Beef Roast with Sweet Potatoes

From: "Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes." Des Moines: Meredith Books, 2002.

I got this cookbook at a garage sale and I know two things: #1 why the owner was getting rid of it and #2 why she was only charging 25 cents. There are plenty of great slow cooker recipes out there, but this cookbook only seems to have one - Beef Roast with Sweet Potatoes. Other than that, it's about 400 pages of only slight variations on the boiled meat theme.

You definitely need the gravy that this recipe includes. And that's about all I can say about this recipe and this cookbook. Sorry - I wish I could be more enthusiastic about a boiled meat cookbook.

Wait - I do have one more thing: The sweet potatoes need to be in large chunks. The recipe calls for them to be quartered. Lean toward bigger sweet potato pieces, not smaller. Otherwise you'll have very mushy sweet potatoes.

1 2-pound boneless beef chuck pot roast
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 medium onion, sliced
6 medium sweet potatoes or regular baking potatoes (or a mix of the two), peeled and quartered (about 2 pounds)
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)
2 tablespoons cold water (optional)

Trim the fat from the pot roast. If necessary, cut roast to fit a 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker. In a large skillet brown roast on all sides in hot oil. Drain well.

Place onion and potato(es) in cooker. Place meat over vegetables.

In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup water, bouillon granules, celery seeds, cinnamon, and pepper. Pour over meat and vegetables. Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours.

Remove meat and vegetables from cooker and place on platter; reserve juices. If desired, for gravy, pour juices into glass measuring cup. Skim of fat. If necessary, add water to equal 2 cups liquid. In a saucepan stir cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water; add cooking juices. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Serve gravy with roast and vegetables.

Serves 6