Pot Roast

I made the most decadent and delicious pot roast last night. I know, I know, you're thinking "Pot Roast... big whoopdeedoo!"

No really. If it were veal shanks instead of a chuck roast... it would have been Osso Buco.

And... it was so easy with my lovely new Le Creuset oven.

1 cup diced carrot
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
bay leaf (2)
thyme (1 tsp dried)
1 small can of tomato paste
1 can beef broth
1/2 cup red wine (not cooking wine, one that you drink... while you cook - ha)
1 chuck roast
salt
pepper
garlic powder
olive oil

- season the roast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Drizzle some olive oil in a large dutch oven and heat. When the pan is hot add the roast and sear on both sides. Remove roast, set aside. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Saute for a few minutes, add can of tomato paste and combine and saute for another minute or two. Pour in the can of beef broth, the red wine and the bay leaf and thyme. Return the roast to the pan, cover, place in 350 degree oven for 1.5 to 2 hours, basting the roast every 30 min.

Serve with mashed potatoes, and a salad or over some pasta :)

So. Freaking. Good.

Fritatta

In a cast iron skillet, saute bacon (or omit, it's totally optional, but I love bacon) until crisp, drain and set aside. Take diced onion and saute, when onions are semi-soft add diced red pepper, zucchini, tomato and salt and pepper to taste. Add bacon and 5 combined eggs. Spread out, turn off heat and place in a 350 degree oven until set.

Serve warm or room temperature with a salad if you're having it for lunch or with fresh fruit for breakfast.

I ate it yesterday with some fresh blueberries then again for lunch today with a salad of mixed greens and some basalmic vinegarette and a snapple peach iced tea.

Sunday I also grilled a steak to have in a salad for tomorrow and an easy dinner for Chad while I'm at school.

Call for ideas...

I just began a new job that will undoubtedly keep me in my remote location far from anything resembling a restaurant so I'm taking on the new task of brown bagging lunch from now on.

So I need ideas - I'm a pretty good cook, I can pack leftovers, I can make salads, sandwiches, fritattas, wraps, etc. But then what?

I'll start on Sunday by cooking and prepping ingredients for myself to make lunches and hopefully share some of the recipes I use here and hopefully I'll get some in return as well :)