One of our favorite tricks to save time, money and energy is oven cooking.

Some days there is just no way to prepare a full meal and have it on the table at supper time. Many a country cook knows this and many crockpots were sold based on this fact!

We find the crockpot method stews just about everything and the flavors all meld or blend together till you have a meal with one flavor which is great for a stew, soup or sauce, but terrible if you're looking for the flavors to stand out individually on the plate.

For that reason we prefer to do 'oven meals'. Meat, potatoes, vegetables and bread. All separate flavors, but cooked in one 'batch'.

While preparing breakfast or supper the night before we'll do the preparation for the next evenings meal.

We use a big roasting pan with a lid for this. This is the same roaster that we use for making apple butter or pumpkin butter.

We start by placing our meat in the pan - frozen will work. Pork, beef, chicken, etc. If using duck place a raised rack in the pot first to keep the duck from sitting in it's own grease.

After that we'll layer our veggies on top, potatoes, peppers, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, snap beans, etc... all dry and in large chunks.

Add just enough water, juice, or marinade to cover the bottom of the roaster. Perhaps some herbs, spices, garlic cloves.

If gravy is desired later, you can drain, pour or use your turkey baster to remove the pot liquor after cooking.

Put the lid on the roaster or cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in a slow oven. 225 to 250 should do it. Let the roaster cook all day.

Come supper time, pull your roaster out and pop your bread in the oven while you set the table.

Some our favorite combinations are:
Chuck Roast, Potato Wedges, Quarter Peppers and Onions
Pork Loin roasted in Mojo Juice with Yellow Rice
Roasted Chicken with Garlic and Scalloped Potatoes
Chicken and Stuffing With Mushrooms Baked in Mushroom Soup

Good Living. . . Comes Naturally!

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