I spend a lot of time in the kitchen. As a frequent cook and an avid baker, it’s a bit embarrassing to admit that I hadn’t ever made a pot roast until about a month ago. I’ve eaten my share of them, but never cooked one on my own. Large cuts of meat can be a bit intimidating, figuring out how best to prepare them, and how to measure when they’re done cooking. The great thing about a pot roast is you cook the meat so far past the point of being cooked through that you’ll never have to worry if the center is still raw. In fact, the meat spends so much time in a broth bath in the oven that when it comes out, it’s practically falling apart it’s so tender and moist. The specific cuts of meat you generally use for a pot roast (generally a chuck roast, though top round  or a rump roast will work as well) have layers of fat between the meat, so when cooked down, that fat creates incredible layers of flavor.

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Cheese-Crusted Squash
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 Winter squash
• 2 garlic gloves, minced
• 8 sage leaves, minced
• Zest of one lemon
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and red pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F and cut squash into thin wedges.
2. Mix remaining ingredients together and coat squash wedges with mixture.
3. Spread coated wedges evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until tender, 15-20 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine

Laura’s Mashed Potatoes
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks, rinsed well, and drained
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Table salt
• 2/3 cup warm whole milk
• Ground black pepper

Directions

1. Insert a metal colander into a large pot or Dutch oven and add enough water for it to reach the bottom of colander. Turn the heat to high, bringing the water to a boil. Add the potatoes, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-high.
2. Cook potatoes for 10 minutes and transfer colander to sink and rinse potatoes under cold water until they’re no longer hot to the touch. Return the colander and potatoes to pot, cover, and continue to cook until potatoes are soft and easily pierced, about 10 to 15 minutes. Pour off the water from the Dutch oven.
3. Set a ricer over the empty pot. Working in batches, press the potatoes through the ricer. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the melted butter and a 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in warm milk until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen TV, Season 9, “One Great Thanksgiving.”

Roasted Root Vegetables

This simple vegetable dish can be made with just about any Fall root vegetables, like carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, turnips, and yellow onions. Peel and cube the vegetables to about the same size, cutting the onion into wedges and the carrots into slices. Place in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with some minced garlic. Season with Italian seasoning, some fresh thyme (if you have it), and salt and pepper. Bake at 400°F for about 35-40mins, until vegetables are tender and golden brown.