Sunday PotRoast with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 (4 to 5-pound) boneless beef bottom round roast
• Kosher salt and Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
• 2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced
• Thyme
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season well on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the roast and brown all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and beginning to release liquid, about 5 minutes.

Add the onions, broth and thyme, stir until combined. Nestle the roast into the vegetables, adding any juices it released to the pot. Cover, and transfer to the oven to roast for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the lid, carefully flip the meat and continue cooking for 30 minutes; the meat should be fork tender and the liquid reduced.

Remove the pot from the oven, transfer the meat to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep it warm. Let the mushrooms and onions stand several minutes undisturbed to allow some of the beef fat to rise to the surface. With a large spoon, skim off the excess fat and discard. With a ladle, add about 1 1/2 cups of the mushrooms and onions with some cooking liquid to the bowl of a blender or food processor. Carefully puree the mixture until very smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot and stir very well until combined; taste and adjust seasoning.

To serve, slice the pot roast and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle some mushroom gravy over the top and pass the extra gravy at the table.

During the last hour of cooking time, roast the vegetable.........on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt and Montreal Steak Seasoning. Cook until caramelized (probably not the whole hour).

Philly Cheesesteak Lettuce Wraps

Per Person:

2 leaves of romaine

3 ounces raw flat iron steak

1/3 cup sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup thinly sliced onions

1 slice fat-free American Cheese

Slice your semi-frozen beef into thin strips.

Spray a medium pan with nonstick spray and bring to medium high heat. Add Mushrooms and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are slightly browned. Transfer veggies to a bowl and set aside.

Remove pan from heat, and re-spritz with nonstick spray. Cook beef strips over medium high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking.

Break cheese slice into small stripes. Place cheese on top of meat--still in the pan--and continue to cook until cheese has melted slightly.

Remove from heat and mix the cheesy beef strips in with the veggies. Serve in lettuce "cups".

Makes 1 Serving

197 calories

7.5g fat

1g fiber

Banana Bread

Banana Bread by Marie Burns

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 soft bananas, mashed

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour all contents into a bowl and beat until smooth. Bake in a greased bread pan,

1 hour.

Hummus

Hummus

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.

Variations

For a spicier hummus, add a sliced red chile or a dash of cayenne pepper.

Storing Hummus

Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Add a little olive oil if it appears to be too dry.

Here is the recipe for the cookies that I made for Easter. As you can see, they are really easy to make.


Cake Mix Cookies


Yields 32 cookies

1 box cake mix (any variety....I used chocolate)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (can substitute caramel or peanut butter chips or do a combination.....I used chocolate chips)

1/ 2 -1 cup oatmeal (I used 1 cup)

1 /2 cup oil (I used canola)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/ 2 cup raisins (optional - but I used them. I've also used Craisins before.)

1 tsp. vanilla

nuts (optional - but I used about 1/4 cup of walnuts)

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, blending well. If the mixture is too stiff, add a little water. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute before removing form the cookie sheets.

Marie's Note - I form the dough ball, divide it into four balls, and roll each ball into a log (many times I will stop at this point, and roll the balls in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for "Slice and Bake" cookies at a later date --- 8 cookies per roll - you can cook just a couple of cookies this way!). If making all 32 cookies at one time.......I slice each log into 8 cookies, and cook them 8 cookies per cookie sheet.

I like my cookies to be cooked on the outside, but chewy on the inside, therefore I take them out of the oven when they don't seem to be completely cooked......for my oven that is at exactly 9 minutes. After they have cooled on the pan, and then rested on the baking rack they firm up.