WHAT'S FOR SUNDAY DINNER? POT ROAST WITH ROASTED VEGGIES AND BANANA SHEET CAKE

A Sunday Family Favorite...not only because it's good...but it's easy.  I love something you put in the oven and walk away from!  My mom taught me that the most important thing about a roast is the "pre" work.  The meat needs to be seasoned well with salt, pepper, and garlic then brown it in a little oil and butter on med/high for5to 10 minutes or until it is nice and brown. 

If the meat has a good browning on it, the meat has a rich flavor and your gravy will be killer!

When I make a roast for my family I have to do between 5 and 6 (3 to 4 pounds each) chuck roast.  Chuck roast is the best roast to make for a pot roast.  It has enough fat in it to give the meat a great flavor and be moist.  There is nothing worse than dry meat!

When I make enough roast for the family...I have to brown the meat in shifts.  When the first two roasts are properly browned, I put them in the lid to "rest" while I finish browning the others.

Once they are all browned, they all go back in the large roasting pan. The lid of the pan needs to be nice and tight.  If your lid is not tight, you can line your pan with tin foil (from the inside) leaving the foil to come over the top of the pan.  The foil between the pan and the lid will keep your lid on tight.  250-300 degrees for between 6 to 7 hours.  One roast that would feed a "normal" family will only take about 2-3 hours.   Browning takes several extra minutes a side....but gives the meat great flavor!!!

Sunday Pot Roast at our house has to feed sooooo many people that there is not enough room in the pan to roast the veggies with the meat.  Which is actually fine because that means there is a lot of juice for gravy.

 I  roast the veggies separately. Put the potatoes, carrots, and fresh corn on baking sheets with a little garlic olive oil and salt and pepper.  The veggies need to roast about 45 min. or until soft. The corn will roast more quickly than the other veggies, I take them out 1/2 way through the roasting put them in a bowl with foil over it.  They will continue to steam.  During second 1/2 I add onions.  I really like the taste of the veggies roasted with the fresh corn...it makes all the other veggies taste great.  I usually add rosemary but, I was fresh out...shoot!!

  

Banana Sheet Cake

 

This sheet cake is another winner in the "dessert to feed a crowd" department!  One recipe serves between 20 and 30 people. Not bad for such an easy treat! My entire family loves this.   

Cake:

3 cups flour 
2cups sugar                                 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup oil

4 large ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 almond flavoring 

Butter and flour 15 x 11 inch pan.  Preheat oven to 350.

(Can be baked in 3 9” round cake pans at 350 for 23 to 28 minutes.)

 

Stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Add the eggs and oil and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened; do not beat.  Stir in banana, pecans and vanilla.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until pick comes out clean.  Cool completely.

 

Frosting:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

 

 

Blend together the cream cheese and butter.  Gradually add sugar; beat till light & fluffy.  Beat in vanilla, almond, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Stir in pecans or reserve to sprinkle over frosted cake.

I am always wondering how to decorate a sheet cake.  I want a sheet cake to be pretty too! This is an easy and pretty way to decorate a sheet cake...After frosting the entire cake with a generous layer of yummy frosting, use the back of a spoon to gently make diagonal lines throughout the entire cake.

Then, gently glide the back of a butter knife the entire length of the sheet cake.

 I try to keep the lines straight...sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't! But...as you can see...even if the lines are not quite even or straight...it still makes a pretty sheet cake!

There is never any left overs!!! Which is actually good...cuz then I would just eat it!  :]