Green Smoothie

2 cups water
2 cups fresh spinach
2 bananas
1 cup frozen pineapple (1/2 10-oz bag)
1 cup frozen mango (1/2 10-oz bag)

Blend & serve
Makes 2 large smoothies

(Makes 5  8-oz servings)

Pot Roast

1 2-3 LB (approx.) boneless beef chuck roast
1 large onion, diced
1 lb whole baby carrots
3 stalks celery, cut into chunks

1 - 1 1/2 cups beef broth

In a large frying pan, heat about 2 TBS vegetable or olive oil.  Season meat well with salt, pepper and Santa Maria seasoning.
Brown the roast well on the front, back, and all sides.
Transfer meat to a large crockpot.  Include drippings and as much of the browned bits as possible.
Add 1/2 - 1 cup beef broth
add vegetables - scoot as many down the sides of the roast as possible... some may be left on top.
Cook on LOW for 4 - 6 hours** as needed until meat is tender & can easily be pulled apart.
A combination of 4 hours on high and 1 or 2 hours on low may be used, but LOW is better.
**If possible, rearrange vegetables during cooking time to ensure doneness.

FOR A 4 LB ROAST, COOK ON LOW 8 - 10 HOURS.

A 4 LB roast WILL feed 8 people (G's fam)

For Gravy:
When roast is done, remove meat and vegetables to a 9 X 13 dish and cover to keep warm. Transfer cooking liquid to a saucepan.
Taste the cooking liquid - if it tastes weak and not rich enough, boil in saucepan until it reduces down some, tasting as you go.
When liquid is at the desired richness, whisk together 2 TBS flour and enough cold water to make a runny paste.
Gradually add the flour paste to lightly boiling liquid and cook until desired gravy thickness... You may not need all the flour mixture, or you may have to make more depending on how much liquid you had.  I sometimes strain the gravy if it's not very smooth.

Serve with mashed potatoes.

My mom made pot roast nearly every Sunday.  She cooked it in our electric frying pan and would brown it and get it ready so that it cooked while we were at church.  We'd come home and the whole house smelled heavenly of roast and vegetables.  Then she would prepare the potatoes... Either baked or mashed.  Either method took WAY too long while we were waiting to dig into that roast!  She said she made the roast exactly how her mom had made it when she was growing up except that her mom cooked it in the oven.  So three generations, three cooking methods, same wonderful taste!

Ham and Potatoes "2" (Large Casserole)

4 large russet potatoes, peeled, diced large, and cooked until just tender - do not overcook
3 - 4 cups leftover ham, diced
1 large onion, diced

For Sauce:
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups milk
1 can cream of chicken soup - undiluted
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

In a medium saucepan, melt butter; stir in flour and cook together about 2 minutes to form a roux.
Add salt and pepper.
Stir in milk and cook & stir until mixture thickens.
Add soup and cook until smooth.
Add cheese and stir until melted.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together potatoes, ham, and onions.
Pour sauce over all and mix until well combined.
Bake at 350 about 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Crock Pot Caramel Apple Dump Cake

Ingredients

• 1 box Betty Crocker Butter Yellow Cake Mix (15.25 oz.)
• 2 cans Apple Pie Filling (21 oz. each)
• 1 stick Butter, melted
• ½ cup Smucker's Caramel Sundae Syrup

Instructions

1. Spray inside of Crock Pot with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Dump cans of Apple Pie Filling into bottom of Crock Pot, and spread evenly.
3. Evenly drizzle ½ cup Caramel Syrup over apple pie filling.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry Cake Mix and melted Butter, and stir until crumbly. (break up large chunks into small crumbles using a spoon)
5. Pour butter/cake crumble mixture over the Caramel/Apple Pie Filling layer in the Crock Pot, spread out evenly, and cover Crock Pot with lid.
6. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours, or LOW for 4 hours.
7. Serve up with some Whip Cream or a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream and enjoy!

Sauce for Ham

1 pkg powdered glaze mix (comes with spiral-sliced Costco ham)
1 can cranberry sauce - whole or jellied

Mix together and simmer over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
Serve as a sauce with the ham.

Disgustingly Rich Brownies

2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups flour
4 eggs
3/4 cup cocoa
2 sticks butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Grease or spray an 8" X 8" baking pan.
Melt butter over low heat.
I a mixing bowl, combine cocoa and sugar; stir in melted butter.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Add flour and salt.  Mix until just smooth.
Place mixture in prepared pan and spread out in a even layer.
Bake at 350° about 40 - 50 minutes, until brownies just begin to pull away from sides of the pan or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

(From a children's cookbook... my kids loved these when they were little!)

Hot Chicken Salad (casserole)

3 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 cup diced green pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 cups cooked rice
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Topping:
3 cups bread crumbs tossed with 1/4 cup melted butter

Toss together:
chicken, celery, green pepper, onion, cheese, rice

Mix together:
soups, mayo, milk, salt & pepper

Pour soup mixture over chicken mixture and stir to combine.
Place in a 13 X 9 sprayed baking dish.
Spread buttered crumbs evenly over top.
Bake at 350° about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Serves 9 - 12