Along with soups, pot roast is another favorite of mine for our cool weather. This recipe is inspired from one of my Silver Palate cookbooks. I think it's a very good version of a "traditional" style pot roast.

Beef Pot Roast

4 lbs. boneless chuck roast
3 T. olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 cups beef stock
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
Approximately 1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley, plus additional for garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/3 cups chopped yellow onion
3 cups peeled, 1-inch carrot chunks
8 small-ish potatoes (Yukon Gold are good), scrubbed and cut into thirds
2 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, with juice
1 cup diced celery

Preheat oven to 350 (see *Note below).

Rub roast with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a heavy casserole, sear roast for several minutes on each side, browning well.

Pour in stock and wine; add parsley and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in onions, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes and celery. Liquid in casserole should just cover vegetables. Add additional beef stock, if necessary. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove, cover and bake in center of oven for 2 1/2 hours.

Uncover and cook longer, until meat is tender, approximatley one more hour, basting frequently. Taste for seasoning.

Transfer roast to a deep serving platter and arrange vegetables around it. Spoon a bit of sauce over all and garnish the platter with parsley. Pass additional sauce in a gravy boat.

*Note: If using an enamel coated cast iron Duth oven (such as Le Creuset), set the oven to 325. Even at this lower heat you may find you don't need to cook it quite as long as the recipe indicates...just keep an eye on it. I've even turned the oven to 300 for the final hour in a Le Creuset pot.

You know Champagne; you're right, and 100% correct! There are some foods, and recipes that I belive we all gravitate to on a seasonal basis. There are meals I would never consider in August, which seem so appropriate, in January. Let's talk about some of those winter "comfort foods" on this thread. How about starting with "Beef Bourguignonne", for example. (damn, I hope I spelled that correctly). Or, Beef Stroganoff. We are talking about really heavy meals, to get you through a cold, and windy night. Ceviche, and shrimp cocktail can wait till August.

Maynard

Maynard, I could talk to you about beef bourguignon and stroganoff all day long. They're two of my top favorites!

Mine too. Then there is speggetti, meat loaf, swedish style meat balls in mushroom sauce on rice. Soups of all kinds of course.

How about porkupine meatballs over rice. Yikes!

Leni and Maynard, those are GOOD ones!!! How about macaroni and cheeeeeeese?

We need to savor this...before you know it, we'll be talking about warm weather food again.

Campagne

You said the magic word. I saw the duck come down. (if you're too young to get the joke, think Groucho Marx). I have a recipe for M & C that will blow your socks off. Three cheeses, and gooey is an understatement.

L A Times; ten years ago. Someone asked for a restaurant recipe, and they served it up. Superb. I believe it may have been the Mustard Seed Cafe/Deli, in Studio City.

Ask, and yee shall recieve.

Maynard

A few of my favorite cold weather dishes (I started out with 2 in my head, and just kept going).

Pork chops with mushroom gravy

Anything with gravy!

I saute mushroom, onions, and celery in butter (kind of like the beginnings of stuffing) with herbs, and serve it as a side dish.

Roasted root vegetables with herbs and a dash of maple syrup.

Roasted squash with maple syrup and bacon in the "pocket."

Time to stop now

I am having trouble posting. This was a test and it worked! I kept getting an error notice.

Maynard, I'm definitely asking! And yes, I get the duck thing and Groucho.

Dorothy, I had trouble posting this reply. I copied what I typed, went back to Recipe Exchange, clicked on Pot Roast again, then pasted my reply back in. Kind of a pain but it seems to work.

Maynard, I'm asking too. Please. There's nothing more comforting than creamy macaroni and cheese. I too get the duck thing. I graduated from high school in 1966 Can't believe I'm this old. And our only son is a freshman in college. Yikes!

I get the duck thing also. Sigh! I turn 65 this month.

OK; let the games begin. I first made this on 17 Jan 2000. I will give it to you as written, with this caveat. The amounts of cayenne, mustard, salt and pepper, are mine. The recipe did not specify, and I thought the amounts I've indicated seemed appropriate. For my taste, they are. Use black pepper if you wish. White pepper, unless you happen to have it on hand, is, in my opinion an affectation.

"It's the Cheesiest"

Dear SOS: Mustard Seed Cafe in Los Angeles, makes the most delicious, creamy macaroni and cheese, which is offerred as a special. I would love to have the recipe.

Eileen H, Ritchie
Pasadena

Dear Eileen: There is enough cheese in the macaroni and cheese to give new meaning to the words "rich and gooey", which often describes this American favorite.

Mustard Seed Cafe Macaroni and Cheese
Active work time 25 minutes . Total prep time 1 hour

WHITE SAUCE

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
3/4 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper

Melt buter in large skillet over medium low heat. Stir in flour to make a roux, cooking and strirring 2 to 3 minutes. Add milk and broth. Simmer until thickened and liquid has evaporated 6 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with nutmeg, cayenne, mustard, salt and pepper. (see my note at top)

MACARONI

3/4 lb (3 cups) grated Cheddar cheese
1/4 lb (1 cup) grated Gruyere or Swiss cheese
2 oz (1/2 cup) grated Parmesean cheese
1 lb Macaroni, cooked and drained
1 1/2 cups croutons

Combine Cheddar, Gruyere, and Parmesean cheese. Stir 3/4 of the cheese into hot white sauce. Pour cheese sauce over cooked macaroni (in a bowl, mix) Pour into 13/9" baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with remaining cheese. Crush croutons in food processor and sprinkle evenly over top. (Maynard note: if you have no food processor, or don't want to clean it; put croutons in a zip loc, and smush the hell out of them with a rolling pin).

Bake at 350 deg until cheese melts, and browns lightly, 35 to 45 minutes.

8 to 10 servings. Each of 10 servings: 639 calories; 1023 mg sodium; 116 mg colesterol; 40 grams fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 27 grams protein; 0.15 grams fiber.

Enjoy

Thanks Maynard. The family loves mac and cheese. How's the cold coming?

Maynard, this sounds like a total winner. Rich and gooey is what M&C is all about, along with the bread crumbs on top. Many thanks!!!

Almost forgot...I agree with you about the white pepper.