Apple-Onion Pot Roast and Garlic Potato Wedges

Taste of Home's Light & Tasty Annual Recipes 2003 Cookbook
This cookbook has several pages featuring 27 different meal plans. I used one of those for the dinner pictured below. I thought these potatoes were the perfect coupling for the roast. Another thing I like about this cookbook is that most of the recipes have pictures to go with.
Apple and Onion Beef Pot Roast

Serves: 8

1 boneless beef sirloin tip steak (2 - 3 pounds)

1 cup water

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 large, tart apple

1 large onion

2 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

1/8 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce

In a large nonstick skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, brown roast on all sides. Transfer to a 5-qt slow cooker. Add water to the skillet, stirring to loosen any browned bits; pour over roast. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder. Top with apple and onion. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until meat is tender.

Remove roast and onion; let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Transfer liquid from slow cooker into a saucepan, discarding apple. Bring liquid to a boil; cook until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir in browning sauce. Stir into cooking liquid. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over beef and onion.

*Note - Candleman said this was the best pot roast he has ever tasted. Served it to my mother and brother and sister-in-law and they all raved about it, too. Since this recipe doesn't make enough gravy for potatoes, the Garlic Potato Wedges were a perfect side dish.

Garlic Potato Wedges

Serves: 8

4 pounds small red potatoes, cut into wedges

1/3 cup olive oil

16 peeled garlic clove

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary

or 2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cider vinegar

4 teaspoons dijon style mustard

3 teaspoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup chopped green onions

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, 1 tablespoon of the oil, garlic, rosemary and salt. Pour into 15-in x 10-in x1-in baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 25-30* min or until potatoes are tender, stirring every 10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, mustard, sugar, pepper and remaining oil until smooth. Pour over the potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with onions.

*Note - I cooked the potatoes for 35 - 40 min. These potatoes are a nice change from boiled, baked or mashed. I will be making these again; along with the roast.

Double-Chocolate Cream Roll

from Taste of Home's Light & Tasty Annual Recipes 2003 Cookbook.
Serves: 12

1 1/2 teaspoons shortening

5 eggs, separated

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup plus 2 teaspoons powdered sugar, divided

3 tablespoons baking cocoa

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups cold, milk

2 3-ounce packages instant white chocolate pudding mix

4 ounces cream cheese, softened*

3 tablespoons carmel ice cream topping, divided

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, divided

1 tablespoon hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

Coat 15-in x 10-in x 1-in baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Grease the paper with shortening; set aside.

CAKE - In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemon-colored. Add vanilla. In another bowl, combine 1 cup powdered sugar, cocoa and salt; gradually add to egg yolks. In another mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes or until cake springs back when light touched. Immediately invert the cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with remaining powdered sugar. Gently but quickly peel off parchment paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on wire rack.

FILLING - In a mixing bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Set aside 1 cuup. Unroll cake; spread remaining filling evenly over cake. Drizzle with caramel topping; sprinkle with 6 tablespoons walnuts. Roll up starting with long side. Spread reserved filling over cake roll. Drizzle with hot fudge sauce and caramel topping. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

* Notes: The original recipe didn't call for cream cheese, but I 'knew' it would only improve the final product.
I made this dessert for my mother's birthday cake. It received untold compliments both on looks and taste. I am making it again this weekend for my daughter's visit.

*I made this recipe again a week later. It was quicker and easier on the 2nd trial. Everyone loved it so it will definitely go in my family favorite recipes. This is a great when you want something light, yet chocolatey.

Welcome to My Food Blog

I started this blog so I could post pictures and recipes for the Soup's On: A Culinary Reading Challenge. The object is to choose 6 cookbooks to read/browse; making several recipes from each and reporting on what we liked and didn't like. You can find the six cookbooks I chose for this challenge and the reasons for choosing them on my book blog, A Reader's Journal.

I will probably expand this blog to include other recipes when the challenge is over.