Roast on Toast

I've been thinking for a couple weeks that I should start posting some of my favorite recipes.  I have this green 3-ring binder that I have all my recipes in.  I tease (sorta) that if there was a fire or tornado coming it's one thing I'm not leaving my house without.  There are recipes in there from my home-ec class in high school and so many others that I would never be able to find again if my treasured recipe book was gone.  So, if I'm posting some of those treasured recipes, maybe slowly my desire to grab that book in an emergency would fade and I would focus more on the important things, like pictures or animals or my favorite blanket, haha.  I mentioned my thought of blogging my recipes to a friend and she told me "YES!"  She would like some of them.  So, I'm going to give it a shot.

This post I'm actually starting with something that is just in my head and not in my book 'ol recipes.....ROAST!!  And an idea for a leftover roast meal.  Ok, I know pretty much anyone that cooks anything, has their way of cooking their roast, but this is how I cook mine.  When I buy roasts at the store the only factor for me is price/price per pound.  Besides some are a little more fattier than others, I've never been able to say one cut tastes better over another cut.  Also, whenever possible I buy the ones that are marked down because they are on their last day of "guaranteed freshness."  When I get them home I always put them in the freezer, even if I'm cooking it the next day. 

(Now, I was raised in a Southern Baptist Preacher's home and so for us roast was always a Sunday Lunch meal.  It is extremely difficult for me to cook one any other time, so I'm posting as if that is when it will be devoured.)

Before I go to bed on Saturday night I pull the roast out of the freezer and put in my crock pot, filling with water until it just covers the roast.  Add in season all, salt, pepper, couple dashes garlic powder, a little onion powder, 3-4 beef bouillon cubes and Worchestire Sauce to turn the water a slightly light brown color.  Put the lid on and turn on the crock pot to high.  (My new crock pot will only stay on high for up to six hours and then go to warm, so I have to put it on low for 10 hours and then in the morning when I get up switch it to high.)  Easy enough!  When I wake in the morning I will add carrots, sometimes drained canned carrots and sometimes fresh baby carrots.  Put the lid back on and go to church.  When we get home from church I spoon out the carrots and pull the roast out of the crock pot.  I transfer them to the microwave only so they will stay warm, I don't turn it on.  Your roast will be wonderfully tender and delicious every time!!!

To make the gravy, I whisk about a cup of fresh water with about 2-3 Tbsp of corn starch and 2-3 Tbsp of all purpose flour until they are well blended, but thick!  You just don't want any lumps or they will transfer as lumps to the gravy and are then hard to break up.  I do all this by sight and really don't measure anything, so if you need a tad more water or flour, add it.  Once it is mixed well, SLOWLY whisk into the water in the crock pot (still on high).  Stir and replace lid.  After about 5 minutes open to see if its too thick or too thin and you can add water if its thick or make another water/corn starch/flour mixture to thicken it up.  When it meets the consistency you want, your gravy is ready. 

When you are finished, save your left over gravy and meat for a delicious meal #2.

Meal #2:
Take the leftover gravy and add the broken up leftover roast meat and heat.  Serve over toast with veggies for a wonderful and quick mid week meal. 

Don't get me wrong, I love having roast for lunch on Sunday's but having the Roast on Toast later in the week is something I look forward to everyday until it is on that day's menu!!

NOTE: Do not try to freeze this gravy, it is GROSS when thawed.

There it is, my first recipe blog.  I hope you enjoy, if you've never cooked a roast, give it a try, it is really simple and delicious!!