Balsamic-Honey Glazed Roast Beef Sandwiches with French Dip

Oh my god this is without a doubt the best sandwich I have EVER eaten!!!  And it's a crockpot recipe so dinner was on the table in under 15 minutes which was perfect since my husband had to eat early in order to digest before his running group training session.

I'm a fan of French Dip Sandwiches but this juice and the balsamic-honey glaze brings this particular version to a whole new freaking level.  I mean it is phenomenal!  I literally inhaled my dinner and had to refrain from eating a second sandwich.  Then, I rushed to my computer to blog about it because keeping this recipe from you would be a crime.

The au jus dip juice is full of yummy beefy and slightly acidic flavor (from the balsamic vinegar).  The beef is incredibly tender and sopping in the flavored juices.  The cheese is perfectly melty and the glaze just puts everything over the top with its syrupy sweet sour perfection.  I used rye hoagie rolls as my bread and wish I had used something a little more substantial because the tender bread wanted to fall apart under the weight of the beefy goodness as I drenched it with dip juices.  The cheese acted a bit like glue as it precariously held the sandwich together!

Yep.  My mouth is still watering a bit as I write this post.  I cannot wait to eat the leftovers for lunch  tomorrow!

PS:  Happy Birthday, Mom!  I love you!

Two Years Ago: Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

Three Years Ago: Sushi, Zuppa Toscana, and Sun-Dried Tomato, Basil, and Parmesan Muffins

Balsamic-Honey Glazed Roast Beef Sandwiches with French Dip

I was so eager to eat this sandwich that I smooshed my two halves together
before I realized  the photo would look way better if I kept it open...
hence the onions and some beef stuck to the cheesy side.  Oops!

Ingredients

For the Sandwiches

• 6 sub rolls (I love rye!)
• 1 recipe Balsamic Slow Cooker Beef with Onions (recipe below)
• 6 slices provolone cheese
• Mayonnaise (optional)
• Balsamic Honey Glaze (recipe below)

For the Balsamic Slow Cooker Roast Beef

• 1 3-4 pound boneless roast beef (chuck or round roast)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

For the Balsamic Honey Glaze

• 2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 4 Tbsp honey

Directions

1. Place onions in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Then add the roast beef.
2. In a large bowl, mix together  the remaining roast beef ingredients.  Pour over the beef and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.  (I'd recommend the latter for the most tender beef!  Cook it low and slow!)
3. Once the roast beef has cooked, remove it from your slow cooker and transfer to a serving dish.  Shred the beef lightly with two forks.
4. Transfer the juice and onions to a fat separator (I have and recommend this one from Oxo).  Put the strained onions into a bowl and set aside.  Then pour about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the juice over the roast beef.  Reserve the rest of the au jus juice for dipping.  Throw out the fat.
5. Make the glaze by combining the ingredients in a non-reactive saucepan.  Bring to a boil then lower heat to low and allow to simmer while stirring constantly. The glaze is done when it is thick enough to coat your spoon.
6. Turn on your oven broiler.  Open a bun on a baking sheet and if desired, smear a bit of mayonnaise on the top half then add a slice of cheese.  Place meat and some onions on the other half of the bun.  Put the baking sheet under the broiler and heat until the cheese begins to bubble and get slightly browned.  Remove the sandwiches from the oven then drizzle with balsamic-honey glaze.  It's strong so start light and add more as desired.
7. Serve sandwich with au jus for dipping.  Close your eyes and be amazed by how delicious it is.  Try not to eat more than one!

Source: Barely adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody as modified from Add a Pinch

Cherry BBQ Pulled Pork Grilled Pizza

Happy Friday!  I don't know who noticed but last night I spent an extensive portion of my evening giving my blog a face lift.  After not really doing anything to my site for nearly 300 posts (next one!), I was just getting a little sick of the old look.  I changed my blog template (of course keeping my signature and favorite pink color!), moved some content onto their own pages to make the homepage more streamlined, and added better social media sharing/following features to the bottom of each post and the sidebar (please use them!).  I also moved the "print-friendly" button to a more obvious location.  If you haven't used that feature yet, it's a pretty awesome way to cut out all my witty chatter (*sad face*) and just print the recipe and/or photo if you want.  Yah for being green!  I hope all of these little changes help to make your browsing experience on my website a bit better.  Please comment and let me know how I'm doing!

