Happy Birthday to me!

Wow, really? I haven't blogged since September! Hmmm...this explains A LOT.  I apparently stink at handling stress.  And I have had a lot.  In the last week and a half I have cooked once.  Yup once.  I have been eating though, don't get me wrong.  I have definitely been eating.  I shudder to think what I will find next time I weigh in.  Now that the worst of the stress is behind me I need to dig deep down within myself and find the gumption to get back on track.  As a first step to getting back on track I thought I would blog. After all the meal we had Sat night was worth blogging and I have already had multiple requests for the recipe so without further ado....

Fabulous Fall Slow Cooker Pot Roast

3-4 lb chuck roast
2-3 bay leaves
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 cups water
1 lb carrots
5-6 peeled potatoes or 8-10 red potatoes
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Sweet onion coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp garlic salt
1 cup ketchup

Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on low 8 hrs, than 30 min before finished add 2 cups frozen peas.  That's it, it's perfect.  (I should know I ate the leftovers for lunch a little while ago!)

And I paired it with my absolute favorite fall dish. 

Brown Sugar Acorn Squash Casserole

 

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 small can (5 ounces) evaporated milk
... 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 acorn squash (mashed)

TOPPING:
1/2 cup crisp rice cereal
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans (I swap out almonds, my preference!)
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Poke a bunch of holes in squash and bake at 350 on cookie sheet about 45 min to an hour until knife goes easily in all over squash with no resistance
Half squash remove seeds, scoop out squash and set aside
Mix butter and sugar
Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla
Stir in squash
Pour in greased 9 x 13
Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 min
add topping crust and bake for additional 5 min

Enjoy, it will soon be one of your favorites too

 

The perfect fall meal and it makes for really good lunch leftovers on this cold rainy day that happens to be my birthday!
Have some cake in honor of me tonight and I will drag myself from this slump and resume my health transformation! Cheers!