Crock Pot Beef Roast with Veggies

The weather around here is gloomy again.  I really cannot complain too much since it seems that all our family and most of our friends are stuck in states where it is snowing.  This is a really easy meal that you can throw in a crock pot in the morning and cook slow and low or in the middle of the day on high for a couple of hours. 

Ingredients
3 lb  beef roast
5 large carrots (roughly chopped)
6 large stalks of celery (roughly chopped)
1 medium onion (roughly chopped)
10 fingerling potatoes (chopped in half)
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
dash of chipotle powder (optional)
dash of smoked paprika (optional)
1/3 cup of water (optional)
1 tbs cornstarch

Spice Blend:
2 tbls chipotle powder
1 tbls smoked paprika
1 tbls onion powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper


Mix all spices in a bowl.  Liberally coat beef roast with spice blend on all sides.*  In a large saute pan sear all sides of beef on high heat (about 1 minute per side). Place veggies except potatoes in a crockpot.  Add salt,pepper, chipotle powder, paprika, then place beef roast on top.  Cook on high for 3 hours(all day on low).   In a microwave safe bowl, place potatoes in the microwave for 2 minutes.   Add to crock pot.  Wait an additional hour. 

Remove beef roast and with a slotted spoon remove veggies.  Add 1/3 cup of water to crock pot.  In a small bowl place 1 tbs. corn starch and some of the heated mixture to create a paste.  Once the paste is smooth return to crock pot.  Heat until gravy begins to thicken.  For thicker gravy add more cornstarch paste.   

*Not all of the spice blend will be used. Store remaining spice blend in an airtight container for later use.