Today we are continuing Emily and my Seasonal Summer Fruit and Vegetable Extravaganza.  We already shared our Watermelon Slush and BLT Corn Salad Wrap starter so onto the main course!  As it was extremely hot out lately, Emily and I thought we'd put our husbands to work on the grill and with the success of my Grilled Steakhouse Pizza in the past, I thought another grilled pizza would be a great addition to our menu.  Plus, Emily and Scott were grilled pizza virgins.

Overall the taste of this pizza was very Summery.  I do wish that the flavor of the cherries came through more but it could have been the result of using some not-so-flavorful cherries that I picked up at the grocery store.  Darn those pretty and highly-shippable fruits that look deceivingly delicious but yet fall flat on flavor!!  Either way, Scott liked the barbecue because it "wasn't overly sweet" and pizza is pretty much the only way he enjoys goat cheese.  Emily's need for carbs, meat, and cheese was definitely satisfied and she scarfed hers down faster than any of the boys!  In all fairness, she is eating for three now...yes, in case I hadn't mentioned, she's pregnant with twins!  Last but not least, my husband's verdict?  "It was yummy."  Ah, a man of few words ;).

Come back next week to see what desserts were made.  One more week until my Beer Flats giveaway ends.  Check out my review and take the time to enter.  It only takes a few seconds!

One Year Ago: Ultimate Sriracha Burger

Two Years Ago: Homemade Refrigerator Pickles

Cherry BBQ Pulled Pork Grilled Pizza

Photo Credit: Emily H.

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds of your favorite pizza dough, shaped into 4 individual sized balls to be stretched and grilled
• Olive oil for brushing
• ~1 cup cherry barbecue sauce, recipe follows
• ~1.5 cups leftover shredded pulled pork, recipe follows
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Crumbled goat cheese
• Red onion, thinly sliced
• Pineapple chunks
• Cilantro, chopped

For the Cherry Barbecue Sauce

• 1/2 lb cherries, pits removed
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup barbecue sauce

For the Pulled Pork

• 1 can Dr. Pepper
• 5-7 lbs pork butt roast
• 1/4 cup brown mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Prepare the Pulled Pork: Liberally season the pork roast with salt and pepper and place the fat-side-up in a crockpot.  Add the mustard and Dr. Pepper to the crockpot and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Shred the meat with two forks, discarding any bones and fat.
2. Prepare the Cherry Barbecue Sauce: Roughly chop the cherries into small pieces.  Add them to a small sauce pan along with the sugar and water.  Cook over medium heat for ~20 minutes, until the liquid is thick and the cherries are soft.
3. Grill the Pizza:  Heat grill to medium-high heat (450F) and generously oil the grate (I use a paper towel wad soaked in oil and held with tongs or a silicone brush
4. Carefully place individually sized stretched dough rounds onto the grill and cover.  Allow to cook until nicely browned on bottom and large bubbles form on the surface (about 3-4 minutes).  Carefully remove the dough from the grill and with the cooked side facing up, top each pizza with cherry barbecue sauce.  Top with pulled pork then follow with cheddar and mozzarella cheese.  Finish with the red onions, pineapple, and goat cheese.  Carefully return the topped pizzas to the grill and cook until the bottom is browned and cheese is melted (about 4-6 minutes).
5. Remove pizza from grill. Garnish with cilantro.  Cut and serve immediately.

Source: A combination of ingredients and ideas from Confections of a Foodie Bride and Our Best Bites

Korean Style Short Ribs

I'm still here.  And I have a great reason for not posting lately.  But I think some pictures will explain that the best...so here goes and we can make a game of it:

There are mountains and ice in this place.

Sunsets always beautiful but this one was absolutely breathtaking...

An iceberg...know where in the world I went, yet?

How about somewhere with penguins?

Are you my twin?

Yes, I was in ANTARCTICA.  And it was simply AMAZING.  Every single thing that I saw was so beautiful and awe inspiring that I literally had sensory overload.  One of my favorite memories was having a baby penguin come right up to me and stand in between my legs on a windy day as if it was seeking shelter and I was its mommy.  I also saw the most gorgeous sunset of my life. The last photo is me designating that it is the 6th continent that I have visited (the only one left for me is Africa which was originally planned for last year before the Egyptian riots spoiled my plans).

But, now I've been home for a few weeks and I realized that between my new job and vacation, I've severely neglected my blog.  So today I'm sharing with you a recipe that has been circulating the blogosphere awhile ago and I made it in roughly the same time period.  When I dusted it off for posting my mouth started watering.  It was quite possibly one of the most flavorful pieces of meat I have ever eaten and it was so easy to make.  I served mine over rice but I've seen some people making tacos out of them, too.  The flavor gets even better in the event that you have leftovers...but like that would happen! Ha!


