crock-pot pot roast...and homemade beef stew for later!

If there's one type of dinner that I love, it would be the easy crock pot meals! Throwing all the ingredients and goods into the crock pot in the morning, working the day away and then coming home to a delightful aroma and knowing all we have to do is dish up the goodness that was cooking all day....ooh boy! I love crock pot meals so today I threw together one of our favorite comfort foods: a beef pot roast! And there was a good sale going on in the meat department this weekend which is why I bought the roast in the first place! Growing up I remember always raising my nose when my Dad said we were having roast for dinner and now I love it...funny how that happens! But I have put a twist on Dad's classic roast recipe and it really amps up the flavor! The second best part of this is since it's only me and Jordan, we always have tons of leftovers so I can make beef stew after. Such a great two-fer recipe!

Beef Pot Roast Ingredients:
2-3 pound beef roast (round, chuck or rump...we always have chuck)
6-8 russet potatoes, cubed
1/2 white onion, sliced and chopped
1 small bag of baby carrots
1 packet of dry Italian dressing
1 packet of dry Ranch dressing
1 packet of dry brown gravy
1 1/2 cups of water

Directions: 1. peel, slice and cube the potatoes, slice onion then throw those along with the carrots into the crockpot. 2. place beef into crock pot on top of the veggies. 3. mix the italian, ranch and gravy packets with the water in a small bowl (helps to keep them from clumping together) and pour the mixture over the meat and veggies. 4. cook on low heat for 8-10 hours (medium heat for 6-8 or high heat for 4-6) 5. enjoy!

If you have leftovers (and you probably will if you add in extra potatoes, lots of carrots and/or have a big roast like we usually do!) here is what you'll need to make the beefstew:

1 16oz can of beef broth
1 packet of dry onion soup mix

Directions: 1. take out the meat from the crockpot and shred with two forks. 2. cut potatoes into smaller cubes if necessary. Add meat and veggies back to the crock pot. 3. add the beef broth and dry onion soup packet and stir together. 4. place crock in refrigerator to store if you plan to eat it the next day or in a freezer safe tupperware to enjoy on a cold day! It defrosts great and tastes just as good as it was fresh from the day I made it! We like to pair it with some crescent rolls and a big glass of milk! Perfect for a chilly fall or winter day meal!