Cool Front Week Continues

It's warmed up a bit after the cool front... (Boo! More to come this weekend, I hope.) But that hasn't stopped me from churning out dinners that warm the soul and could possibly induce a hibernation spell.

If your belly feels empty, whip these up tonight!
Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast with Gremolata
Mom's Chicken and Dumplings OR Chicken and Rosemary Dumplings

Chicken and Rosemary Dumplings 
Prepare Mom's Chicken and Dumplings as directed, except for dumplings.
For Rosemary Dumplings:
1 1/4 c flour
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp butter
1/2 c milk
1 egg


Combine dry ingredients. Using pastry cutter or two knives cut butter into flour mixture until pea-sized pieces. Add egg and slowly add milk, while mixing until slightly sticky dough forms. Bring broth to a low boil. Drop tablespoons of dough into broth, one at a time. Cover and cook 10-15 mins or until dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.

Not So Fabulous Beer Braised Beef... OUT OF THIS WORLD POT ROAST

I know... how could it not be so fabulous?

Beer... Beef... Braising... Well, it was very good. But not my favorite pot roast of all time. So instead of giving you a recipe that I could easily forget, I'll share my FAVORITE pot roast. (Drooling...)

BTW the Beer Braised Beef recipe was from CL mag... and so is this one... modified a bit though.

Slow Cooker Beef Pot Roast with Gremolata
(NOTE: Start roast in morning...)


For the Pot Roast:
1 (2 1/2-3 pound) boneless chuck roast
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp FG black pepper
1 tsp olive oil
cooking spray
2 c chopped onion (about 1 large)
1 can beef broth
1 cup red wine
1/4 c sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
4 thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1inch pieces
2 lbs baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1inch pieces


For the Gremolata-
If you are thinking, what's this? Do I really need to make this too? The answer is a very firm YES! To me, Pot Roast without gremolata now seems one dimensional and heavy. Gremolata will change the way you look at braised meat. :)
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 garlic clove, mince


To prepare roast, sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large skillet over med-hi heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add roast to pan, cook 5 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Transfer roast to slow-cooker. Recoat skillet with cooking spray. Add onions and saute until tender. Add broth and next 6 ingredients; bring to a simmer. Add broth mixture to slow cooker. Arrange carrots and potatoes around roast. Cover, cook on low for 6 hours, then high for 1 hour. Remove bay leaves and thyme stems; discard. Remove roast from slow cooker, shred with 2 forks. Arrange on serving dish with potatoes and carrots. Ladle broth over the dish.


To prepare gremolata, combine parsley and other ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over pot roast and  have on hand at table.