Recipes from my childhood ...

Tonight I was cleaning out a drawer and much to my amazement I found an envelope full of hand written recipes - in my mother's handwriting. Her mantra was, "I eat to live, I do not live to eat". She certainly did not live to cook. And yet she took the time to write down her recipes - wonder of all wonders.
This is what my mother loved most - family and the beach.

However, for someone who hated to cook she made some meals that were to die for. Here is her Pot Roast Recipe:

4 lbs beef rump roast (don't use any other type - she was right this is the best cut for this meal)
2 Tbs flour
1 Tbs salt
2 Tbs fat (I use oil as I don't keep laird on the stove like they did back in the day :)
about 3/4 to 1 cup water
2 diced carrots
1 diced stalk of celery
1 onion, sliced
4 large potatoes , cubed

1 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
Wine to taste


Wipe the meat, then dredge with flour mixed with salt. Heat fat in heavy deep pan, brown meat, turning frequently to brown all sides. Add carrots, onion, and just enough water to cover the bottom of the kettle about 1/2 inch. Add Worcestershire. Cover lightly and simmer gently about 3 hours, or until meat is very tender. Turn meat frequently during cooking and add more water carefully to keep met from sticking to the bottoms of the pan.

About 30 to 45 minutes before finish add potatoes.

Lift meat out, strain gravy in pan and let heat through before serving. Gravy may be thickened if desired before reheating with meat by blending flour and fat in the proportions of 1 tablespoon melted butter or other fat blended with 1 tablespoon flour to each cup of gravy. (Add Worcestershire may be added to gravy if desired)

Bon Apetite!