Korean Style Short Ribs

   

Ingredients

• 1 c. soy sauce
• 1 c. packed light brown sugar
• 4 T. sesame oil
• 3 T. red wine vinegar
• 2 T. fresh ginger, minced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 t. red pepper
• 1 t. ground ginger
• 1 t. black pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds beef short ribs (I went with boneless)
• 2 green onions, sliced

Directions

1. Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, fresh ginger, garlic, and water in the crockpot, stirring until well incorporated.  Sprinkle in the red pepper, ground ginger, and black pepper.  Mix well.
2. Place the ribs in the crockpot and spoon sauce over top of ribs.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Remove ribs from crockpot and serve over rice.  Top with green onions.

Source: As seen on and adapted by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks from What's Cooking Chicago

Cheesy Italian Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Happy 11/11/11!  There's only one more time this century that a date with all the same numbers will happen and that's on 12/12/12.  When I bookmarked this recipe and put it on my menu plan I had every intention of making this in the crockpot.  But, apparently when you forget to do the pre-work ahead of time before going to work you end up making it in old fashioned way to speed things along.  Thank goodness for dual oven and crockpot directions on this one :).

I learn all sorts of meatball tricks on Joelen's blog.  Previously with Swedish Meatballs recipe I learned that instead of pan frying your meatballs you can put them in a (mini-)cupcake pan and bake them.  Now from this recipe I learned you can also just put your meatballs on a plate and nuke them.  How amazing and easy is that?!  I love tips and tricks that make your life easier and the thing I particularly love about Joelen's blog is that most recipes have make-ahead tips so they're perfect for new parents and folks with busy lives.

These meatballs were cheesy as promised and a definite crowd pleaser!  Everyone knows that marinara sauce freezes perfectly, too.


Cheesy Italian Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped fine
• 2/3 cup tomato paste (equivalent to one 6 oz can.)
• 8 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
• 2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/4 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
• Minced fresh Italian parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions, tomato paste, 6 garlic cloves, oregano, pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until golden, about 8 minutes.
2. Transfer half of onion mixture to large bowl; set aside. Add wine to pot with remaining onion mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, then transfer to slow cooker.
3. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, sausage, eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining garlic to bowl with reserved onion mixture. Mash with potato masher until smooth. Add beef and cream to bowl and knead with hands until well combined. Form mixture into twelve 2-inch meatballs.
4. Microwave meatballs on large plate until fat renders and meatballs are firm, 4 to 7 minutes. Nestle meatballs in slow cooker, discarding rendered fat. Cover and cook on low until meatballs are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 hours. Skim fat. Stir in basil and remaining Parmesan. Season with salt. Serve over pasta and garnish with minced parsley if desired.

* To make ahead/freezer meal - Prepare the directions as noted above for sauce however allow the sauce cool and set aside. Prepare the directions as noted above for the meatballs however nestle meatballs in an oven- and freezer-proof baking dish discarding rendered fat; allow to cool. Alternately, you can cool the meatballs and place in a gallon sized freezer bag. Cover the meatballs with the cooled sauce (either in the baking dish or freezer bag). Cover/seal and freeze. When ready to prepare, defrost.

If making in the oven - Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking dish with foil and place baking dish on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in basil and remaining Parmesan. Season with salt. Serve over pasta and garnish with minced parsley if desired.

If making in the slow cooker/crockpot - Place contents of freezer bag in a slowcooker/crockpot. Cover and cook on low until meatballs are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 hours. Skim fat. Stir in basil and remaining Parmesan. Season with salt. Serve over pasta and garnish with minced parsley if desired.


Source: Originally from Cook's Illustrated/Cook's Country as adapted by and seen on What's Cookin, Chicago and The Piggly Wiggly

Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw

Two words can be used to describe this sandwich - YUM and oooh-spicy!  The first time I had this sandwich was at one of my Dinner Clubs when Emily made them as sliders complete with homemade buns.  As an aside, honestly, I wouldn't see her doing it any other way than homemade, though ;).  It definitely had my taste buds singing and I realized I had actually bookmarked the recipe myself so to the top of the "to make" list it went.  I was also delighted because I could use my CSA cabbage for the slaw.  Win-win!

I made mine with beef though because would you believe it?  The day I went to the grocery store to shop I could not find any pork for sale!  It was completely baffling.  I brought it over to my parent's house to celebrate 4th of July and everyone loved it.  Folks were even eating the slaw as a side dish (but the spiciness of the jalapenos caught many off gaurd...tee hee!).  I'd imagine that it'd taste great made with pork or chicken too.  A perfect summer sandwich!


