Recipe(tried): Wash Day Blue Dinner: The Lady & Sons Pot Roast, Broccoli Salad, Key Lime Pie

Hello Everyone!

This morning I took my cat, Bobo, to get his stitches out and he is doing wonderfully! Afterwards I took Mama to her doctor for her regular check-up and then off to the store for weekly grocery shopping.

I wanted to pick up the ingredients to make Debbie D's Broccoli Salad. I found Oscar Meyer ready to serve Real Bacon Bits (hickory smoked) the package is re-sealable and comes in 3 oz. size. I figured it would save me the mess of frying bacon. I was a bit dismayed at the price of a bunch of broccoli, $1.98! So I drove to my favorite Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Market and found the same bunch (they had the same wrapping and name!) for .99 cents! While browsing around, they also had a basket with about 20-30 Key Limes for $1.00/basket. I grabbed those dreaming of a luscious Key Lime Pie tonight! I will be adding some cheese to the Broccoli Salad and also sunflower seeds!

While the washer and dryer are going, dinner is being prepared...I am trying to use up any frozen meats that are in the freezer because my DH has the nasty feeling that a hurricane will be coming our way either this week or next week. August in Florida is a thriller when it comes to those hurricanes. I found a beautiful chuck roast in there and defrosted it last night for use today.

THE MENU TONIGHT WILL BE:
The Lady & Sons Pot Roast*
Smashed Potatoes
Southern Style Green Beans
Broccoli Salad*
Cuban Bread and Butter
Key Lime Pie*
Debbie D's Sweet Iced Tea
*recipe follows

Enjoy! Gina

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THE LADY & SONS POT ROAST
Source: The Lady & Sons, Too!: A Whole New Batch of Recipes from Savannah by Paula H. Deen

FOR THE HOUSE SEASONING:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cp garlic powder
FOR THE POT ROAST:
3 to 4 lb. boneless chuck
1 tsp. House Seasoning
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. Beef bouillon granules
1 cup thinly sliced onions
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 can condensed of cream of mushroom soup (I used Golden Cream of Mushroom)
1/2 soup can of water
1/4 cup red wine (I used 1/4 cup Sherry Cooking Wine)
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
TO THICKEN THE GRAVY (optional):
1/4 cup cold water
2 Tbsp. cornstarch

PREPARE THE HOUSE SEASONING:
Combine ingredients for the House Seasoning. Reserve 1 tsp. for seasoning roast and store the remainder for another use. Paula recommends making it and storing it near your stove!

PREPARE THE ROAST:
Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

Rub the roast with the seasonings. Heat oil and brown the roast on all sides.

Place in a roaster and sprinkle the bouillon granules over the roast. Add the onions, garlic and bay leaves.

Combine the soup, wine, 1/2 a soup can of water, and Worcestershire Sauce; pour over roast.

Cover and bake 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until fork tender. Remove and discard bay leaves.

TO THICKEN GRAVY:
If gravy is not thick enough, remove meat, bring gravy to a boil and add 2 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup cold water.

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BROCCOLI SALAD

SALAD:
1 head of broccoli, cut the florets off and use
1 cup dark raisins
4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup sunflowers seeds
1 Tbsp. super fine minced onion
1/2 of a (3 oz.) pkg. Oscar Meyer Real Bacon Bits
DRESSING:
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 tsp. yellow mustard

Combine salad ingredients together in a large bowl.

Mix dressing ingredients together well and toss with salad.

Refrigerate salad at least 1 hour before serving

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KEY LIME PIE

HOMEMADE CRUST:
1/2 cup butter melted
1/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
FILLING:
4 eggs yolks* (from large eggs)
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup key lime juice
MERINGUE:
4 egg whites
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
6 Tbsp. sugar

PREPARE THE CRUST:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix butter, sugar and crumbs and pat into a 9-inch pie pan.

Bake for 8 minutes. Cool and set aside.

PREPARE THE FILLING:
Beat the egg yolks with a whisk.

Add the sweetened condensed milk. Slowly stir in the lime juice, beating with a whisk until thickened. Pour into the cooled crust and top with meringue.

PREPARE THE MERINGUE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Slowly add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time and beat at high speed till stiff but not dry. Spread on top of pie sealing edges of the crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Cool and refrigerate.

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Editor's note:

*COOKING EGG YOLKS FOR USE IN RECIPES:
The following method can be used with any number of yolks. In a heavy saucepan, stir together the egg yolks and liquid from the recipe (at least 2 tablespoons liquid per yolk). Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until the yolk mixture coats a metal spoon with a thin film, bubbles at the edges or reaches 160 F. Immediately place the saucepan in ice water and stir until the yolk mixture is cool. Proceed with the recipe. Source: American Egg Board