Leftovers. . .

Don't know about any other family, but in our house no one is too fond of leftovers. Sure there are somethings that taste better the second day. . .chili, spaghetti sauce, casserole. . . but for the most part I make it my mission to not end up with those pesky dishes in the fridge that start to go green. . .and not in an environmentally friendly way. So, when I made a pot roast the other night I decided to come up with an alternative meal for that great hunk o' meat I had sitting in the fridge. . . 

First lets start with the pot roast:

Day 1

1 2-3lb beef pot roast
2 tbsp oil
garlic salt and pepper

Heat a Dutch oven (or large oven proof pot) on med-high heat. Add oil. When it starts to smoke add the roast that you have seasoned liberally with the garlic salt and pepper. Brown on all sides til you have a nice crust (about 4 min per side).

3/4 cup water
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ( a nickle to anyone that can say that right)
1 tsp beef bouillon granules
1 tsp dried basil

Mix these together and pour over the browned roast. Cover your pot and put in an oven at 350 for 1 hour.

4 large carrots sliced in chunks
1 medium onion cut into wedges
2 stalks celery bias cut
2 large cloves garlic minced

Add the veggies to the pot, recover and cook for another 1 hour, or until tender (I think I cooked mine for 1 1/2)

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups juice from roast

Once roast is done remove it and the veggies from the pan. Skim fat the broth off if necessary. You should have about 1 1/2 cups. If not just add enough water to equal. Bring broth to a boil. Mix flour and water together til you have no lumps (no one want's dough balls in their gravy. . .well, unless you are my husband, but I refuse to oblige). Pour into broth and stir often until it returns to a boil & thickens. Now you have gravy.

*note: We prefer to have mashed potatoes with this, but if you like to have your potatoes in the dish, just cut up a couple of them and add to the pot with the other veggies in the veggie step.

I served my meal with mashed potatoes & fresh rolls (as in I made the dough, let it rise and baked them)

It was finished and it was good.

Day 2

So now what to do with all the leftover stuff. . .I had roast, veggies, potatoes and gravy. . . I decided to make a modified version of shepherd's pie!

I found this recipe on Epicurios  that served as my inspiration : http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Shepherds-Pie-240224

Since most of my stuff was already cooked this is how I modified it.

2 cups beef diced into 3/4 inch cubes
1 cup leftover gravy
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
Leftover veggies cut up into smaller pieces
3-4 C mashed potatoes

Mix all these ingredients together in a skillet and heat through til bubbling. Place in a casserole dish then cover with mashed potatoes . . .I had to make more since we didn't have enough leftover. . .

4 med potatoes
6 Tbsp butter
1/4- 1/2 C milk

Peel and cut potatoes into chunks, place in pot and cover with water. Add salt. Boil til fork tender. Drain and mash in a mixer with butter and enough milk to make them light and fluffy.

Use a fork to make a crosshatch pattern on top of the potatoes.

Place casserole dish into preheated  375 degree oven for 30 min or until top is golden. Serve with steamed peas.

The results were a tooootally different meal that actually tasted better than the pot roast the day before. We still had roast left over, but we made use of it for lunch as sandwiches. I will definitely be making this "progressive dinner" again!

PS. next time I make this I will remember to take pictures. . .