Pork Sandwiches with Cilantro-Jalapeno Slaw

Yields: 12 servings

Ingredients

• 1 whole Onion, Peeled And Quartered
• 1 whole Pork Butt (pork Shoulder Roast)
• Salt And Pepper
• 1 can (11 Ounce) Chipotle Peppers In Adobo Sauce
• 2 cans Cola (Dr Pepper, Coke, Etc.)
• 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 12 whole Good Quality Kaiser Or Deli Rolls
• 12 Tablespoons Butter
• 1/2 head Cabbage, Sliced Thin
• 1/2 head Purple Cabbage, Sliced Thin
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Halved Lengthwise And Thinly Sliced
• 1/2 cup Whole Milk
• 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon White Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 2 cups Cilantro Leaves, Barely Chopped

Directions

For the meat*:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Generously salt and pepper the pork roast, then set it on top of the onions in the pan.
3. Pour the can of chipotle peppers over the pork (include the sauce.) Pour in both cans of Dr Pepper. Add brown sugar to the juice and stir in.
4. Place lid tightly on pot, then set pot in the oven. Cook for at least six hours, turning roast two or three times during the cooking process. Check meat after six hours; it should be absolutely falling apart (use two forks to test.) If it’s not falling apart, return to the oven for another hour.
5. Remove meat from pot and place on a cutting board or other work surface. Use two forks to shred meat, discarding large pieces of fat. Strain as much of the fat off the top of the cooking liquid as you can and discard it. Return the shredded meat to the cooking liquid, and keep warm until ready to serve. (You can also refrigerate the meat and liquid separately, then remove hardened fat once it’s cold. Then heat up the liquid on the stovetop and return the meat to the liquid to warm up.)

*Note: I chose to use a crockpot instead of the oven to avoid heating up the house on a hot summer's day.  Plus, you can leave it unattended all day without touching it.  I put mine on low for 8 hours then shredded with two forks.  Yummo!

For the slaw: Combine shredded cabbage and sliced jalapenos in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne. Pour over cabbage. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate two hours.  Before serving, toss in cilantro leaves.

To assemble sandwiches: Butter both halves of Kaiser rolls, then brown them on a griddle or skillet until golden and crisp on the surface. Load up each sandwich with shredded pork, then with the slaw.

Source: The Pioneer Woman

French Dip Sandwiches

This is one of those recipes that is really easy but seems more complex.  Perhaps in my mind its because the sandwiches are served with a side of au jus.  Oooh, that's French and sounds fancy!

I assure you that anybody can make this dish and leftovers taste even better the next day or freeze beautifully for a quick freezer meal.  It's so easy even my college-aged brother can do it.  Plop meat, liquids, and seasonings into crockpot in the morning.  Turn on low to cook all day.  Drive your cutie pie dog nuts with the delicious beefy aroma as it slowly cooks in the juices.  Split a hoagie roll and slather some mayo and spices on one side.  Add shredded beef from crockpot and top with cheese.  If desired, make it all toasty by using your broiler.  Dip in delicious au jus and let the deliciousness melt in your mouth.

I'm adding this recipe into my rotation and you should, too.  It got the stamp of approval from my husband AND father-in-law who now attempts to stop by on the weekends to help around the house in exchange for a nice home cooked lunch.

One Year Ago: Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bols and Corn and Avocado Salsa

French Dip Sandwiches
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Yields: 4 Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast
• 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped bay leaves
• 1/2 cup soy sauce (I use low sodium to cut the saltiness)
• 3 cups water 

For the Sandwiches

• 4 hoagie rolls or french bread, cut in half horizontally
• 4 slices provolone cheese (or cheese of your choice)
• light mayonnaise
• dried parsley*
• dried thyme*
• dried basil* 

*Note: You may desire to substitute a pre-mixed Italian seasoning in lieu of using separate spices

Directions

1. Place meat in crock pot. Sprinkle with garlic, rosemary and bay leaves. Add in soy sauce and water. Cover and cook on low for 6-10 hours until the meat is tender and is easily pulled away with a fork.
2. To assemble the sandwiches: Take bottom piece of your bread roll & add the meat. Top with cheese. On top half of the roll spread a thin layer of mayonnaise and sprinkle with dried herbs.  If desired place open faced sandwich in oven and broil until bun is lightly toasted and cheese is melted and bubbly.  Place top half on top of sandwich. 
3. If desired, skim the fat off the top of the au jus remaining in crockpot.  Then, place some of the au jus  into a small bowl and serve with sandwiches for dipping. 

