Pot Roast with Mushroom Gravy

Last year around this time I described an illness that had settled over my house: Christmas Disease. Recently, I started noticing the onset of the 2011 strain of Christmas Disease. It began when I was trying to sleep. Instead of counting sheep, I counted the shopping days left in December. I get nostalgic and misty-eyed when I see houses glowing with icicle lights and trees trimmed with tinsel. The butterflies in my belly can be attributed only to holiday excitement...or one too many Christmas cookies. 

Since I'm practicallly bed-laden with my illness, tethered to the couch with re-runs of "A Christmas Story" on TBS, I can't be expected for much in the kitchen. So today I offer up another fabulously easy crockpot meal. This will bubble away on your counter while you deck the halls, croon carols, and cut-out cookies. And when you're ready for a piping hot dinner, it will nurish your soul as much as your body.

Enjoy...and happy holidays!

Pot Roast with Mushroom Gravy

Serves: 6-8

1 onion, peeled and cut into large wedges

3.5 pounds of your favorite "roast" cut of beef (May I suggest top loin roast or bottom round roast?)

8 ounces white mushrooms, halved

2 sprigs of rosemary

1 bay leaf

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Water

Salt and pepper to taste

In your crock pot, layer onions, roast, mushrooms, rosemary, and bay leaf. Pour cream of mushroom soup over everything. Fill the empty soup can with water and pour that over the top. Cook on low heat for 10-12 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Helpful tip: I place everything except the liquid ingredients in my crock pot before bed and store it in the fridge over night. Before work the next morning, all I had to do was dump the liquid ingredients in and turn on my slowcooker! That made it slightly less likely that I was late for work.

Side Dish Idea: Pot Roast with Mushroom Gravy pairs well with Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes, another make-ahead wonder.