Tag: soup

Lunch · Main dish.

Balsamic & Dijon Chuck Roast (& Soup with Leftovers!)

RefreshHer2 Comments

Roast 1.jpg

 

When I have a busy day ahead of me and don’t want to have to be fussing much in the kitchen for supper, I pull out the crock pot!  I love  a roast cooked in the slow cooker, because it’s so tender and moist!

This Chuck Roast is so flavorful, thanks to the Balsamic Vinegar.  It gives it a depth of flavor that is  rich and delicious!  It made for the perfect meal on a busy day.  I added a  slaw on the side, and that was it!  Dinner was complete with only about 15 minutes of prep!  Here’s how I did it…

Balsamic and Dijon Chuck Roast

Ingredients

  • 2-3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
  • 4 pounds Chuck Roast
  • 1 medium to large yellow onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2-3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
  • 2 cups beef broth – I added water and chicken stock b/c I was out of beef
  • 1 bag Baby  carrots
  • 1 pound very small baby potatoes, white or red
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over high heat. Season chuck roast well with salt and pepper, add to pan and brown well on all sides (a few minutes a side). Remove roast and set aside.
  2. Add chopped onion to drippings in pot and reduce heat to medium. Saute onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar, increase heat to medium-high and boil until reduced and slightly syrupy, about 4-5 more minutes. Stir in Dijon.
  3. Transfer onions to a crock pot.
  4. Set roast on top of onions in pot. Pour in 2 cups broth and add thyme. Place potatoes and carrots around roast in the liquid.  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or until very tender.

Roast.jpg

If (and that’s a BIG if) you have any leftovers, you’ll want to make this soup for tomorrow’s lunch!  I had about 8 oz. of meat left, as well as carrots and potatoes.  It made a hearty little pot of soup the next day!!!  Most of the work was done already in the crock pot – it’s just a matter of adding some bouillon and seasonings!

Beef Soup
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I’m not going to be able to give you measurements for this soup – it all depends on how much you have leftover to put into the pot!  Just “eye ball it”, adding enough liquid to make it a hearty soup.

Balsamic Beef and Veggie Soup

Shredded Balsamic Chuck Roast
Cooked carrots and potatoes from last night’s supper
Drippings from roast
Beef Bouillon – or Beef broth
Water – To mix Bouillon ( I added half water, half chicken stock)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until heated through.

I’m not sure what was better – supper or the soup the next day!  You try it and let me know which you like best!

With love from my country kitchen,

Lunch

Make Soup with Leftover Mashed Potatoes!

RefreshHer4 Comments

potato Soup.jpg

They say that “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and such was the case with the Potato Soup I made last week!  I had a LOT of leftover mashed potatoes that I wanted to use up, and the first thing that came to my mind was soup!  I have a  couple of Potato soup recipes that we love, but when you have red-skinned potatoes that are perfectly  cooked, mashed and ready for use, it’s a sure-fire ingredient for a delicious soup and also a 30-Minute meal!  Here’s how I made it:

3 Cups Leftover mashed potatoes (I used red-skinned potatoes with the skins on)
1/2 C Onion, diced
2 Tbl Butter
2 Cups Chicken broth
1/4 Cup milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 Cup Grated cheddar Cheese
1/2 Cup light Sour cream
Crumbled Bacon bits
Chopped Green onions

In saucepan, melt butter.  Saute’ onions until soft.  Add chicken stock and milk. Blend in mashed potatoes and stir until smooth.  If it seems too thick, add more broth.  If it’s too thin, add more potatoes. Add seasonings.  Add cheese and stir until melted.  Remove from heat, add sour cream and stir until blended.  Heat on stove just until warmed.

Spoon into bowls and top with bacon bits and green onions.

potato Soup

I don’t know about you, but I often get stumped about what to fix for lunch.  This was a great entree for noon, and really took only a little more time than stirring water into a can of soup!  I’m certain it was far better!  

The next time you have extra mashed potatoes, don’t toss them – try this recipe instead!  It’s so creamy and delicious you’ll want to make again again!

With love from my country kitchen,