What a crock.

I channeled my inner-June Cleaver this week and spent some quality time with my crock pot -- a device that never ceases to amaze me, that for some reason, I rarely use.

Somehow this magical contraption turned a $3 beef round roast into the most amazingly tender cut of meat I've had in ages. Yes, I understand. It's sloooow cooking. In its own juices. But how can a result so amazing, be so easy? And cheap? This particular pot held 4 meals, and probably set me back about $10.

That's it. I've got the answer. The cure for this recession is lots and lots of crock pot action.

Slow Cooked Beef Goodness

beef roast, 2-ish pounds (cheap is ok, remember: crock pot = magic)
Penzey's prime rib rub
Yukon gold potatoes
5 cloves of garlic
3 large carrots
1 large onion
beef broth, enough to cover roast
red wine, 1/2 cup or so
bay leaves
salt and pepper

I started my roast in the morning before I went to work. I rubbed the meat, then tossed it in the pot with the sliced garlic and onion. I whisked about a TB of corn starch into the broth before pouring it over the beef - but that didn't really seem to thicken up the juices - and I was kind of glad it didn't work when it was done. Then I poured in the red wine, tossed in the bay leaves, covered it up, turned it on low and left.

When I got home about 8 hours later, I could smell it before I even unlocked my door. It was heavenly. I hope the aromas tortured my neighbors and turned them green with envy. Anyway, at that point I threw in the potatoes and the carrots, and let them cook for another couple of hours before the salting, peppering and feasting commenced. Ideally, the whole operation would have taken about 8 hours, and the potatoes and carrots would have gone in at about hour 5.

It doesn't really get more comforting than this one-pot wonder. It almost makes me want more winter. Almost.