Pot Roast followed by Beef Stew

Pot Roast

1 chuck roast big enough for leftovers
Pepper
A little water in the bottom of the roasting pan

Rub pepper into roast, put in a covered roaster on a rack and roast at 300 degrees for 3-4 hours or so for about a 4 lb. roast.

Potatoes, cut in wedges
Onion, sliced and separated into strings
Kosher salt to taste
1 tablespoon or so bottled garlic

Put the potatoes and other ingredients in a plastic bag, drizzle with olive oil and shake up. Pull the roast from the oven, pour in the potato mix, and return to the oven for about an hour to an hour and a half, until the potatoes are tender.

Gravy

Pour all the drippings from the roast into a sauce pan (you want lots of leftovers). Deglaze the roasting pan by pouring a cup of boiling water in it, scraping all the brown bits off, and add that to the sauce pan too. Before turning on the heat, thicken by whisking in some white flour. Once it’s smooth, then turn on the heat and bring to a boil. Simmer until thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste, IF NEEDED. Serve over the meat and potatoes.

Beef Stew

The leftovers from the above recipe.
Carrots, sliced
Pepper
Seasoned salt, if needed
Additional potatoes, diced, if needed

Dice up the roast, put in large pot, and cover with water. Add the carrots next, followed by any fresh potatoes, and the leftover gravy. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Dice and add the leftover potatoes when the carrots are tender. Taste and add pepper and seasoned salt to taste. Thicken if desired with white flour (mix a scoop of flour with water in a bowl, whisk until smooth, then pour into the pot while stirring). Simmer until thickened, serve with a crusty french bread.

Broccoli Cheese Soup

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
2 heads broccoli, diced small and microwaved or steamed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
Milk – fill the emptied cans of chicken soup to rinse the cans and dilute the soup
Leftover chicken or a can of chicken (optional)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Saute the onion in butter until slightly browned. Add the soup, milk, broccoli and chicken and bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Add the grated cheese and simmer until melted, stirring.

Taco Soup

Leftover chicken or a can of chicken
1 can chicken broth
1 can black beans
2 cans whole kernel corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 small cans diced green chiles
1 diced onion
2 tablespoons chile powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon bottled garlic (or equivalent other form)
1 teaspoon pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional for some heat)

Throw it all in a pot, heat to boiling, simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with grated cheese to garnish, and tortilla chips. Easy Sunday dinner! Also a great way to use a leftover turkey carcass instead of the chicken, just boil, remove the bones and leave out the chicken broth.

Potato and Ham Soup

Potato and Ham Soup


1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 lb. ham or so, diced (great way to use up leftovers)
6-8 potatoes, diced
2 cans whole kernel corn, drained
pepper
2-4 cups prepared instant mashed potatoes
2 cups grated cheddar or other cheese (optional)

Saute diced onion in butter until slightly brown. Add diced potatoes and cover with water, bring to a boil. Add ham, corn and pepper to taste, simmer until potatoes are tender. Add instant mashed potatoes to thicken, stir to combine. Add grated cheese if desired and stir to melt, or garnish with cheese when served.