Roast Beef with Veggies, Strawberry Pretzel Salad and Poor Man's Pie

Birthdays are more fun around the family dinner table.

Sunday Dinner with the family is a frequent blessed event here. My easy go to meal when I am short on time or if I have a meeting after church is Beef Roast.

  

I throw potatoes and carrots right in with the meat and it all cooks together and when you walk in the door the aroma wraps itself around you.

  

Because I am cooking for 16, I have graduated from a roasting pan to a roaster/cooker.

For our family I used 9.5 pounds of chuck roast. I make rump roast, and other roasts this same way.

Sprinkle the soup packets over top of the roast.

Peel and cut into fourths, potatoes - I used 5 pounds. Throw in your carrots - we added 2 pounds. Add about an inch of water to the bottom of the pan. Cover and bake 325 for 3 - 4 hours depending on the size of your roast.

Notice the yummy onion from the soup.

These potatoes have enough beef flavor from the juice that you don't need gravy.

You can make gravy with the dripping from the roast.

I have no idea what this is called, but it helps take the grease out of your gravy. Pour your meat drippings into the container.

When you take the black stopper out, the grease floats to the top.

Carefully pour the meat dripping into another pan. Watch the line where the grease and meat drippings meet. Stop pouring when the grease level is at the spout. This is what's left.

Mix about 3 T of cornstarch with 1 C water.

Heat your meat dripping on top of the stove. When it comes to a boil, whisk the cornstarch mix into the drippings. Mix and heat until thickened.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad:

Melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter. I place the dish right on the stove and melt it.

Place enough pretzels to cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with 3 T sugar. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool.

Soften 8 ounces cream cheese.

Mix in 1/2 C sugar.

Add 1 tub Cool Whip. I prefer real whipped cream. I was out of whipped cream and a quick run to the gas station resulted in using the Cool Whip.

Spread mixture over cooled pretzels.

1 package of frozen strawberries.

Take 6 ounces of strawberry jello and add 2 C boiling water. Mix until all jello is dissolved. Add 1 C cold water and stir.

When the strawberries are still partially frozen chop them into bite sized pieces.

Add berries to the jello.

Pour gently over top of the cream cheese mix. Refrigerate.



The recipe for Poor Man's Pie came from Farmer's mom. It was called that because way back then the main supplies of milk, sugar and flour were pretty common in the pantry.

It may not be the prettiest pie, but it is delicious.

1 heaping C flour.

Add 1/2 C Crisco - I won't use any other shortening.

1/2 t salt.

Cut together with pastry cutter until crumbly.

Add about 3 - 4 T cold water and mix until it sticks together. You may need to add a few more Tablespoons of water. You want the mixture to just start sticking together.

Place on floured surface.

Roll out large enough to cover pie plate.

Turn the edges over and trim off excess. Then crimp the edges.

Pour 2 C milk into unbaked pie shell.

Mix 1 C sugar.

With 3 T flour.

Sprinkle over the milk.

Add dabs of butter.

Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Bake 375 for 40  minutes or so. This is a little tricky. The liquid will bubble. Keep it in the oven until the crust starts to get too brown. When you take it out it will be soupy. As it cools, it thickens.