tablespoon of Tone's Chicken Base added for flavor
AND any other vegetable you like. If you make too much of the veggies, make a 2nd pie to freeze for later.
Bring to a boil all the vegetables (cook in chicken juices) adding enough water to
JUST cover the vegetables. Boil for 15 minutes, drain and reserve liquid! Add chicken to vegetables and stir!
3/4 stick of butter (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup flour
In a sauce pan, melt butter and stir in flour until really thick. You just made a ROUX. SLOWLY add reserved broth. Cook until thickened and thin with milk if needed.
*If you are baking as a pie, pour veg-chick mix in bottom and spread around, Gently pour THICKENED sauce over. Cover with top crust, seal, vent and bake at 425* for 30 - 35 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
*Bisquick topping: Mix 1 cup Bisquick, 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg together well, Pour over veg-chick-sauce in crust and bake at 400* for 30 minutes.
*If doing as a stew: Keep vegetables and chicken warm while making the ROUX (butter-flour mix) and add veg-chick to heated sauce and allow everything to get to temp while baking biscuits or cornbread! OR pour into casserole and top with homemade or canned biscuits and bake until biscuits are done (12-20 minutes.)
If nothing else, these should get your taste-buds going thinking about the upcoming colder months! I love hearty home-cooked food! I thank my Mom, JoAnn; Mom-in-law, Doris; Arkansas neighbor we had when we lived in Indiana, Mrs. Adams; my south Florida school cook, Gussie; the many great cookbooks with my tweaked changes and all else who's inspirations and love taught me in this wonderful fine art of cooking! From the bottom of my heart, thanks, with love!
Bon Apetit!
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