Friday, June 14, 2019

Slow Cooker Italian Beef



Italian Beef originated in Chicago.  This delicious recipe takes a boneless rump roast and cooks it with Italian salad dressing mix and seasonings.  It can be served as a roast (with au jus or "gravy" as Chicago locals would say) or thinly sliced on a sandwich made from Italian bread covered with provolone and roasted sweet or hot peppers if desired.

A 4-packet box of Italian Salad Dressing mix is shown, but you will only need 2 packets.
Slow Cooker Italian Beef

1 3-4 lb. boneless beef rump roast
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
2 (0.7 oz) packets Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing & Recipe Mix
1 (10.5 oz) can beef broth
Half of a 16 oz. jar sliced peperoncini peppers 
Optional sandwich ingredients--Italian bread, provolone or sharp cheddar cheese, roasted peppers, etc.

In a 6 qt. slow cooker, place the rump roast fat side up so the fat will drip down into the meat.  Generously season with several shakes of the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.  In a bowl, combine the dry Italian dressing with the beef broth and half the jar of peperoncini peppers including some of the juice.  (I use a fork to drain the peppers before adding to the broth mixture and then pour in a small amount of juice.)  Pour this mixture over the rump roast.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Remove roast from slow cooker and slice thickly if being served as a roast or thinly for sandwiches.  (Meat can also be shredded for sandwiches if desired.)  Place meat back into juices and cook for another hour to hour and a half.


*Recipe adapted from my friend Irene's recipe.

One day, my friend Irene mentioned that she had made Italian Beef for sandwiches.  I had never heard of Italian Beef, but Irene is a fabulous cook, so of course...I had to get the recipe.  We loved it!  We like it best served as a roast with baked potatoes and a side, but it is fabulous served as sandwiches.  Here are a couple of interesting reads on the sandwich:









Friday, June 7, 2019

Catch-a-Husband Blackberry Cobbler


The creator of Catch-a-Husband Blackberry Cobbler, Francine Bryson, says it's what got her a husband, so how could you not want to try this adaptation?  If you're not married, this may just be the ticket.  And if you are married, your husband may propose again.


Catch-a-Husband Blackberry Cobbler

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups baking mix (like Bisquick) 
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup whole milk
1 (21 oz.) can blackberry pie filling
1 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. sugar

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Pour the melted butter into an 8x8 square baker.  In a 1.5 qt. bowl, stir together the baking mix, sugar, and milk until smooth.  Pour into the baker on top of the butter.  Drop spoonfuls of the pie filling over the batter.  Do not stir.  Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top of the cobbler.  Bake for about an hour or until it's golden brown on top.  Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. of sugar over the cobbler 10 minutes before it’s done.  Serve warm with ice cream.


Fruit cobbler gets its name from the crispy, buttery crust that is formed when baking, which then resembles cobblestone streets common to old villages.  In this recipe, the pie filling will sink to the bottom allowing a beautiful crust to develop on top.