Source: Slightly modified from All Recipes as seen on Macaroni and Cheesecake

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Pssst...did you miss me?  Probably not as my readership isn't all that high.  I apologize for not blogging in nearly 2 weeks...I'm such a bad blogger! :( *goes and runs to hide in the corner*.  Don't worry, I'm still alive, and I'm still cooking.  And, I'm apparently behind by blogging recipes from MARCH when it's nearly the end of April.  My bad. 

I'll admit, I've been a slacker on not just blogging but also with Jazzercising lately.  I used to try to blog about every 2-3 days but now I'm lucky to do once a week.  I'm down to an average of 2 days per week Jazzing instead of my 3-4 that I was doing previously.  I think prepping for and then going to DC for Easter weekend just threw off my rhythm.  And then there's the whole getting ready for big Euro vacation and the nail biting with the Icelandic volcano whose name nobody can actually say.  I hope that once vacation time is over I can ease back into my routine of not just cooking but also blogging about it in a timely manner and exercising more to make sure I don't pack on any extra pounds (especially after eating such delicious foods abroad!).

OK.  Now back to the reason you're probably here - this slow cooker carnitas recipe.  I remember when I cooked this meal (apparently on March 18th based on the photo timestamp) I was so impressed by how flavorful it was to cook.  And better yet, it was way easy...like a good crockpot recipe should be!  The slow cooked meat shredded easily and practically melted in your mouth.  If you don't eat pork, no worries, I would not hesitate to use this same recipe on a different type of meat like chicken or beef because it was a serious fiesta of flavors in your mouth!  In fact, I used beef this time because I had a 2 pound chunk already in the freezer that needed using up.  The cumin gave the meat a nice smokey flavor and the citrus juice gave it some zip and brightness.  Delicious and will definitely make again because I LOVE Mexican food :).

Slow Cooker Carnitas
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Yields: 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 pounds pork shoulder (or equivalent of your choice of meat)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 large orange)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 large lime)
• 7 cloves garlic (whole intact)
• 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• corn or flour tortillas
• toppings: sour cream, salsa, cheese, onions, bell peppers, sliced avocado, etc (optional)

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the salt and cumin. Rub mixture all over the pork, then put into a 6 quart slow cooker. Add whole garlic cloves. Squeeze on the citrus, and pour the beef broth evenly over the top.
2. Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or until the pork shreds quite easily with a fork. Shred meat fully and serve on warmed tortillas with desired toppings.

Source: A Year of Slow Cooking

The Easiest White Bean Chicken Chili

It's getting a bit warm out for chili (it got up to the mid-upper 60s today!) but I assure you that when I made this a couple of weeks ago, it was a bit chilly out still so this meal was entirely appropriate.  The title isn't lying.  It is by far the easiest chicken chili I've ever made.  Easiest soup at all, for that matter.

The flavor was great but here's the the thing.  My cheese cubes didn't melt and disperse into the soup.  They stayed as softened/melted brown colored cubes of cheese which just weirded me out.  Maybe it was the type of cheese I used?  I don't know.  It was Kraft Pepper Jack Cheese in a block and I sliced it into cubes like the directions said I should.  Next time if I make this again, I'd probably shred the cheese instead in hopes that it just might go INTO the chili instead of staying separate.

The Easiest White Bean Chicken Chili
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Ingredients

• 3 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes with chilis
• 1 can corn
• 1 tsp. cumin powder (optional for more flavor)
• 1 tsp chili powder (optional for more flavor)
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
• 8 ounces Pepper jack cheese, cut into 2-inch cubes (I'd shred them next time instead)
• 2 cups salsa
• Optional garnishes: shredded cheese, sour cream, avocado, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, diced fresh tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips, extra salsa, tabasco/cholula hot sauce, etc.

Instructions

1. Combine the beans, tomatoes, corn, cheese, spices (if desired), and salsa in a crockpot. Nestle the chicken breasts into the mixture, and cook on low 6-8 hours.
2. Shred chicken breasts with a fork then stir to combine.  Serve with desired garnishes.

Source: Modified from Pink Parsley

Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I'm pretty sure this is my favorite crockpot recipe.  It's rediculously simple and tastes so good!  The meat makes its own gravy as it cooks!  A hot, comforting meal that's ready for you when you come home.  I like to add some veggies (carrots, potatoes, onions, celery) to mine to make it a one-pot meal and usually serve it over rice or egg noodles.  This time, I only had a 2.5lb piece of beef so I halved the recipe and we ate it plain like a stew.  I've made the full recipe before and it does freeze well if you want to do easy freezer meals (like this one isn't easy enough to begin with, though!).

