One True Ingredient: Peas and Carrots

Not all meals are a success. To be honest, it was not the fault of the peas and carrots, it was mine. Just because the roast had been stewing in its own juices for eight hours in the crockpot did not mean that it was warm enough to both heat the cold brown rice through and thaw the peas and carrots. Note to self: next time always thaw the peas and carrots.

The STC spent the night at work, but the chuck roast I’d pulled out of the freezer on Sunday really needed cooked, so I used our new cookwear from GreenLife, available through Walmart, which worked to spectacular effect. I’m totally in love with these pans. Eggs don’t even stick. You fry an egg, flip it, and it slides right out on the plate, no need for oil. Whatever alchemy makes this possible has my devotion.

Anyway, I seared both sides of the chuck roast and threw it in the crockpot with three(ish) cups of water, some beef bouillon, marsala wine, salt, pepper, parsley, paprika, onion powder and two dried red peppers from the garden a couple years ago. Red peppers are always tricky, since they don’t always seem to have the same flavor, but I took a risk. Deglazed the pan with some red wine I had in the fridge (Mommy needs some liquid patience sometimes) and that’s it. Cooked the meat on high in the crockpot for three or four hours and then was heading to town for groceries (go MPerks) so turned it down to low for another four(ish) hours. Turned the meat out over leftover brown rice and the aforementioned doomed peas and carrots and that was where I went wrong.

I repeat, always thaw the frozen veggies first, no matter how hot you think the meat juices may be.

Until next week, and our next food story, eat well, stay healthy.