Country Pot Roast

Trim excess fat from beef roast. On waxed paper, coat roast with flour. In 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat, in 2 tablespoons hot salad oil, cook roast until browned on all sides. Discard fat in Dutch oven.

Add tomato juice, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 2 1/2 to 3 hours until roast is fork-tender, turning roast occasionally.

About 1 hour before roast is done, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut each acorn squash into 8 wedges. Place squash in large roasting pan; drizzle with 2 tablespoons salad oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake squash wedges 40 minutes, turning wedges once, until fork-tender.

When roast is done, place on large deep platter; keep warm. Skim fat from liquid in Dutch oven. Fill blender about half full with liquid and vegetables from Dutch oven. Cover (with center part of blender cover removed) and blend at low speed until mixture is smooth; pour into large bowl. Repeat until all of mixture is blended. Return gravy mixture to Dutch oven; heat to boiling.

To serve, pour some gravy over and around roast on platter; arrange squash wedges around roast. Garnish with celery leaves. Serve with remaining gravy.