My pot roast is usually a very improvisational thing, but I’m going to jot down my most recent variation of it because it turned out great.

A beef roast, a good size for your slow cooker
1/4 c flour
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp smashed peppercorns
1 tsp salish salt
1 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp oil
Worcestershire
2 cups broth
1 large onion

Mix the flour with the thyme, garlic, pepper, and the salts. Start heating the oil in a pan. Make sure your roast isn’t too bloody; pat it with paper towels if you have to. Dredge all sides of the roast in the flour mixture. SET ASIDE the flour mixture that remains. Brown in the pan for a few minutes on each side.

Put the roast in the center of the slow cooker. Pour the broth over top and shake on a very generous amount of Worcestershire. Flavours often dull with slow cooking so use twice the amount of Worcestershire that seems right. Slice the big onion into wedges and place around the roast. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove the roast to a plate or cutting board and cover with foil. While it is resting scoop the onion wedges out of the slow cooker, leaving the broth behind. I like to serve the onions with the meat. Now whisk the leftover flour/spice mixture into the broth in the slow cooker. Turn the heat up to high, cover, and let cook for 30 minute or more until the broth has thickened into a nice gravy.

This is still a recipe in progress, but good nonetheless. I’m thinking of making the following changes:

• Replace the kidney beans with corn, because we have picky eaters in my family that don’t like kidney beans.
• Increase the amount of chili powder and cumin. Spices quickly loose flavour in a slow-cooker meal.
• Put the tomatoes in undrained. I found the recipe a bit dry for my liking.

This was a nice hearty meal.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb ground turkey
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (15oz) kidney beans
1-2 tsp chili powder
a pinch of cumin
a pinch of dried marjoram
2 cups dry macaroni
3/4 cup Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese
4 oz goat cheese

Heat the oil in a frypan over medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic a few minutes until soft. Add the turkey and cook until no longer pink.

Spray the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Transfer the turkey mixture into the slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes, beans, and spices. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours.

Cook macaroni in a pot of boiling water for five minutes, just until noodles are flexible. Drain and add to the slow cooker. Cook on low another hour.

Stir in the Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses just before serving. Sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on top.

Makes 6 Servings

1 Tbsp oil
3 lbs beef boneless tip roast, trimmed of fat
2 tsp caraway seed
1/2 tsp salt
1 lb small whole onions
1 lb sauerkraut, undrained
1/2 cup dark beer or beef broth
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp stone-ground mustard

Heat oil in large frypan. Cook beef in oil until brown on all sides. Sprinkle with caraway seed and salt.

Place beef in crockpot. Arrange the onions, sauerkraut, and 1/4 cup of the beer around the roast.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Remove beef from cooker, cover to keep warm. Mix flour, remaining beer, and mustard in small bowl. Whisk into the juices. Increase heat to high, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes. Serve the beef with the thickened gravy.

Nutritional Breakdown: 205 calories, 6g fat, 70mg cholesterol, 490mg sodium, 9g carb, 2g fiber, 29g protein, 2% vitA, 8% vitC, 2% calcium, 18% iron

1/2 lb bacon, chopped
3 medium onions
5 stalks celery
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp pepper
2 lbs small red potatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup cider vinegar

Cook bacon in a frypan, stirring frequently, until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon or spatula, leaving the grease in the pan. Cook onions and celery in the grease until crisp-tender. Sprinkle with the salt, celery seed, and pepper.

Cover and refrigerate bacon for later.

Layer half of the potatoes, then half the onion mixture. Repeat the layers and pour the chicken broth over top.

Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Remove potatoes from cooker, using slotted spoon. Mix sugar, cornstarch and vinegar in small bowl; stir into liquid in cooker. Stir in bacon. Gently fold in potatoes. Increase the heat setting to high. Cover and cook 20-30 minutes or until potatoes have thickened.

You can keep the potatoes warm on low for up to 2 hours.

Nutritional Breakdown: 140 calories, 3g fat, 1g sat, 5mg chol, 490mg sod, 24g carbs, 2g fiber, 4g protein, 2% vitA, 8% vitC, 2%cal, 6%iron

1-2 onions, chopped

2 Tbsp butter

4+ cups beef stock

1/2 lb barley

Saute onions and beef in butter. Add lots of stock. Cook as long as possible. 45 minutes before serving, add the barley and cook until soft. Add more stock if necessary.

1 (3-lb) Boneless beef rump or tip roast, trimmed of fat
1 Clove garlic, slivered
3 T Creamed horseradish
1 pkg gravy mix
3 Medium carrots, cut in half lengthwise and into 2-inch pieces
1 lb Small red potatoes, quartered
1 Medium stalk celery, cut in half lengthwise and into 2-inch pieces
1/2 c Water
1/2 t Salt
A dash of course ground black pepper
2 T Cornstarch
3 T Water

With tip of knife, make cuts in the top of the beef roast and insert garlic slivers. Spread beef with 1 T of the horrseradish. Sprinkle with 1/2 t of the gravy mix. Place beef in slow cooker. Arrange carrots around beef. Top with potatoes and celery.

In small bowl combine 1/2 c water, remaining gravy mix, salt, and pepper. Mix until well blended. Pour over vegetables.

Cover and cook on low 8-9 hours.

Just before serving; remove beef and vegetables from slow cooker. Place on a serving platter and cover to keep warm. In medium saucepan; combine cornstarch, 3 T water, and remaining 2 T horseradish. Blend well. Pour juices from slow cooker into cornstarch mixture; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Cut beef into slices. Serve beef with vegetables and gravy.

Nutrition info per serving:
360 cals, 8g fat, 560mg sodium, 24g carbs, 48g protein

I usually make this on a Monday after serving a roast chicken dinner on Sunday. I’ll put the chicken carcass in the crockpot with an onion and a bay leaf, then top with water and cook on low all night. In the morning I have the broth I need for the chili!

1 lb Boneless skinless chicken (breast or thigh), cubed
1 c Dry great northern beans, sorted and rinsed
1 Medium onion, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
2 t Dry oregano
1/2 t Salt
1 can Condensed cream of chicken soup
5 c Water or broth
1 t Cumin
1/4 t Hot pepper sauce
1 can Chopped green chiles
sour cream and avocado for garnish

In slow cooker; combine chicken, beans, onion, garlic, oregano, salt, soup and water. Mix well. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours. Just before serving; stir in cumin, hot pepper sauce, and chiles.

Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
Nutrition info per serving: 280 cals, 10g fat, 700mg sodium, 27g carb, 5g fiber, 25g protein

1 Onion, chopped
2 Stalks celery, sliced
2 Carots, sliced
1 Pepper, chopped
1 Zucchini, chopped
2 Cloves garlic, minced
2 cn Vegetable broth (14 1/2 oz.)
1 cn Crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
2 cn Kidney beans (15 oz)
Salt
Pepper
Cooked rice or noodles

Throw all ingredients except rice or pasta into crockpot. Stir.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high 4-5 hours.
Add rice or pasta at end and heat through.

1 Onion, chopped
2 Potatoes, cubed
2 Carrots, thinly sliced
1 Celery stalk, thinly sliced
14 oz Cooked pinto beans
28 oz Fat-free beef broth
2 Garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 t Cumin seed
1/4 t Black pepper
1 t Mesquite smoke flavouring
1 T White wine vinegar
1/4 lb Chopped smoked sausage

Combine onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, beans, sausage, and broth in a
slow cooker. Stir in the cumin, pepper, smoke flavouring, and vinegar.
Cover and cook on high until the vegetables are tender; 3 1/2 – 5 hours.