Cooking Challenge: The 3 Ingredient Pot Roast

If you remember, I am challenged in the cooking, baking, anything other than tearing up a box and microwaving department. However, the time has come for the Hot Mama to learn how to cook. I may never be known for my amazing entrees, but hopefully I can be known as the woman who reaalllly tried. And...kept trying. I am so lucky that my husband will eat anything!

My lovely and super fancy slow cooker was a wedding present from a friend who knew my cooking woes. It was the gift I was most looking forward to, a gift that I had already supplemented with the One Thousand Slow Cooker Recipes cookbook. It has been sitting in my cupboards for close to two years, gathering dust and giving me the stink eye every time I rummage through and pretend like I don't see it. What a snarky appliance!

Snarky, or not, I conquered this beast in my first cooking challenge. While taking pictures and trying to cook was a unique experience, I had the best time. My son lorded over me in his Bumbo, wide eyed and confused, totally unused to the sight of his Mama in the kitchen. Without further ado, proof and evidence that I completed the cooking challenge!

Did you say mama's COOKIN'?!

The Ingredients:
1. A 3 lb. pot roast
2. 3/4 oz Onion soup mix
3. 2 tbsp Prepared mustard
4. Optional gravy: 2 tbsp cornstarch, 4 tbsp water (tried to ignore this, but I decided I had to make the WHOLE recipe)

The I'm About to Die-rections:

1. 1. Place roast in a large crock pot. (Did this by doing a strange dance with a fork and the plastic covering the roast. I HATE raw meat!!)
2. 2. Squirt or spread a thin layer of mustard over the roast.
3. 3. Sprinkle onion soup mix on top.
4. 4. Cook 8 hours on low (8 hours on high if roast is frozen).
5. 5. OPTIONAL GRAVY: Strain the fat off the liquid and discard fat.
6. 6. Place reserved liquid in a sauce pan and bring to a slight boil.
7. 7. Add cornstarch to the water and make a paste.
8. 8. Add paste to the reserved liquid and whisk until thickened.
9. 9. NOTE: Do not add water to this - it will effectively "steam" the roast and make it tougher. Believe it or not, this will make its own liquid.
   
   After all those steps, I chopped up a large carrot and halved some small potatoes. I just threw them on top of the roast and made sure to heed step #9 by refusing to add water.
   

   

   

   
   

   The finished product:
   

   

   
   
   The only hiccup was the gravy. First it was lumpy, even after a rigorous beating with the whisk. After adding a tad more water, it was then too watery! Could not win, so I just used some pre-made gravy. Overall, super easy and super delicious!! Can't wait to dig into the leftovers! 
   
   
   A big thank you to Hot Mama reader and dear friend, Kimmie, who found this recipe at http://www.food.com/recipe/the-easiest-3-ingredient-crock-pot-roast-ever-slowcooker-416159. 
   
   
   Would you try this recipe? What changes would you make? Are you proud of the Hot Mama? ;) Be sure to drop a line in the comment section below!
   
   
   Xoxo,
   The Hot Mama