Slow Cooker Recipes: Crock Pot Rosemary Roast

Its that time of year when schedules get busier and it is harder to prepare a healthy family dinner when you walk in the door. With slow cookers (also known as crock pots), you can prepare your meal in 10 minutes in the morning and come home to a delicious, hearty meal!

I love using my crock pot for several reasons. First, the aromas of a home-cooked meal are the first thing that greet you when you walk in the door at the end of the day. Second, your dinner is immediately ready as soon as you arrive. No waiting for the oven to finish baking. Finally, I find that its much easier (less stressful) to put your dinner together in the morning than to try to decide on a meal, shop for it and prepare it when you have a hungry family waiting to eat. Nothing says comfort food like slow cooked meat and vegetables in the crock pot!

Our grocery store holds cooking demonstrations twice a month, and I just happened to be passing by when they were showing how easy it is to prepare Crock Pot Rosemary Roast. I went right home and pulled a roast from my freezer. Dinner is going to be so easy tonight!

There are not many ingredients in this slow cooker recipe, which adds to its simplicity and also makes it less expensive to prepare.

• 3 pound cross rib beef roast
• 2 medium onions
• 3 cups baby carrots (or peeled and chopped regular carrots)
• 3 cups mini potatoes (or quartered red or yellow potatoes)
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 c Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 beef bullion cubes
• 3-6 c. of water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start by taking out your slow cooker or crock pot. Peel the onions and roughly chop into quarters, then place at the bottom of the pot. The onions will caramelize as the dish cooks.

Next, salt and pepper the roast to taste, on both sides, then place atop the onions. Add the vegetables: carrots and potatoes are called for in the recipe. You can also add other root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, parsnips or radishes.

Unwrap two beef bullion cubes and place on top of the roast (no need to dissolve before hand). Add the garlic and Worcestershire Sauce next.

If you are using fresh herbs (highly recommended). Take each stem of the rosemary and the thyme and remove the leaves from the woody stem. This is very easy to do - simply hold the end of the sprig and starting at the top, pull your fingers along the stem. Mince the herbs, then add to the crock pot.

All you need to do now is use enough water to just cover the meat. When I prepared this recipe, it was just less than 4 cups of water.

Cover the slow cooker/crock pot and turn it on high. Cook until the meat is tender, about 6-7 hours.

At the end of the day, remove the cover from the crock pot. With a slotted spoon, move the vegetables into a serving bowl. Remove the roast and place on a serving platter. The meat is so tender you can flake it with a fork!

If you wish, you can make gravy with the liquid beef broth remaining in the slow cooker. Our cooking demonstrator used a prepackaged gravy mix in a skillet and whisked in 1 cup of the broth. In just minutes, the gravy is ready. Serve over the roast and vegetables if desired.

We served the roast with a simple salad and butter rolls. Healthy and delicious!

• Using bagged mini carrots and small potatoes, you can save time required to wash, peel and cut vegetables for the Crock Pot Rosemary Roast recipe
• Dried herbs can be used in place of fresh herbs
• Minced garlic may replace freshly chopped garlic cloves
• You can skip the gravy step and only use the broth from the crock pot as an au jus