By Vera Stewart
Photos by Dusty Jackson, Atomic Studios

What makes a recipe the best? Is it one: 

• from a very special family member or best friend?

• that turns out perfectly every time?

• using your favorite ingredients?

I think it’s all of the above. For some recipes that were handed down from my mother, grandmother, sisters and good friends, it almost feels like the loved ones are in the kitchen with me when I am making them. Whether it’s the handwriting on a recipe card, the memory of a celebration where the dish was traditionally served or the season when the ingredients are the freshest — my fascination with recipes is multi-faceted. 

For the Best of Augusta issue, my thoughts turned to my all-time favorite comfort foods and a flattering milestone in my company’s  history. Vera’s Favorite Pot Roast was a family staple when I was growing up, and it quickly became a favorite for my boys when they were young. I still remember their excitement arriving home from school to the whole house smelling of amazing pot roast. The key to the dish’s success is using a bone-in roast. We are lucky enough to have Lanier’s Fresh Meat Market in Augusta that can fill this order for me every time!

The Amaretto Layer Cake was a recipe we created especially for Saks Fifth Avenue. I was approached to put several of our recipes in the upscale department store’s catalogue which garnered very positive responses. The following year, they asked for an exclusive specialty cake that they could sell, and we settled on the Amaretto Layer Cake. For those who bake, I think you will be fascinated at the differences in this recipe as opposed to other cake recipes, and I certainly hope you will take a chance on these favorites of mine.

I also included a side dish recipe for Roasted Green Beans (visit augustamagazine.com) from my new cookbook. Sold in our mail order division, it is still a fan favorite and goes perfect with my pot roast!

Enjoy!

Vera’s Favorite Pot Roast

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This delicious pot roast receipe gets the house smelling great for when the kids come home from school. It always did at my house! 

Prep Time: 25–30 minutes
Chill Time: 2–3 hours
Yield: Approximately 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 (3 to 4 lbs.) chuck roast, preferably bone-in
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix^®
1 (10.5 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 oz. button mushrooms, cut in fourths
1 or 2 large sweet onions, cut into fourths
1/2 head of cabbage, cut into large wedges
3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 to 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven 325 F and prepare a covered baking dish or Dutch oven with cooking spray.
2. Place the roast in the prepared baking dish and season all sides with the envelope of onion soup mix. 
3. Spoon the cream of mushroom soup on top of the roast. 
4. Distribute the prepared and cut vegetables in the pan. 
5. Cover and bake for 2 to 3 hours, or until fork tender. 
6. After cooking, remove the pan from the oven. Ladle the sauce into a small saucepan. 
7. In a small bowl, mix together the flour and water to make a slurry. 
8. Set the saucepan over medium-low heat, and slowly add in the slurry mix, as much as desired, to thicken into a gravy. Cook for at least two to three minutes. 
9. Serve the gravy over the pot roast. 

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Amaretto Layer Cake

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Prep Time: 45 minutes 
Cook Time: 45 minutes 
Yield: One 9” three layer cake

INGREDIENTS

LAYERS
1 cup unsalted butter, cold
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups cake flour
1 cup white cake mix
2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. butter flavor
2/3 cup amaretto

ICING
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
4 1/2 Tbsp. amaretto
10 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

DIRECTIONS

LAYERS

1. Preheat the oven to 275 F. 
2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, begin creaming the cold butter and gradually add sugar. Beat for 20 minutes. 
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl.
5. Whisk cake flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
6. In a liquid measuring cup, mix buttermilk and flavorings.
7. Add white cake mix to creamed butter and sugar mixture, followed by 1/3 of the buttermilk mixture.
8. With the mixer on low, alternate cake flour mixture and remaining buttermilk, starting and ending with cake flour mixture.
9. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl and incorporate any unmixed batter if necessary.
10. Mix for an additional 7 minutes.
11. While the batter is mixing, prepare three 9” pans with parchment paper and spray with Baker’s Joy^®.
12. Evenly distribute batter into prepared pans.
13. Bake layers for 45 minutes, or until set. If the layer springs back, it is done. If the indentation stays, it needs 2 to 3 minutes longer. 
14. Cool the cakes for at least 10 minutes on a cooling rack before removing from the pans.
15. Prepare the cream cheese icing and ice the cooled layers.

ICING

1. Cream butter for approximately 2 minutes. Add cream cheese and cream until light and fluffy. 
2. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.
3. Add extracts and amaretto and mix for another 1–2 minutes.
4. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar mixture, scraping down the bowl halfway through. 
5. Once all incorporated, mix for an additional 3 minutes.
6. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

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Roasted Green Beans

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20–25 minutes
Serves: 4–6 people

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. fresh green beans 
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter 
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 
3/4 tsp. garlic powder 
2 Tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce 
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds 

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash the green beans and prepare by cutting off the tips. 
2. Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Blanch the green beans for 2 minutes, drain, and place the green beans in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. 
3. Preheat the oven to 325 F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. 
4. In a separate saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring constantly so the butter does not burn. 
5. Add in the brown sugar and garlic powder. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. 
6. Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the soy sauce. Continue to stir as the mixture bubbles. 
7. Toss the green beans in the sauce to fully coat. 
8. Pour the green beans and the sauce onto the prepared sheet pan. Place in the oven and roast the green beans for 10–15 minutes. 
9. Top with toasted sesame seeds before serving. 

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As seen in the October 2023 issue of Augusta magazine.