Rainy Day Recipe

It's a gloomy, rainy Saturday and I must admit I'm kind of glad. I find it to be very productive when I feel stranded at home. I clean, catch up on my reading, and spend more time in the kitchen. For some of my friends and family, my love for cooking has come as quite a surprise. Let's just say I was never considered to be the homemaker type. I don't blame them, before I got married the only things I knew how to cook were frozen pizzas and scrambled eggs. But as soon as my husband and I got back from our honeymoon, I knew I could not in good conscience eat out of the freezer every night. I wanted to sit down to a good, home-cooked meal as often as possible, and I wanted my husband to as well. To my surprise, the first meal I prepared as a wife turned out edible. And so my love of cooking began right then and there, in our little two-bedroom rental house with exactly one square foot of counter space.

These days I thankfully have a house with a bigger kitchen and more experience under my belt, so I like to be a little more creative. Like most men out there, my husband likes a hearty meal, so I've tried my hand at roast several times before. Its always turned out good, but lacking a little in the flavor department. So to this recipe I added a little secret ingredient (Italian dressing mix) that I think punches up the flavor. This roast turned out flavorful and delicious, and its perfect for a rainy day.

Dutch Oven Beef Roast
1 2lb boneless chuck roast
2 TBS olive oil
3/4 cup water
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 package dry Italian dressing mix
4 small baking potatoes or sweet potatoes, cut in chunks
3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven. Season meat with salt and pepper; Brown meat on both sides. Combine water, Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt. Pour over meat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, one hour.

After one hour, add vegetables and Italian dressing mix. Return to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, another hour. Let stand a few minutes before serving. Be sure to scoop sauce over top. Goes well with fresh bakery bread.