Warm up with Slow Cooker Pot Roast and Broccoli Cheddar Soup

For tonight's dinner I had some inspiration from a few different sources.  First of all, it is freakin' cold here right now.  Sure, -24 isn't really all that cold but when you factor in something the Canadians like to call 'windchill', it actually feels like -35.  WHAT?  REALLY?  That sounds awful you say?  It can be really awful because in weather like this your exposed skin can freeze in as little as 10 minutes, but we adjust, we know it is going to happen so we dress for the weather, bundle up then meet the ladies for swimming....yes, I said swimming.  We all bundle up and put our toques on after..it's all good!  Second, while talking with my friend on the phone yesterday (and promising each other we would meet at the pool later) she talked about putting a roast in the slow cooker.....YES!!  Great idea!
Tuesdays are busy so the slow cooker would be perfect.  This one is really almost too easy to talk about.  After aquafit with my ladies, I stopped at the store and picked up a blade roast which is a cheaper cut of meat but perfect for slow cooking all day, low and slow!
Third, I also happened to have the television tuned into Food Network Monday after work...which is pretty much the only channel that the telly is tuned to when I am home.  5 Ingredient fix was on and she was making a broccoli soup!  After walking to and from work in -35 celsius weather on Monday....soup was sounding awesome.  I really wanted a broccoli cheddar soup though.  You know me well enough by now to know that if I can't add bacon, I will add cheese!  (I am sure I can come up with a recipe to incorporated bacon into a broccoli cheddar soup....hmmmm idea for future post!!)
So here is my cold weather slow cooker pot roast & broccoli cheddar soup!!

Easiest ever Slow Cooker Pot Roast

•  1 blade roast
• 2 small or 1 medium onion
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
•  3/4 cup water
• salt and pepper

Slice onions and toss in to the bottom of the slow cooker.

Sprinkle salt and pepper all over the roast and place roast on the top of the onions.

Sprinkle the evelope of onion soup mix all over the roast.

Add the 3/4 cup of water to the bottom of the slow cooker.

Turn the slow cooker on to low and go to work!  (make sure the slow cooker is plugged in first!!)

When you get home numerous hours (7-8) later, remove the fully cooked roast to a plate and cover with foil.  Turn the slow cooker to high and replace the lid.

Mix a slurry of flour (or the thickener of your choice) with some water.  Pour into the liquid left in the pot and stir vigorously.  Replace the lid to let the gravy thicken.
Slice up the roast and serve!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Printable version

• 4 shallots, roughly chopped 
• 2 stalks broccoli, washed and roughly chopped into smallish pieces (didn’t measure but there were 2 good size trees) 
• 2 tbsp Olive oil 
• 1 litre veggie stock (or chicken) 
• 1 ½ cups shredded old cheddar 
• 4 tbsp flour (mixed with some stock or water to thicken the soup)

 Heat the pot to medium and add the olive oil to the pan.

Over medium heat, sauté the shallots until translucent.  Add a pinch of salt and a grinding of pepper.

Toss the broccoli pieces into the pot and cook for a couple of minutes.

Pour in the veggie stock and cook until the broccoli is tender.

Using a stick or immersion blender, blend the soup right in the pot.  I like leaving it a bit chunky but if you prefer a more smooth soup then use the blender and blend the soup in batches returning to the pot when done.

In a separate bowl, mix the flour and a little bit of stock or water together until smooth.  Add to the hot soup and stir.  This will help to thicken the soup.

Add the cheese to the soup and stir until melted.  Serve with extra cheese or a dallop of sour cream...or what ever floats your boat!

What do You Mean You are STILL Hungry???? Some friendly neighbourhood tips on feeding a hungry teen.

Keeping enough food in the house to feed a rapidly growing almost 15 year old boy is tough.  Not only can it be expensive but it is a never ending job.  After school snacks are more like a first dinner.  Snacks after baseball practice have turned into just another meal.  I swear he would eat in his sleep if he could. When I tell you that my boy is a big guy, what I mean is that he is tall.  He towers over me.  If I need something from the top shelf, which is waaay out of my reach, I just call my son.   At the tender young age of 14, he is already over 6 feet tall....he doesn't get that from me.

Between baseball workouts, growth spurts, and his seemingly bottomless stomach, we have been looking for ways to keep him full.  Lucky for us, our son will give anything a try and is not a picky eater.  He loves sandwiches.  Actually, I think that is an understatement....he LOVES sandwiches.  The only problem with sandwiches is that deli meat is not only expensive but it is loaded with nitrates, sodium, and any number of other additives.  Lucky for us, today was grocery shopping day!

Today while shopping, outside round roasts were on sale.  We snagged a nice size roast for little money, rubbed it up with flavour and slow roasted it in the oven.  We will slice it up with the deli slicer and voila: sandwiches for lunches and snacks.  Of course it does take a little more than a great deal on a roast to feed a ravenous teen ager for a week.

Since I do enjoy baking and my son enjoys eating the results of my baking, yesterday I had a bakery day in my kitchen.  It really is a perfect match. I made a double batch of honey seeded buns and a double batch of pretzel rolls.  Both of these will help keep the food costs down for the week.  He can make a quick bunwich (or 3), have a piece of fruit and get on with his day.

 Tips for feeding hungry teens:

• Shop the sales!  Buy a roast or chicken or which ever is on sale and plan the weeks lunches and snacks around that.
• Cook your sale meat items to your liking and slice.  The kids will be more likely to use it up if it is already sliced and easy to access.  
• Freeze excessive amounts in 1 or 2 sandwich portions for easy thawing and sandwich making.
• bake your bread or buns at home, if possible.  If not, keep the freezer stocked with:
• buns
• tortillas
• pitas
• flatbreads
• anything to make a sandwich or a wrap
• keep a basket in the fridge with approved sandwich fixings (helps keep kids away from things you are wanting to use for other meals):
• mayo
• mustard
• cheeses
• dressings or spreads of choice
• washed lettuce (also great for salads on the go) I like to buy the giant bag of prewashed lettuce to keep on hand so my son can make a quick cesar salad.
• keep another basket with pieces of fruit or other pre portioned snack items that are solely for the purpose of snacking and lunches.  Ours tends to include:
• apples
• oranges
• baggies of carrot sticks
• yogurt cups
• baggies of other cut fruit (melon, pineapple)
• baggies of grapes, cherries

(These baskets are also a great way to get teens to make their own lunches for school.  Just keep them stocked and get input from the kids so you know what to buy)

 
Peppered Roast Beef

Pre heat the oven to 250 degrees F. (This temperature can change depending on what type of roast you have purchased.  Some roasts cook up better in a low temperature oven.)

Today I used an outside round roast.  Take it out of the fridge to come to room temperature while you assemble the rub.

Make a rub to season the roast.  Today I used:

• 2 tbsp black pepper (fresh ground)
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

Rub the pepper mixture all over the roast, don't miss any part of the roast.  This rub will make a nice peppery crust on the outside of the roast.

Place the roast in a roasting pan, stick in a thermometer, and cover with foil.

Roast in the oven until medium on your thermometer (or medium rare, if that is how you like it).

Allow the roast to cool before you slice it.  This not only allows the juices to redistribute but allows the crust to settle on the roast.

Slice to desired thickness and start making sandwiches!!