The Crock Pot (or My Attempt To Cook A Meal)

I don’t cook.  My husband cooks.  Okay, my husband doesn’t just COOK,  he is a master chef in the kitchen.  He never follows recipes.  He can make anything he wants in 30 minutes or less and it is always DELICIOUS.  He also enjoys to cook.  So much so, that I never HAVE to cook. (He doesn’t really WANT me to cook, let’s be honest.)  But, once in awhile, I do attempt to cook.  And when I say “once in awhile,” I really mean “once a year.” On Father’s Day.  

Last Father’s Day, I made this rubbery baked chicken dish, which the hubbie happily ate.  This Father’s Day, I made a weird watery bow tie pasta dish, which he also happily ate.  Gotta love my husband.  He is the best.  But I really don’t know what I am doing wrong! I pick uncomplicated, five ingredient meals I find on the back of some box and just FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS.  (Okay, that’s probably why they taste so awful.)

Well, I decided to give cooking another go because I discovered… THE CROCKPOT.  Yes, I know.  The crockpot is not some new invention.  It’s been around FOREVER.  But I never thought of it before.  It’s perfect!  I just need to chop up a few ingredients, season a piece of meat, throw it all in the crock pot, and turn it on. I mean, who can mess that up??  (Don’t answer that.)

Today, I made crock pot pot roast.  And it wasn’t half bad.  It had red potatoes, carrots, celery and onion. I think it might need more salt and pepper next time, but the hubbie ate it and I don’t think that smile was TOO fake.  The kiddies ate it too! (Well, most of it).  I also really enjoyed it.  MAYBE I’ll make it again sometime.  Father’s Day is only 9 months away.

My Top Chef

My husband Mark is an AMAZING chef.  I say chef because “cook” just won’t do it.  I am very lucky because I don’t cook at all.  (I’m working on the baking part.)  And Mark really enjoys cooking.  AND he’s just so GOOD at it!   He makes awesome dinners for the four of us almost every night of the week. (We, of course, order pizza on Fridays and still go out once in awhile when Mommy feels like dealing with two kids under the age of three!)

Last night Mark made “Tom Colicchio’s Meatloaf.”  I found the recipe in this week’s PEOPLE magazine.  For those who don’t know, Tom Colicchio is the super hot judge on Bravo TV’s Top Chef.  Well, I think he’s super hot.  He actually looks a little like my husband, don’t you think?  (Okay, yes Baby, you are younger, thinner, and cuter, but there is still a slight resemblance.)

 I’ll post the meatloaf recipe below.  It was so YUMMY! (Just like Tom Colicchio - Ha!)  It was served with sweet corn on the cob, broccoli (Birds Eye Steamfresh - super easy and healthy!) and mashed pototoes.  Bean and Annabel LOVED it.  (I’m truly blessed with great eaters - oh no, just jinxed it!)

Tom Colicchio’s Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
2 lbs. ground beef (85% lean)
2 large eggs
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. ketchup

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, saute the onion in the oil until golden. Add the garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes (be careful not to burn the garlic). Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3. In a bowl, combine beef, eggs, onion, bread crumbs, oregano, mustard, salt and pepper. Form a loaf (approximately 7 x 5 x 3 in. in size) and place it in a roasting pan. Cover the loaf evenly with the ketchup. Bake loaf for about 1 hour, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees. Remove and allow to rest slightly, then cut into 1/2-in. slices.