Costco dinner

No, this isn't a recipe for a hot dog and soda.

As I was throwing stuff together I realized all my ingredients were from Costco.  So if you  make this and you get your Broccoli from Smiths or Safeway (for the Fallonites) you can't call it Costco Dinner. You have to call it something like Chicken Pesto Tortelini with Broccoli. This is easy and so tasty, that costco pesto is heavenly.

Ingredients

7 Cheese Tortelini
Broccoli flourettes
Chicken breast(s)
Pesto sauce
Grated Dubliner Cheese or Parmesan

Bake a chicken breast or two depending on how much tortellini you're making and how much you like chicken.  Start boiling some water when chicken is about 2/3 done. When water starts to boil add desired amount of tortellini and desired amount of broccoli at the same time. I like my broccoli a little on  the crunchy side so if you like it mushier add it a little before the tortellini. Dice up the chicken, add it to the drained tortellini and broccoli then add desired amount of pesto. I actually let everyone add their own pesto to their own dishes because some of us like more pesto than others.  Top with grated cheese.

Pot Roast

I've found it. The best pot roast ever.
I've never really liked the other recipes. They're always too salty (onion soup mix) or weird looking (cream of mushroom). But this one is herbaceous and beautiful. I just really loved it.

It's from pioneer woman. Here is a link to her step by step instructions. I used a crock pot.

Here is the recipe:

• 1 whole (4 To 5 Pounds) Chuck Roast
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 whole Onions
• 6 whole Carrots (Up To 8 Carrots)
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste
• 1 cup Red Wine (optional, You Can Use Beef Broth Instead)
• 2 cups To 3 Cups Beef Stock
• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme, or more to taste
• 3 sprigs Fresh Rosemary, or more to taste

Preparation Instructions

First and foremost, choose a nicely marbled piece of meat. This will enhance the flavor of your pot roast like nothing else. Generously salt and pepper your chuck roast.
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or you can do a butter/olive oil split).
Cut two onions in half and cut 6 to 8 carrots into 2-inch slices (you can peel them, but you don’t have to). When the oil in the pot is very hot (but not smoking), add in the halved onions, browning them on one side and then the other. Remove the onions to a plate.
Throw the carrots into the same very hot pan and toss them around a bit until slightly browned, about a minute or so.
If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the very hot pan. Place the meat in the pan and sear it for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast to a plate.
With the burner still on high, use either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom with a whisk to get all of that wonderful flavor up.
When the bottom of the pan is sufficiently deglazed, place the roast back into the pan and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway (about 2 to 3 cups). Add in the onion and the carrots, as well as 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary and about 3 sprigs of fresh thyme.
Put the lid on, then roast in a 275F oven for 3 hours (for a 3-pound roast). For a 4 to 5-pound roast, plan on 4 hours.

Then I turned the left over juice into a gravy and it was so so good. I could drink it. I just started about 2 T butter and 2 T flour in a saucepan for thickening, then added the juice.

Plus the carrots...were so good. I ate them like candy. You know you've got a good pot roast when the carrots are divine.

I think I would serve this with mashed potatoes in the future so that I can use more of the gravy.