Herb-Garlic Beef Roast

When I first saw this recipe I thought the picture made the dish look mouthwatering but the refrigerated, cooked beef scared me. So I tucked the recipe away in my files and subsequently forgot about it.  Then the holiday season snuck up on me and suddenly I had more things to do than was physically possible in a 24-hour day so I pulled out my recipe files and only looked for the meals that could be made in less than 30 minutes with lots of shortcuts and cheats. This recipe popped back up and I was much more willing to give it a chance. I am really glad I did because it was delicious and I learned some things about  pre-cooked, refrigerated meats. First off, the brand you buy strongly dictates whether the meat will be appetizing or not. Secondly, you get what you pay for as far as cuts and quality of meat.  And lastly, if you have done your homework right, you can buy some very clean and delicious pre-cooked and packaged meat right from your grocery store which are perfect for cutting time off your dinner preparation.


Serves: 4
Start-to-Finish: 30 minutes
Recipe By: Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

Ingredients:

1 (17-oz) pkg refrigerated cooked beef roast au jus (I bought HEB brand and was happy with the clean cut and freshness of the meat)
2 medium red potatoes
2 medium carrots
1 medium sweet potatoes (add more veggies if you want to stretch this meal)
1 TBSP cooking oil
Freshly ground black pepper
3 TBSP chopped fresh Italian parsley (flat-leaf not curly leaf)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP finely shredded lemon peel

Directions:

1. In large skillet cook beef roast, covered, over medium heat for 10 minutes.
2.  Uncover and simmer for 5 minutes more, until juices are slightly reduced.
3.  Meanwhile, peel and cut your vegetables into 3/4 inch pieces. (The more uniform the size of the pieces the more uniform the cooking).
4.  Place vegetables in microwave-safe dish.
5.  Drizzle with cooking oil and sprinkle with pepper; toss to coat.
6.  Tightly cover with lid or plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 10 minutes or until tender. (I have also made this dish where I roasted the vegetables on a foil-lined cookie sheet in the oven for 20 minutes at 400; but it adds 10 minutes to the total time of the recipe so it depends on your time constraints.)
7.  For herb-garlic mixture, in a small bowl combine parsley, garlic, and lemon peel.
8.  To serve, stir vegetables into skillet with beef and juices and sprinkle with herb-garlic mixture.