Mississippi Pot Roast

 

I'm new to the Gulf Coast, the Third coast as it were.  I'm still catching on to local food culture and bringing it into my repertoire for weekly menu planning.

I kept hearing "Mississippi Pot Roast" is so (insert superlative here).  Then Food Network mentioned it a few times and I thought what am I missing?  I googled and found out its stupid easy, crock pot friendly, super tasty pot roast.  In fact since I discovered it its the only Pot Roast the family lets me make any more.  Now if I could find out why its called Mississippi Pot Roast with a definitive answer...but I digress.

Ingredients

• 2 -3 lb Chuck Roast
• 1 package au jus mix
• 1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing dry mix
• 4-5 Pepperoncini peppers
• 2T pepperoncini pickling juice
• 1 can low sodium beef broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 carrots peeled and cut to 3" pieces
• 1 package brown gravy or onion gravy mix*

Method

Lightly salt and pepper both sides of Chuck Roast.  Heat a non-stick searing skillet over medium heat.  Sear each side 8-10 minutes until rich deep crusty brown.

Place seared chuck roast in a large crock pot.  Sprinkle Au jus mix and Ranch Dressing mix over the top of seared beef.  Pour beef broth over seared beef.  Place pepperoncini on top of roast and sprinkle the pickling liquid over the seared beef.  Place carrots along side the beef submerged in the broth.

Cover and cook 6-8 hours on low.  At end of cooking time remove pot roast and place on platter.  Remove carrots to small serving bowl.  In the hot liquid whisk in gravy mix until lump free and thickened.

Serve with  Anne Burrell's Garlic Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes

*If you haven't tried Ah Bisto! brand gravy granules yet, I highly recommend you do so.  Its a British product I got hooked on for easy lump free perfect gravy every time.  You can pick up at your local British Market (even my local H*E*B stockes the basic beef in their international aisle) or by mail order.  Add it to pan juices and add enough liquid to make a cup for awesome gravy.

Ultimate Pumpkin Cheesecake

 

Why do I call this the ultimate?  Well it is the culmination of a few different recipes and refinement to create a light, ethereally fluffy cheesecake.  Not some leaden bomb, just perfectly soft and airy.  Using brown sugar in the filling adds to the depth of flavor of the pumpkin.  It is the perfect accompaniment and grand finale to a Holiday dessert table. 

Ingredients/Equipment

10 inch spring form pan

large roaster

boiling water

aluminum foil

Crust 

• 14 oz gingersnap cookie crumbs 
• 1 heaping T brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 c melted butter

Filling

• 4, 8 oz packages cream cheese
• 1/4 c sour cream
• 1 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 c granulated sugar
• 6 eggs - lightly beaten
• 1 15 oz  can pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 T vanilla
• 1 heaping T pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 t kosher salt

Method

Preheat oven to 350F. Wrap bottom and outside of springform pan tightly so when you do water bath water does not leak into the cheesecake mixture.

Break up cookies and put into a food processor.  Add brown sugar and pinch of salt.  Pulse until you have fine crumbs the size of sand.  Pulse and pour in melted butter until thoroughly moistened. Pour crumb mixture into springform pan and press evenly across bottom and an inch or so up the sides of the pan.

Place crumb mixture into preheated oven and bake 12-15 minutes until golden and aromatic.  Remove from oven and cool.  

For the filling make sure cream cheese and eggs are room temperature. DO NOT use straight from fridge as they will not mix well.

Place cream cheese, sour cream, sugars, salt, and vanilla to stand mixer.  Start at low speed and work to medium speed.  Beat on medium 3-4 minutes until thoroughly creamed and mixture is light an fluffy. You will need to use spatula to scrape down sides a few times. 

Reduce speed to low.  Add pumpkin pie spice.  With mixer running spoon pumpkin into cream cheese mixture allowing each addition to be be incorporated.  Scrape down the sides a few times to ensure all of the pumpkin is incorporated evenly.

Increase speed to medium and beat in eggs a little at a time until incorporated. 

Place foil covered pan into a large roasting pan.  Pour filling over the crust.  The filling will come nearly to the top of the pan but it won't overflow while baking.

Drop heat to 325F.  Place roaster with the cheesecake into the oven. Add boiling water until it comes up to top of foil, about 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side of the pan.  ITs important not to skip this step as it will promote even baking with the steam keeping the top for drying out an cracking.  Add boiling water as needed during baking.  This set up is called a bain marie.

Bake 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.  When done it will have a slight wobble in the center and a toothpick will come out clean.   

Remove from oven and let cool slowly to room temperature.  When cooled remove from pan and place on serving plate.  Wrap carefully in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator at least 12 hours or overnight.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and maybe even a drizzle of caramel sauce and a sprinkle of toffee bits for some crunch.