Two Words: Pot. Roast.

Well, I promised. So here it is.

I already touted off the fact that cold weather makes us crave warm, comforting foods and yaddi yaddi yaddah, so I won't bore you with flowery details and romanticized crap like I normally do. Here, I'm just giving you a straight up, super good, shut your face easy recipe that will have anyone you make it for worship the very ground you stand on.

Ok, so maybe it's not quite that drastic, but you get the point. This recipe is ridiculous it's so easy. Ready for it? Here it comes...

Aunt Beth's Pot Roast

3 lb boneless beef chuck pot roast

1 10.75 oz can of cream of mushroom soup

1 envelope of onion soup mix (it comes 2 to a box, so just use 1)

1 tbspish of olive oil (extra virgin or not, whatever)

Carrots

Potatoes

Oh, and as far as amounts for the carrots/potatoes go, I don't have any. Just deal with it, because frankly, I don't know how many family members you have, and I don't know how much they eat. In my case, I'm usually the one who eats all this amazing goodness, so I just buy a big chuck roast -- something in the 3 lb range -- and how much carrots and potatoes to use depends on the size of the vessel you're going to cook it in. The picture above is how it should fit into whatever you're using. You want to fill it about 2/3 of the way full. Mine looks a little higher than that, you can go a bit higher, but not so much that it's level with the rim of the vessel.

Preheat your oven to 325 and start by mixing the cream of mushroom soup with the onion soup mix until thoroughly combined and set aside. Then add oil to a pan and heat until the oil shimmers. Add the roast and sear on both sides (just sear, don't try to cook it in the pan). When one side is nicely browned, flip. While that is working, cut up your carrots and potatoes. Don't bother to peel. All the nutrients are in the skin, so just give 'em a good wash. What I do is cut the carrots into thirds. The smaller bottom portion can stay whole, then I cut the middle portion in half and the top portion in quarters to keep the sizes relatively consistent. As for potatoes, if they are small, cut them in half, large ones can either be quartered or, if they're extremely large, cut into 6ths.

Once the meat is seared, move it to your cooking vessel (you can use a dutch oven, my mom always used this particular thing so I just go with it). Arrange the carrots and potatoes around the perimeter of the roast. Then slather on the mushroom/onion soup goodness over top of the meat. If you don't have a tight fitting lid for whatever you're using, take a piece of foil and crimp around the top to help achieve an airtight seal. Don't get all crazy about this, just make sure it is closed. 

Lid up, put in the oven and cook for 2 1/2 hours. At that point, use a fork and wiggle around in the meat -- if it falls apart like perfect, delicious pot roast should then you are good to go. If not, give it another 10ish minutes and check again. Repeat until it is done.

Trust me. There is no possibility for disappointment in this recipe. Honestly.