I needed a hug this week. Who am I kidding I needed more than a hug, but I would have settled. It was a rough week, filled with exhausted attempts of being Mom, Wife, Business Owner and Insurance Agent. Throw in a sick child that we had to run to a hospital ER and hold back from school for the week and you have a mess. Me, I was the mess. I made it though! My child is back at school, I am back in the swing of things and I must say that is partly because of the therapeutic cooking session I provided for myself.
Sunday Dinners have been oh so symbolic for so many including myself. I do not partake in the tradition on a weekly basis, it has never felt right to do so when your family is not complete on said Sundays. This Sunday my children were not all with me but I could not wait for the next to get the hug I needed so I created it anyway.
My hug consisted of Pot Roast, Garlic Mashed Cauliflower, Buttered Peas and Corn and last but not least my Feta-Tomato Salad.
POT ROAST
Ingredients:
3-4 lbs of chuck roast
Vegetable Oil (approx. 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup of chopped Carrots
1 medium red Onion cut in 4
1 medium yellow onion cut in 4
1/4 cup Tomato Sauce
1 cup of Beef Broth
Adobo (Red Label) 1 1/2 tablespoon
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 crushed heads of Garlic
2 bay leaf
2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons Sofrito If you need this recipe – Click here http://wp.me/p2gfav-32
Dutch Oven
So many have asked me what the secret to my succulent and fork tender pot roast is, the answer… my dutch oven. That is why I have it listed as an ingredient. Can you make one just as good in a roaster pan? Yes. I certainly have but I am all about working smart and not hard. This recipe is fool-proof and you don’t have to deal with the pot roast in any way shape or form until the timer goes off.
Directions:
- Season your meat on all sides with the Adobo, Salt and Pepper.
- Get your dutch oven really hot, then coat the bottom with vegetable oil and sear all sides of the meat. Once you have seared all of the sides remove the roast from the dutch oven and set aside on a plate for a moment.
- To the dutch oven you will add the onions, carrots, and garlic. Let all of those flavors get acquainted with the juices left behind from the roast. (about 3 minutes)
- While the veggies are hanging out, in a bowl mix the Sofrito, Tomato Sauce, Worcestershire and Beef Broth.
- The veggies at this point should be sweating and starting to get soft, nestle the chuck roast into the dutch oven amongst the veggies.
- Now you will pour the wet ingredients that you just mixed over the roast. Place the lid on the dutch oven and pop into the oven for 3 to 3.5 hours.
GARLIC MASHED CAULIFLOWER
I have had a helluva time trying to make mashed cauliflower. They retain a lot of water so the consistency was not a good one. So I ignored my momma’s rules, played with my veggies and this was the happy result.
Ingredients:
1 head of Cauliflower
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese
3 Garlic Heads (Smashed)
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375.
- Make an aluminum purse, you will be adding the florets to the tightly sealed “purse” and placing in the oven. I made two of them for 1 head of cauliflower.
- Clean your cauliflower and break the florets up.
- Place the cauliflower in the aluminum, drizzle a little bit of olive oil, add a pinch of salt and pepper and add the smashed garlic heads.
- Seal the edges tightly. Place on a sheet pan and bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes.
- Once baked through let the cauliflower and garlic cool slightly before placing in your food processor.
- Add the parmesan cheese and pulse away. Once it is the consistency you like put it in a bowl and add more seasoning if needed. You can also put in a baking dish, add more cheese and pop in the oven for another 15 minutes at 400.
#YUM
BUTTERED PEAS AND CORN
This is a quick and easy side dish that tons of moms have up their sleeve, but just in case ya don’t know what I’m talking about… Here you go.
Ingredients:
1 Can of Sweet Corn (drained and rinsed)
1 Can of Sweet Peas (drained and rinsed)
1 Tablespoon of Butter (Sweetened and Salted)
1/4 teaspoon minced Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a small pan on medium low heat melt the butter. Once melted, you will brown the garlic.
- Once the garlic is a nice tan color you will add both the drained and rinsed veggies. Heat thoroughly (about 3 minutes), add salt and pepper (to taste).
Serve immediately.
FETA-TOMATO SALAD
Ingredients:
1 pint of Grape Tomatoes (halved)
2 ounces of Bulgarian Feta – Crumbled (Any feta will do I just happen to love the creamy nature of Bulgarian)
1/4 cup of Sweet Corn
Half of a medium avocado – cubed
2 tablespoons Fresh Basil-Chiffonade (Cut into long, thin strips)
Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste (Recipe to my Balsamic Vinaigrette below)
Directions:
Toss all of the ingredients gently, very gently. You do not want to mash anything just combine.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/2 cup Olive oil
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 teaspoon of honey
1 tablespoon Oregano
1 tablespoon of basil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Whisk all the ingredients together. If you want it a little creamier/thicker in consistency add 1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard.
BUEN PROVECHO!
according to carmen 