Women at work and their tips, challenges, advice, complaints, and experiences

Welcome to Slow Cooking Thursday on Workerette.com!  I'm so glad I took the time to start participating in this fun program a few months ago.  Whether you're a Workerette juggling a job outside the home, an at-home mom, a work-at-home mom or all of the above *yikes!*, you've probably wondered if a slow cooker would be useful for you.  I'm personally learning that the answer is a resounding YES!  Even if you aren't a mom (or perhaps, are a gramma or great-gramma), planning ahead can only be a good thing.  It makes the budget a little less likely to break, the days a little more efficient, and with recipes like the ones these ladies are sharing, it can make dinner healthier and/or tastier! 

Here's my contribution to Slow Cooking Thursday this week: Old-Fashioned Pot Roast.  This one takes 8 - 10 hours to cook, making it something to put in the Crock Pot to finish a day that will call for something hearty!

What You Need:

• 1 boneless beef rump roast (3.5 to 4 lbs)
• 1 T vegetable oil
• 1 tsp pepper
• 2 medium carrots (washed and grated)
• 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 - 8 oz can of tomato sauce
• 1/4 C red wine OR beef broth
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp each: dried basil, marjoram, oregano, and thyme
• 3 T cornstarch
• 3 T cold water

What To Do:

• Cut the roast in half and brown in a Dutch oven on all sides.  Sprinkle with pepper.
• Place carrots, onion, and garlic in 5-quart slow cooker while meat browns.
• Place roast in slow cooker.
• Combine tomato sauce, wine (or broth), Worcestershire sauce and seasonings in a separate container, then pour over roast.
• Cover and cook on low for 8 - 10 hours (until meat is tender).
• Remove the meat from the slow cooker and keep warm. 
• Skim fat from cooking juices and pour into a saucepan.  Bring it to a boil while you combine cornstarch and water in a separate bowl.
• When cornstarch combo is smooth, stir into cooking juices.  Return to a boil.
• Cook and stir the mixture 1-2 minutes (or until thickened).
• Slice up the beef and serve with the gravy mixture.

(This is a big one, by the way!  It will make 12-14 servings, so be prepared for leftovers or to feed a big bunch of folks.  Yummmmm!)

Need more recipes?  Go check out Diary of a SAHM and see what Sandra and the other bloggers are cooking up this week.