Simple Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This is pure comfort food.  A cinch to prep and absolutely delicious.  I'd never made a pot roast before, but several friends of mine had mentioned it was a perfect meal for the crock pot, so I figured I'd give it a shot.  I knew it would please the hubs, who is just as much of a meat and potatoes guy as the next, and I also knew it would result in a meat that would be tender enough to serve to my 10 month old.  He had never had red meat before this meal, so I wasn't sure what his reaction would be, but sure enough, I put a few thin shreds of the beef in front of him, and he dug right in without hesitation and immediately went for a second, third, and fourth bite until it was gone.  I have a feeling he'll be a meat and potatoes guy just like his Daddy. 

Another bonus to this dish (for all the parents of little ones out there), is that the slow cooking of the vegetables in this dish made them incredibly tender and perfect for serving to a little one such as my son...who only has 6 teeth.  Cut into small pieces, he went to town.  (You could even mash them easily with a fork if your little one is still eating purees.) 

Any meal I can prep that makes everyone happy and doesn't require me to be a short order cook is a super win in my book!

This dish wasn't just about convenience though.  I believe my husband said, "This is good.  Wow, this is really good.  No, really - this is really good!" at least 5 times throughout the meal...and then again after he went up for a second helping.  So I'll take that as a sign of a true keeper.

Simple Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Ingredients

• 3-4 lb. roast


• 2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup


• 1 envelope dry Beefy Onion soup mix


• 1 Tablespoon worcestershire sauce


• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or rosemary (I used thyme)


• 2 cups baby carrots


• 2 cups small potatoes (I kept mine whole since they were small, but you might want to halve yours if they're on the large side)


• 8 oz. sliced mushrooms

Directions

1. Combine the cans of soup, dry onion soup mix, and worcestershire sauce in the crock pot and mix until combined.


2. Place the roast in the pot. 


3. Add the carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms (and any other veggies you're in the mood for). 


4. Cook on low for 4 hours and then turn the heat up to high and cook for another 2-4 hours.  (You could also do high for 3-4 hours or low for 7-9 hours.  4 on low followed by 2 on high is the route I chose though, and it resulted in a ridiculously tender meat.)

Note:  This is a versatile recipe in that you can vary the herbs and use any veggies you have in the fridge (onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, etc.).  You could even leave out the veggies and just prep them on the side if you wish.

*Adapted from allrecipes.com.