I have been a fan of crock pot cooking for over 30 years, and one of my favorite dishes is roast with all the trimmings. Using my crock pot has saved me many, many hours over a hot stove, and has also saved me tons of power, since it's temperature controlled and so little of the heat is lost to the air like it is on a stove. It's also very forgiving for new cooks (which I was at one time), very rarely burning anything. But I digress...
Tonight's dinner is an inexpensive beef roast, slow cooked with 3 large cubed potatos, 2 chopped carrots, 2 chopped celery stalks and 1 large diced onion, started last night and allowed to slow cook all day today. About an hour before I plan on serving it, I'll add seasoned salt to taste. There's a lot of versitility to this dish, as you can leave things out or add things (my favorite is cabbage, but any "cold weather" vegetable would work), and in an 8-12 quart crock pot, there's enough to fill whomever is in the house (usually 3-5 peeps with bottomless stomaches), plus put some away in the freezer for a quick microwave meal. I also pulled off several pints of beef broth and froze it for soup stock later on, since I'm allergic to some of the commercial brands. I also control how much fat is in it, (not much usually), it's a good source of veggies that those with better educations than I say we need more of, and how much salt goes in is also in my control (since I also have a salt restricted diet).
I think the best part of serving crock pot roast is the reaction I get from those who partake. I don't think I've ever had a complaint in the years I've served it. Everyone eats well, everyone seems content (and full) after the meal, and as a bonus, it slows everyone down to really eat and enjoy the meal. I'm looking forward to not only eating this treat tonight, but also seeing the people I care most about well fed and content. :)
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