Week of Feb 7th, 2016

Carbonara with Poached Egg

Mon Pot Roast
Tue - Hot Beef Sandwiches
Wed Carbonara
Thur Shredded Chicken Tacos
Fri Michael's Special Birthday Dinner - Osso Bucco!
Sat French Onion Soup

Beef Pot Roast
Ingredients
3 lb chuck roast
salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 lb bag carrots, chopped or baby carrots
4 celery, chopped

Crock Pot Roast`

4 cloves garlic, pressed
6 medium red potatoes, quartered
1 tbsp thyme
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp browning liquid
5 cups beef or veggie stock
Directions
Brown roast in 2 tbsp oil on high heat preferably in the roasting pan or cast iron pot (Dutch oven) you will be using to roast meat in oven. Turning to brown on all sides. Remove meat. While still on high heat, add 1 cup of the stock, scrap pan. Add all other ingredients except potatoes to pan. Return meat and add enough stock so that liquid reaches about halfway up the side of meat. (Add more stock if needed) Bake covered with foil /lid for 3 hours at 350F. Turn meat over every hour. Remove meat. Add potatoes to pot, and return meat. the liquid should cover the potatoes. Add more HOT stock if need. Cover. Cook for one more hour or until potatoes are tender.
Roast should be fall-apart tender when done.
For Gravy:
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
mix together, whisk into drippings from roast pan on high heat. Boil, whisking constantly until thickness is reached.
NOTE: SLOW-COOKER directions:Add vegetables to bottom of cooker. Pour in stock and bay leaves. Put roast on top and add seasonings. Cook on high for 6 hours. At the last 2 hours, mix in the flour and butter mixture.

Hot Beef Sandwiches
12 slices white bread
Leftover Roast Beef (at least 1 cup)
Leftover Beef Gravy (at least 2 cups)
Heat beef and gravy together in a sauce pot until hot. Pour over bread. Serve with mashed potatoes and a vegetable.
NOTE: If you do not have enough gravy, make more using a can of beef stock, 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce and 2 tbls flour. Mix together with any leftover gravy you  have (or alone, if you have no leftovers). Boil until thickness is desired. Taste, add salt and pepper as necessary.
Makes 4 large 3-piece servings

Shredded Chicken Tacos

2 lb of boneless, skinless chick thigh or breast

2 (4  oz) cans of diced green chili's

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 tbsp lime zest

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

corn tortillas

*optional garnishes:

lime quarters

shredded cheese

sour cream

shredded cabbage/lettuce

SLOW COOKER VERSION To cook meat: Place chicken, chili's, onion, in the slow cooker. Cover and cook for 4-5 hours on high or until meat is falling apart tender. When done take out meat and shred with forks. Put sauce in a blender or food processor until blended. Mix with meat. Serve with tortillas, garnishes, canned re-fried beans and boxed Mexican rice.

Osso Bucco

Olive oil 

1/2+ 2 tbsp cup flour

Salt and Pepper

1-2 pork shanks, whole OR 4 shanks at 1 1/2 -inches thick and tied tightly around the middle with kitchen string (reduce time to 2 1/2 hours if using smaller shanks)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

3-4 cloves minced garlic

3 bay leaves

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp rosemary

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups Marsala wine (you can also use a dry red wine)

1 quart vegetable stock

chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Heat a large oven safe pan over medium heat. Add the oil and heat until very hot. Season shanks generously with salt and pepper.  In a shallow bowl or plate place the flour to dredge shanks in. Shake to remove any excess flour, then transfer shanks to the pot and cook until well-browned on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the shanks and set aside. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and saute until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, 1 tsp each salt and pepper.  Pour the wine in the pot carefully, and scrape the bottom of the pan to get the bits of meat/fat there. Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Return the shanks to the pot. Add enough stock to come 2/3 the way up the shanks. Bring to a boil. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven. Check the liquid level and turn shanks over every hour. Add more stock or water if needed. Cook in oven at 350F until the shanks are fork tender, for about 4-5 hours.

When done, remove shanks from pot and keep warm. Sauce: Drain juices into another pot and bring to boil. Mix 1/2 cup juices from pot and flour together until combined (called a slurry). Stir the slurry into the juices. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Whisk until thickened, over high heat.

Serve with mashed potatoes or over pasta or risotto. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.