Robyn's Recipes

Meal of the Week

This week I'm featuring an all-in-one meal, so it's easy to put together, not time consuming, and it's a great wintertime menu.  Your family will love it.   Especially those meat-and-potoatoes guys!!!

This meal can be made either in the oven, or can be put in the crock pot and left to slow cook all day long.  I like to make it in the crock pot, because I can start it in the morning and then have the rest of my day to spend with my family and have fun after that long week at work.  So, I'll give you directions for both the oven and crock pot... the method will be your choice.  This is a great Saturday or Sunday dinner!!!

Entree

Favorite Roast Beef

1-1/2 to 2 lbs. Beef Chuck Roast (or your favorite roast cut)
One regular sized can of Cream of Chicken Soup
One envelope Dry Lipton Onion Soup (or any generic brand is fine)
Potatoes (one for each person at your dinner table)
Fresh Carrots (if you or your family isn't crazy about carrots, you can use any frozen or canned vegetables to serve on the side, but carrots can be thrown right in with the roast.)

Rinse thawed roast and place in deep baking dish. 
Pour soup over top of roast and spread out over the roast. (do not dilute soup)
Open packet of dry onion soup and pour about 3/4 of the packet over top of entire roast, on top of soup layer.
Pour about 3/4 cup water around roast.  This will help roast stay nice and juicy during cooking.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Place potatoes (either peeled or unpeeled, whichever you prefer) around the roast.
Peel two carrots per person, cut them at each end, and place all around the roast, arranging them among potatoes.
Cover with lid or aluminum foil.
Bake for 2-1/2 to 3 hours at 350 degrees.

For crock pot:
Follow same directions as above, arranging all in crock pot, same amount of water, and slow cook, covered all day, approximately 8-10 hours.

(Note*--if you and your family aren't crazy about carrots, simply omit them and cook your favorite vegetable on top of stove and serve on the side: lima beans, corn, green beans, peas, broccoli -- your choice!)

Serve with a loaf of warm crusty French or Italian Bread.   (wrap loaf in aluminum foil and place in oven for about 10-15 minutes along with roast).  Cut into slices and serve with butter.... you're set to go!!!

Dessert

Sour Cream Cake with Coconut Topping

This cake is easily made in a short amount of time. 

1 8-oz. container sour cream (fat free works well, if necessary)
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon almond extract
Coconut Topping (recipe follows)

Let sour cream and eggs warm to room temperature for easy mixing.  Remove 2 tablespoons sour cream to a small bowl; reserve it for the coconut topping.

Spray with cooking spray, then dust with flour, an 8X8X2 inch baking pan.  Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Combine remaining sour cream, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder and almond extract in a large bowl.  Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 1 minute, scraping down side of bowl with plastic spatula.  Pour into prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly pressed with fingertip.

Remove baked cake from oven.  Spread coconut topping (recipe follows) evenly over top.  Return to oven.  Bake 10 minutes longer.   Let cool and then serve!!

Coconut Topping

Combine the reserved 2 tablespoons of sour cream, 2 tablespoons soft butter, 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup flaked coconut until well mixed.  Spread on cake.

**If you don't care for coconut, your favorite frosting will do well! (I would suggest any white frosting or a cream cheese frosting.)

This one's for my daughter:

Lisa, this page is dedicated to you this week.  I wanted to post something especially for you that's easy to make and doesn't take a lot of your time.....know you need plenty of time to spend with your pony........  Love, Mom 2. :)