New Meal Monday: Pot Roast and Mashed Potatoes with Peas

Nick likes to make lists.  lots of lists.  one of his lists: the what-are-we-going-to-eat-all-week list.  which is nice on the day-to-day, when the decisions are already made, but a real pain on the we-want-to-go-shopping-quick-come-up-with-7-meals-Sunday.  And so Nick has created a data base of our meals for quick choosing, and we have instituted New Meal Monday (though it seldom happens on Monday, but alteration is cool)

the premise is simple....I spend a large chuck of change on subscriptions to 3 cooking magazines, because i  like to look at the pretty recipes...and so now we use them, and pick one new meal a week to try out.  sometimes they are keepers, often they require some notes to self for future attempts, and always are an adventure.

Our first endeavors, which unfortunately we failed to document, were a hit.  There was first Apple Honey Chicken courtesy of Food Network Magazine, which was DELISH, though our dark meat selections (as suggested) were more delightful then our chicken breast portions.  Next up was Chicken Flautas, also courtesy Food Network Magazine, and also a winner...though we learned small tortillas are key.

This week's selection: Classic Pot Roast with Garlic-Thyme Gravy and Mashed Potatoes with Peas from Cuisine at Home
This week's verdict:  Pot roast is a keeper, but maybe not this recipe.  it's just not the BEST pot roast EVER and there are lots of recipes out there
This week's well-maybe-next-time: dry white wine.  meh.  how 'bout a white wine we like instead.

This week's bonus: peas left over for Jamie Oliver's Minty Mushy Peas, the perfect side to our British meal.

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Classic Pot Roast with Garlic-Thyme Gravy
Servings: 6
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 boneless cuck roasst, trimmed, sesoned with salt and pepper (3-4 lbs)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups sliced onions
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
3 large celery ribs, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat.  sear roast on all sides, 10 minutes total.  Transfer roast to a 4-6 qt slow cooker.
Stir flour into saute pan; cool 1 minute.  Add tomato paste and cool 1 minute more.
Deglaze saute pan with wine. cooking until liquid evaporates, stir in broth and Worcestershire, bring mixture to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits.
Transfer broth mixture to the slow cooker; add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves.  Cover and cook until meat is fork tender, on high-heat setting for 4-5 hours or on low-heat setting 8-9 hours. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves before serving.