Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Mother-in-Law's Pot Roast, Also Her Dog

Monday afternoon after I took Erika to the MARTA station to go back to California, I stopped and bought a roast. Matt's mom Betty made this roast in my crock pot one time, and I came here to tell you about it.

It has magic powers, e.g., the power to make my child eat onions and the power to make my husband leave the office early.

You need:

a chuck roast, I got a 3lb one
a large onion or two smaller ones
sliced mushrooms
red wine
packet of powdered blue cheese dressing mix
a stick of butter

Cut up the onion into chunks, like little wedges, and put them with the roast into the crock pot. Sprinkle the packet of blue cheese dressing mix onto the meat and onions. Unwrap an entire stick of butter. I mean it, just do it. Unwrap the butter and set it on top of the meat. Put the lid on and turn on the crock pot. I did "high" for six hours. After a couple of hours, when things have settled in a bit, open the lid really quick and pour in about half a cup of red wine. You don't need any other liquid. Go amuse yourself for another couple of hours. Then open the lid one more time and dump in the mushrooms. When the time has elapsed, the roast should be nice and tender and the broth--man--it'll make you want to hit your granny. As the old-timers say.

I served this with baked sweet potatoes. Normally I am all in favor of putting the potatoes or carrots into the crock pot and crocking it with the rest, but you don't want to put in stuff that will soak up too much liquid, Betty says.

Buddy the dog.
Betty came to my house yesterday to fly out of ATL on a trip, and she left her springer spaniel here to stay with us for a week or so. I had told her it was way too long to board him at the kennel, as he is a sensitive soul and it would be too much for him.

It's possible that I am projecting some of my own inner life onto this dog.

So there are the two dogs here. As Matt has remarked, having Buddy around is like having a dog, which is not quite how I'd characterize Percy the Beagle, Moody Daughter of Time. Percy is in a slow boil that Buddy is here. And Buddy is upset that Betty is gone. He's droopy and he definitely has looked around the house for her.

Today he tried to get in my van. He didn't even know where it was going. Just away from here.

So there are a lot of emotional creatures in this house tonight. We get our feelings hurt, then we eat some chow, then we watch a ball roll and find a soft place to lie down. Then we feel better.

That's the scene by me. xo

10 comments:

Camp Papa said...

Buddy is a good dog. You are a better daughter and daughter-in-law.

delaine said...

That roast sounds delicious! I will be trying that for sure! Poor old Buddy. Or maybe I should say poor old Percy?

kathy said...

The roast sounds yummy! I love crock pot meals and this one sounds easy and delicious.

Scott's dog, Spart, literally made himself sick when they went to Australia in 2007. He refused to eat and finally had to be taken to an emergency vet. He is a neurotic little soul.

Lauren said...

I love when you share recipes, Becky!

Justine said...

Coming home early from work? That IS good.

I have found that any recipe I've tried that involves packets of soup or dressing mix are always fantastic. Usually I stare at that aisle thinking that I know I could use them somehow that would be great, but I just don't know how. Thanks for sharing!

Lisa Lilienthal said...

And you did not even mention the stuffed swan in the background?

Meghan said...

Okay...lame question...do you usually find the blue cheese dressing mix at a regular grocery store? For all its national foodie reputation, I've called like 5 grocery stores in Durham and they all act as if they've never heard of such a thing.

Becky said...

Meghan, I just got it at my super target. But ranch dressing would be good too!

Beth said...

I think I need to get a crock pot. I'm eating so much more flesh these days, it would probably be good. I think my husband would pass out if I made beef at home, though. How does chicken do in a crock pot?

adam clean said...

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