With Gravy on Top

Last night's dinner was roast beef in the crockpot. I just chopped a few carrots and half a large sweet onion & put in the bottom. I seasoned and seared the roast (on sale this week) in the skillet, put that in and added some chopped garlic and some broth. Cooked it on low for 8 hours or so. The roast fell apart coming out of the crockpot it was so tender. Because I don't like what the crockpot does to veggies, especially potatoes, I made mashed potatoes the old-fashioned way. Small dice and they cook much faster. But I didn't waste the veg in the crockpot. I pureed those with just a little of the broth and it made a very delicious gravy. Healthier than regular gravy too, I bet. I tossed some carrots and asparagus (also on sale) with olive oil, salt, pepper and just a smidge of sugar and roasted in the oven, 400 degrees. These were good, but would have been better had I checked them sooner, they were a little overdone. An easy, healthy dinner nonetheless. I will make it again and try not to over-roast the veggies.

Oh, and the pork chop leftovers -- I cut the chop into bite size pieces and sauteed that, the leftover veggies and some pasta leftover from spaghetti night in the skillet. No extra seasoning required. With a side of diced mango (on sale), it was a perfect lunch for us! Yum!

Stay tuned for the fate of the leftover roast...