Now for an interesting story...because every recipe has one.  One of the ingredients in this recipe is onion soup mix.  I usually buy whatever is on sale or cheapest for these types of ingredients and Kroger brand was significantly cheaper when I went shopping.  I made the meal on a Friday and when I went shopping the following Monday, the cashier notifies me that my Kroger Plus Card shows that we may have purchased a product that was recently recalled.  It turns out that the onion soup mix was being recalled for potential Samonella contamination.  Awesome!  Bad news is that I had already used some of the product.  Good news is that 1) We ate it and didn't get sick (I suspect either because it cooked in the crockpot for over 8 hours and probably killed anything bad or ours wasn't contaminated to begin with) and 2) by having Kroger stalk our buying habits with the plus card, we now know that our product is bad.  I had leftovers (at least 2 more meals worth!) but out of fear I'm throwing them out.  The remaining product is being returned to Kroger on my next shopping trip and we'll get a full refund.  Wonder if they'll refund me the cost of the other materials like my meat, condensed soup, and veggies, too...sheesh.

Try to ignore my photo...I know it looks like...vomit...or something.  Do you realize how hard it is to photograph certain types of food??  And I must have stirred mine too much this time because it was much more shredded than normal...usually it's chunks of meat rather than shreds.  Anyway, I assure you it tastes AWESOME, just as the namesake says it will :).

Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast
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Yields: 12 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (I like to sub a cream of celery soup for one of the cream of mushrooms and always use the low fat versions...you can use your favorite cream of whatever soup)
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 1/4 cups water (if desired, for a more sophisticated taste can substitute with a dry red wine)
• 5 1/2 pounds pot roast
• 3 large potatoes, scrubbed and diced (optional)
• 1 large onion, sliced (optional)
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced (optional)
• 2 stalks celery, sliced (optional)
• 3 Tablespoons flour (optional)

Directions

1. If desired, add vegetables to bottom of slow cooker.  Then, mix in cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix and water. Place pot roast in slow cooker and coat with soup mixture.
2. Cook on High setting for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low setting for 8 to 9 hours.  If a thicker gravy is desired, add about 3 Tablespoons of flour to the crockpot 30 minutes before serving and stir well.

Source: Modified from All Recipes

Crockpot Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)

I was excited to try the Pioneer Woman recipe for Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken) because Jes trialed it and said it was awesome and was also interested in the A Year of Slow Cooking's version which has been bookmarked on my Google Reader for who knows how long.  So, I took the ingredients from Pioneer Woman and the method from Slow Cooking's to make this recipe.

Because I only had 2 chicken breasts on hand, I halved the recipe but what you'll find below is the original recipe.  But since my crockpot is HUGEEE (yeah, got it from Costco and everything at that store, including appliances, comes in bulk sizes!) I decided to use the method of nesting a stoneware dish inside of my crockpot to create a smaller vessel and avoid burning/drying out of my food.  Did you know you could do that??  Yeah, nifty little trick.  Take a heat safe dish like Corningware or Pyrex and just stick it right inside of your crockpot.  Cool.

The end result?  A really easy version of Chicken Makhani.  But, flavor wise it was too weak and I much prefer the Chicken Tikka Masala that I previously made and blogged about (in fact, had some for dinner recently that I froze and reheated...still awesome!).  Yes, they're technically different dishes but the modifications I made to the original Tikka Masala recipe made it closer to a Makhani and in restaurants that don't have one of the other they tell you to get the other anyway as a subsitutute.  Texture wise, I should have known that crockpotting would result in a shredded chicken and I'd MUCH rather have real chicken cubes rather than shredded chicken.  If anything, this reminds me of what I'd imagine an Indian version of pulled pork/chicken might look like lol!

Anyway, I'm sharing this with you because my goal is to share all things yummy and not-so-yummy that comes ouf ot my kitchen.  Thankfully, things I consider successes far out number what I'd consider failures.  I wouldn't personally make this one again as I know that I can do better but if you don't mind crockpot chicken texture and are looking for something a bit different, I suppose it's worth giving a shot.

