Tonight's Dinner: Maka's Perfect Pot Roast

This was my contribution to my family potluck tonight.

Maka's Perfect Pot Roast

This feeds a crowd. If you don't have a crowd to feed, you can dice the leftovers, add a bit of water, and simmer it into hash.

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 9 hours
Servings: 10

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced


• 1 head of garlic, cloves peeled but left whole


• 4-6 potatoes, peeled or scrubbed and cut into chunks


• 4 carrots, peeled or scrubbed and cut into chunks


• 4 celery stalks, cut into chunks


• 1 boneless beef chuck roast (4 pounds), cut into quarters


• 2 cup espresso or very strong coffee


• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce


• 1/4 cup cornstarch


• 1/4 cup cold water

Directions

Place the vegetables in the bottom of crockpot, tossing to mix. Arrange roast pieces on top of vegetables. Combine coffee and tamari, pour over roast.

Cover and cook on low heat for 9 hours.

Remove roast and vegetables to serving platter with a slotted spoon.

Strain solids from cooking liquid and pour into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Whisk into boiling liquid, and keep at a high simmer while whisking until thickened.

Tonight's Dinner: Sour Cream Chicken with Glazed Carrots & Garlic Couscous

This is my family's favorite dinner. Easy-peasy, too.

Sour Cream Chicken

The original recipe that inspired this came from my ex-husband's grandmother, who made it with pork chops. It's good that way, too.

Cook: 40 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken stock (or 2 cups water + 2 bouillon cubes)


• 1-2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning (to taste)


• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts


• 8 oz container sour cream


• 2 tablespoons flour

Directions

Bring stock to a boil in large heavy skillet with good lid. Add lemon pepper and chicken breasts. Lower heat to a high simmer and cook, covered, 30 minutes.

Carefully remove chicken from skillet. Check for doneness (juices run clear when pierced to center of breast), simmer longer if needed.

Stir flour into sour cream until uniformly blended. Whisk into simmering broth until smooth. Continue whisking a few minutes until sauce begins to thicken nicely.

Return chicken breasts to sauce and simmer 10 more minutes, uncovered.

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Glazed Carrots

So delicious. Like candy, really.

Cook: 25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter


• 1 cup water


• 1/3 cup (packed) brown sugar


• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper


• 1 pound carrots (baby, left whole or regular, scrubbed or peeled and chopped)

Directions

Combine butter, water, and brown sugar in heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until butter and sugar melt. Add carrots and simmer 25 minutes or until carrots are softened and liquid is mostly evaporated.

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Garlic Couscous

Israeli couscous (ptitim) is my preference over other types of couscous. It's larger and has a lovely texture.

Cook: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth (or 2 cups water + 2 chicken bouillon cubes)


• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper


• 1-1/2 cups Israeli couscous


• 8 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole


• Bragg's Liquid Aminos or salt to taste


• olive oil

Directions

Bring broth and pepper to a boil. Meantime toast couscous slightly in a dry skillet until it smells nutty. Add couscous and garlic to boiling broth, lower heat slightly, and boil 10 minutes or to desired texture.

Drain if liquid hasn't all been absorbed. Rinse if desired. Stir in Bragg's or salt and olive oil to taste.