Pot Roast and Noodles

Pot Roast and noodles is something my mom made quite often. I've never made it so I thought I would give the crock pot another try. Simple, simple. Carrots, celery, red peppers, shallots, and mushrooms on the bottom with the roast on top. I did sear the roast in a pan before putting it on the slow cook. I again used the high setting. Cooked for four hours and it was all juicy tender. Rather than leave it in larger chunks, I did an easy shred of the beef. I went all the way with moms tradition, using packets of onion soup mix for flavoring. You don't need to know anything about cooking to do this meal and it's quite satisfying overall.

The nutty thing was it did taste good but something in my memory was a bit haunting. I have no idea what it was, but it was heavy on the emotion side of things. There was enough here for me to eat for a couple of days at least, and the second serving I made into more of a soup. But I had to freeze the rest, until whatever it was became clear to me. Was I missing mom, was I reliving a memory, was it too close to some emotion I had not dealt with...hmmm, maybe it was none of that. Sometimes food is like that. It creates a strong tie that you may not be aware of for years and years. The taste and smell linger long after the event. I don't know if you can relate, or if you have some of those memories yourself. One thing is for sure, I was back at the kitchen table of my heart and it stirred something up. Just before I put the lid on I sprinkled in some thyme...maybe that was the trigger?