Crockpot Chicken Makhani (Indian Butter Chicken)
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Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 pieces Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoons Black Pepper
• ½ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Coriander
• ¼ teaspoons Cumin
• ¼ teaspoons Cardamom
• 1 whole Lime, Juiced
• 1 whole Onion, Diced
• ¼ cups Butter
• 1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Tomato Sauce
• 1 can (14.5 Oz. Can) Petite Diced Tomatoes
• 1 pint Whipping Cream
• 1 bunch Chopped Cilantro, to taste
• 2 cups Basmati Rice (or However Much You Want)

Directions

1. In a bowl or gallon sized ziplock bag, combine first 9 ingredients (through lime juice).  Let marinade in refrigerator overnight.
2. Put chicken in crockpot, and add onion then butter and tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4. The chicken should shred easily with 2 forks when fully cooked.
3. 15 minutes before serving, add whipping cream.  Serve over basmati rice and garnish with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Source: Ingredients from Pioneer Woman and cooking method from A Year of Slowcooking

Crockpot 40 Clove Garlic Chicken

Do you like it when you come home to a hot homemade meal?  The crockpot can make this dream a reality.  I found this recipe on a blog called Crockpot Tuesdays, which specializes in crockpot recipes.  I didn't make this meal on a Tuesday, though.  I prepped it in my crock pot on a Thursday night and then turned it on on a snowy Friday while Chris was home hibernating from the snow and bad Cincinnati drivers.  He said it smelled really good while it was cooking, which is a good sign!

Don't be afraid of the amount of garlic in this recipe!  It cooks so long that the garlic takes on a mellow, buttery flavor and hey, garlic is good for your heart anyway :).  Chris got scared off by all the garlic so he didn't eat his cloves...more for me!  I liked to spread my garlic over a slice of bread.  Yum!

As a recipe note, I personally found the amount of salt to be too much in this recipe so I have reduced it from it's original 3/4 tsp.  I also didn't have any white wine in the house (We're not drinkers...the only wine I have in the house is red and we only have it because it was gifted!  It is used for things like Jamie's Minestrone, Vegetable Soup, and Marinara Magnifica.  We also have some Smirnoff Vodka...but it's purpose is also for cooking - Penne a la Vodka!) and so I subbed all homemade chicken broth (unsalted...and it still turned out too salty as originally written!).  Out of laziness, I bought a jar of garlic cloves pre-peeled which made this dish even easier.  I have a leftover chicken breast and a half so I'll have to think of some way to use it later this week...I'm thinking for cutting and laying on top of a pasta dish, perhaps.

By the way, sorry about the picture quality below.  Not sure why it was focused on the veggies versus the chicken.  I really need to work on this picture taking thing with the food.  Any tips?  We have a Canon point and shoot and  I've been trying to use the macro setting without flash and just our island lights (incandescent bulbs).  I know natural lighting is supposed to be best but since I work during all day-light hours that makes it a bit challenging to say the least :P.

Crockpot 40 Clove Garlic Chicken
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Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. skinless, bone-in chicken thighs (I used boneless breasts)
• 1 tsp. herbes de Provence
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil]
• 40 cloves garlic, peeled (about 3 heads)
• 1/2 celery rib, sliced
• 1/2 cup onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 3 tbsp. chicken broth

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine chicken, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil.
2. Lightly coat the stoneware of your crockpot with cooking spray. Place the chicken in the crockpot, and layer celery, onions and garlic on top. Pour in wine and chicken broth.
3. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Source: Cuisinart as seen on Crockpot Tuesdays

Classic Pot Roast

I'll be honest, I was a bit disappointed with this recipe.  Maybe it was the cut of meat that I had bought (it was labled as being for a pot roast!) or I just did something wrong but the gravy that this created was so oily it just turned me off...and made my stomach hurt!  Not what I was expecting from a Cooking Light recipe :(.  I also found it to be rather bland...something was definitely missing even though I even used fresh thyme leaves from the plant my Aunt Ying gave us for our housewarming and freshly ground pepper and sea salt.  I much prefer my other Crockpot Pot Roast recipe (which, I'll probably make sometime this winter and post...or if you really want it now, leave a comment).  It was more complicated than my other recipe, too (I even did the crockpot version that Sara developed!).  The flouring and searing of the roast didn't seem to add anything versus the recipe I typically use. 

Net, I probably won't be making this one again but here it is for those who are interested.

