Pot Roast and Yorkshire Pudding

Before I was a grown-up, my Mom cooked a roast every Sunday for dinner.  My Dad insisted on a Roast Pork, Roast Chicken or a Roast of Beef.
I have to admit, at the time it didn’t seem very special–and I know my Mom and Sister will agree that us girls could have often opted to never have a roast again!

However, know that I am a grown up  I can say that one of my fondest memories of childhood  (and still favourite things to do–my Dad will be so proud!) is lounging about on a Sunday afternoon smelling a roast  cook in the oven or the crockpot.

So, being Sunday  I cooked Pot Roast and Yorkshire Pudding for dinner, and Banana Cake for dessert–it is the perfect day!!  So satisfying!

(…one extra thing I love about a roast–we will get a couple more meals out of it this week–there is enough for a couple of roast beef sandwiches–and lots of extra gravy to make French Onion Soup–will share that at a later date too!).

The Best Pot Roast

3 pounds inexpensive beef roast cut (like a blade roast)
 1 tsp each mustard powder, cracked pepper, thyme, paprika, garlic powder. (or any combo you prefer)
Red Wine
1 onion sliced into wedges
8-10 button mushrooms halved or quartered

Mix seasonings and coat roast in the mixture.
In 1tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil, brown roast really well on all sides.

Place roast in the crock pot. 

Add onions and mushrooms to fry pan and saute lightly.  Deglaze pan with and a cup of red wine an simmer with onions and mushrooms about 5 minutes. 

Add to crockpot.  Top with 1 cup water (and a little more wine if necessary), bayleaf, 1/4 tsp chili flakes, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar.  Cover and cook about 4 hours on high.

**gravy–-once the beef is done, remove from the crockpot and set aside.  Mix 4tbsp brown Bisto, 2 tbsp cornstarch and about 3/4 cup water.  Add to the juices in the pot and mix until it becomes thick

Yorkshire Pudding
**make this in the morning and let it sit covered loosely on the counter for the day.
2 eggs well beaten
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/4 cup milk.

alternately add flour and milk to the eggs, mixing well until there are no lumps.

When ready to cook, add 1/2 tsp butter and a little of the roast juices to each section of a muffin tin.  Heat  pan in the oven until very hot.  Fill each muffin tin with the pudding mix until about 3/4 full.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. 
Enjoy!