Mississippi Roast!



My sister found this roast on Pinterest originally and they really liked it, so I thought I would try it for the blog.  The recipe is a whole like what I do to make my Spicy Italian Beef, except that you use Ranch Dressing mix instead of Italian and less of the spicy seasonings. This recipe makes a really good beef gravy that is perfect with mashed potatoes or you could serve it with egg noodles or even rice.    The results were wonderful and you do it in the slow cooker.  You throw it all in the night before or in the morning before you go to work and it's ready when you get home.  As far as I can determine this recipe originated on a blog called Laurie's Life http://lseo.blogspot.com/.    I certainly want to give credit where credit is due and Laurie has a hit here.  

You will be surprised to see how few ingredients you need for this:

Roast (I used about a 4 lb chuck roast,.  I do think the chuck roast works best. )

1 envelope of ranch dressing mix

1 envelope of au jus mix

1 stick of butter

pepperoncini peppers  (the original recipe used about 4 or 5 whole peppers, I used the pepper rings and mixed some pepperoncini and jalapeno rings)

I added a sprinkling of black pepper and a sprinkling of seasoned salt, but that is very optional.

Spray your slow cooker with nonstick spray.  It makes clean up so much easier.  Place your roast in the slow cooker and sprinkle with a little black pepper and a little seasoned salt.  Sprinkle the top with the ranch dressing mix and the au jus mix. 

Place peppers on top of mixes.  I used a mixture of jalapeno and pepperoncini peppers.  I like the pepper rings because they disintegrate in the cooking process and just become part of the gravy.  My family is not big on peppers and they never see them this way.  Don't leave these out though, because they really add flavor to this. If you don't use too many, they don't even add noticeable heat.



Add the stick of butter on top!  The butter is what makes the gravy in this soooo good!  Set your slow cooker to 8 hours on low and forget it. You do not add any additional water to this!  Your roast will be tender and delicious and will have made it's own gravy!   I served with mashed potatoes, but you could serve with egg noodles or for our deep south folks, rice.

Add the stick of butter on top!  The butter is what makes the gravy in this soooo good!  Set your slow cooker to 8 hours on low and forget it. You do not add any additional water to this!  Your roast will be tender and delicious and will have made it's own gravy!  

This is great served with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or for our deep South friends, rice! 













Down Home Kid Friendly Chili!

 

 

 

 

For years now, I have always prepared a big pot of chili or some other soup to have on Halloween.  When we had kids to get ready for trick or treating, mine and usually somebody else's,  it was just a convenient meal to have when we got back from festivities and the smell of a big pot of chili just made it seem like part of what Halloween smelled like to me along with dried, falling leaves and children with chocolate on their breath.   The smells of a holiday always stick with us so much more than what we actually see or do.   That's why I think  food brings back the most memories for people. 

 

This chili recipe is very kid friendly, because it's not terribly hot and spicy and it gets a touch of sweetness from a little brown sugar.  You might think that's odd, but it makes it taste amazing.  Try it and you won't make it again without it.   This can be all thrown in the slow cooker and cooked all day or you can make it in a soup pot and have it ready in an hour.  Either way works great and it just gets better as it sits. It's even better the next day.    Also, if you like the heat and spice and you aren't cooking for children or  those who are heat sensitive, like my husband, feel free to spice it up.  I add hot sauce to mine in my own bowl because I like hot.   Here is what you will need: 

 

 



 

 

2 lbs. ground chuck

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced small

1 can diced tomatoes with green chilis, like Rotel or Pace (use mild if you don't want too much heat)

1 can Hunt's Chili Fixins

1  15 oz. can tomato sauce

2 cans chili beans, undrained  ( I like the Ranch beans)

1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs. chili powder (may add more if you like spice)

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

dash of cayenne ( to your taste)

1/2 cup brown sugar  (this makes it so much better)

3 cups water  (use 2 if cooking this in the slow cooker)

 

Brown the ground chuck with the onion and green pepper. Drain the excess grease.  If you are cooking in a slow cooker, add the brown ground beef to the slow cooker and proceed from there. 

 

Add all of the other ingredients in the order listed.  Bring to a low boil, then turn to low and simmer for about an hour.   Stir this every now and then because it has a tendency to stick at first.  After it cooks for 45 minutes or so, add a little more water if needed or depending on how thick you like your chili. 

 

If preparing in the slow cooker, set to low and let it go for 6-8 hours.  You won't need as much water added in the slow cooker. 

 

 



Down Home Kid Friendly Chili!