Classic Pot Roast
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Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 3 ounces roast, about 3/4 cup vegetables, and about 3 tablespoons cooking liquid)

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3-lb boneless chuck roast, trimmed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Flour
• 2 cups coarsely chopped onion
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 4 thyme sprigs
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 14-oz can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 large carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces (used about 3/4 of a small bag of baby carrots)
• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Directions:

Oven method:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chuck roast with salt and pepper, and evenly coat the roast with flour.
3. Add roast to pan; cook 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove roast from pan.
4. Add onion to pan; sauté 8 minutes or until tender.
5. Return browned roast to pan.
6. Add the red wine, thyme sprigs, chopped garlic, beef broth, and bay leaf to pan; De-glaze pan and bring to a simmer.
7. Cover pan and bake at 350° for 1-1/2 hours or until the roast is almost tender.
8. Add carrots and potatoes to pan. Cover and bake an additional 1 hour or until vegetables are tender.
9. Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf from pan; discard.
10. Shred meat with 2 forks.
11. Serve roast with vegetable mixture and cooking liquid.
12. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.

Slow Cooker method:

1. Place chopped vegetables (carrots and potatoes) into the bottom of your slow cooker.
2. Follow steps #1-#6.
3. Place crusted pot roast into your slow cooker on top of your vegetables.
4. Pour the red wine mixture on top of your pot roast.
5. Cook the roast on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.

Source: Cooking Light October 2006 as seen on The Piggly Wiggly

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

This dip was included in our recent open house menu.  Who can argue about something creamy, cheesy, and gooey?!  Oh and yes, there is spinach and artichoke so count that towards your veggie quota for the day ;).  Once you make this dip, you'll be so happy that you can make it home instead of buying it at the restaurant!  It's so easy and so good!  I've found that you can just use the "italian blend" cheese instead of individual cheese and it works great (and it's cheaper to not have to buy 3 types of cheese individually!).  I heat mine up then throw it in the crockpot to make sure it's nice and hot throughout the party :).

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip
(Source: Modified from All Recipes)

PREP TIME	15 Min
COOK TIME	25 Min
READY IN	40 Min

SERVINGS 12

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (low fat OK) 
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise (low fat OK) 
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese  
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or instead of above 3, just use 3/4 cup Italian Style shredded cheese)
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder 
• salt and pepper to taste
• Dash of hot sauce 
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, cheese(s), garlic, basil, garlic salt, onion powder, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
2. Microwave until mixture is hot, stirring occasionally.
3. Transfer the mixture to a crockpot on "warm" setting.  Turn off occasionally or add water or additional mayo over time if mixture starts to become too dry.  Serve with tortilla chips, pita chips, and/or celery.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Ah the slow cooker.  This is man's gift to the busy working family!  This recipe calls for a tenderloin but you can use much cheaper cuts (such as the shoulder or butt) and it'll yield the same fabulous tasting results.  I've also substituted chicken breast for the pork and it's also very yummy.  Sometimes I'll use diet root beer and I've even used cola before when that's all I had on-hand.  I'm still not sure what the purpose of the pop is but it seems to make it taste good haha!  Give this one a try, it's one of the easiest meals you could possibly make :).

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
(Source: All Recipes)

PREP TIME	10 Min
COOK TIME	7 Hrs
READY IN	7 Hrs 10 Min

SERVINGS 8

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 1 (2 pound) pork tenderloin
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can
•  or bottle root beer
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle your favorite barbecue sauce
• 8 hamburger buns, split and lightly toasted

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the pork tenderloin in a slow cooker; pour the root beer over the meat. Cover and cook on low until well cooked and the pork shreds easily, 6 to 7 hours. Note: the actual length of time may vary according to individual slow cooker.
2. Drain well.
3. Stir in barbecue sauce.
4. Serve over hamburger buns.

Crockpot Turkey

Did you have any idea that you could make a turkey in the crockpot (slow cooker)?? Me neither until I came across this recipe. Just imagine having a delicious turkey dinner ready for you by the time you get home from work...so simple, so delectable. As an added bonus, just make some roux and add the turkey juices to make some mean gravy. With this recipe, you too can have turkey any day of the year, not just on Thanksgiving!

Crockpot Turkey
(source: All Recipes)

PREP TIME 10 Min
COOK TIME 8 Hrs
READY IN 8 Hrs 10 Min
SERVINGS 6

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 1 (6 pound) bone-in turkey breast
• 1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix

DIRECTIONS

1. Rinse the turkey breast and pat dry. Cut off any excess skin, but leave the skin covering the breast.
2. Rub onion soup mix all over outside of the turkey and under the skin.
3. Place in a slow cooker. Cover, and cook on High for 1 hour, then set to Low, and cook for 7 hours. (NOTE: I have made this recipe using the just the Low setting for 8 hours and it's turned out fine, too. Cooking on High for a bit makes the turkey a little more "carvable" versus "fall off the bone". Either way, it tastes delicious!)