Recipe(tried): Autumn Pot Roast Dinner - Autumn Gold Pot Roast, Irish Soda Bread

Good Morning,

Fall is in the air for the next couple of days as the weather dips into the cool 60's at night and breezy 80's in the daytime. I'm taking out my Fall decorations and I can't help but think of this delicious pot roast so appropriately named Autumn Pot Roast. It has a robust gravy and the meat comes out very tender. I will be baking fresh bread to go along with it.

Happy 1st of October! Gina

Autumn Gold Pot Roast

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 to 4 pounds beef chuck or 7-bone roast

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, mashed
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
6 carrots, scraped and cut in chunks
12 boiling onions
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in the seasoned flour. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high; brown the roast on all sides. Add 1 1/2 cups water, the oregano, celery seed, bay leaf and garlic; bring to a boil. Cover tightly, lower heat to simmer and cook 2 hours, adding additional water if necessary to keep roast submerged.

Combine the orange juice concentrate with 1 1/4 cups water (or simply use fresh juice) and add all but 1/4 cup to the pot. Add carrots and onions; cover tightly and simmer an additional hour.

Remove roast from pot; remove any bones or fat. Slice or shred meat, as desired, and keep warm. Stir brown sugar and cornstarch into reserved orange juice until dissolved. Stir into pot liquid, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring, until thick. Return meat to pot and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Irish Soda Bread
makes one large loaf

1 cup golden raisins
3 tablespoons Scotch Whiskey
2 cups flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspons salt
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon caraway seeds

At least one hour before making the bread, toss the rasiins with the whiskey to plump them and soften them.
Preheat oven to 375. Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the flours, sugar, baking soda, powder, and salt. In a smaller bowl whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and melted butter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until moistened. Stir in the plumped raisins and the caraway seeds.
Shape the dough into a large round loaf on the prepared baking pan. Slash a deep X across the top of the bread with a sharp knife or razor. Bake until broiwn and crusty, 45-50 minutes. Serve hot from the oven or at room temperature.