Take Along That Slow Cooker

I’m a great believer in long weekends away. Living in Los Angeles makes it possible to get to the beach, the mountains or the desert for three days, so it actually seems like a vacation.

Because I’m always traveling with at least three children-usually more, because one or two of my kids’ friends tag along-providing meals is a major issue. June Cleaver I’m not, but then there’s the slow cooker. If you pack it, a hunk of meat and some leftover cooked vegetables, dinner for five or six or seven people cooks while you sun, sled or swim.

Weekend Getaway Pot Roast

Active Work Time: 10 minutes Total Preparation Time: 6 hours

Serve this over egg noodles, if you’d like.

2 onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 sprigs parsley

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs oregano

1 (3-pound) chuck roast

Salt, pepper

1 cup beef broth

4 cups cooked vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes and green beans

Place the onions and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker. Using kitchen twine, tie together the parsley, thyme and oregano and add that to the pot. Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper and add it to the slow cooker along with the broth.

Cook the roast on high for 5 hours or on low for 7 hours. Add the vegetables and cook for an hour longer.

6 servings. Each serving: 642 calories; 275 mg sodium; 208 mg cholesterol; 36 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 63 grams protein; 3.57 grams fiber.