Slow Cooker Shiner Bock Pot Roast Dip Sandwiches

Okay, big title.  But super easy dish...and I probably think you have most of the items on hand!  I made this for a friend who just had twins.  Even though I had a large roast, it seemed to shrink in the slow cooker.  But as soon as Ryan ate it, he said I had to post it!

I also had extra au jus after this meal, so I froze it for a quick french dip au jus in the future.

Ingredients
1-2 tbsp oil (olive, grape seed, etc.)
chuck roast (however much you want)
1 can/bottle Shiner Bock beer (or your favorite variety)
1 package dry onion soup mix
1 can beef broth
rolls/crusty bread
mozzarella or provolone cheese

1. Heat oil in pan over high.  Trim excess fat from roast, if desired.
2. Add roast and brown on all sides.
3. Place roast in 4 or 6 quart slow cooker.
4. Dump beer, soup mix and broth on top.
5. Cook for 8-10 hours on low.
6. Prior to serving, toast bread with cheese on top in broiler.
7. Serve with meat on bread and au jus to dip.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew...

I've been looking for a good beef stew recipe...and one that uses my crock pot!  I felt it was the most Irish thing I could make on St. Patrick's Day, and even found a super easy recipe for Irish Soda Bread (come back tomorrow).  Found this great one, and it gets 2 thumbs up from Ryan!  To bad stew season is almost over...but I will be making this again come the fall!!

Ingredients
2 onions, chopped
1-2 lbs stew meat (1 lb = 4 servings, 2 lb = 6 "meatier" servings)
1/4 - 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 cups beef broth
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
4 carrots, sliced
1 rib celery, sliced
5 small red potatoes, diced

1. Place onions on bottom of slow cooker.
2. Place meat on top.
3. Combine flour, salt, peppers and paprika.  Coat meat and onions.
4. Add Worcestershire sauce, broth, garlic and bay leaf.  Mix well.
5. Cook on Low for 10-12 hours or High for 4-6 hours, adding vegetables when half done (I don't like "soggy" vegetables so this gives them a little more texture).
6. Stir and serve!

Sloppy Joes

I love sloppy joes!  This one is super easy, and I often double this dish so we have some ready to go in the freezer for a quick dinner!  I personally don't like it with bell pepper, but feels free to add a half.

Ingredients
1 tbsp oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high.  Add onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook 5-7 minutes, or until they are softened.
3. Add beef and cook until meat is no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato sauce, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce.  
5. Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.
6. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired.  
7. Spoon onto buns and serve with pickles.

Beef Stroganoff

Okay, I've been craving this for awhile.  And now the weather is cold enough, and I think this may be the most perfect comfort food!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!

Ingredients
6 tbsp butter
1 lb sirloin or tenderloin, cut into 1 inch wide by 2 inch long strips (or beef for stir-fry)
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
salt
pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp dry tarragon
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature

1. Melt 3 tbsp butter in large skillet on medium.  Increase to medium-high and cook beef.  Cook quickly, and you may wish to do in 2 batches.  While cooking, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned.  Remove when done and place on a plate.
2. In same pan, reduce heat to medium and add onions.  Cook until tender (a couple minutes) and scrape up meat drippings.  Place onions on same plate as beef.
3. In the same pan, melt additional 3 tbsp butter.  Increase heat to medium-high and add mushrooms.  Add nutmeg and tarragon, and cooking until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to low and add sour cream to mushrooms.  To thin sauce, you may wish to add 1 or 2 tbsp of water.  Mix sour cream thoroughly and do not allow it to simmer or boil (cream will curdle).  
5. Stir in beef and onions.  Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve immediately with egg noodles.

Pot Roast...

Okay, this is a promo post.  This Pot Roast from my friend Kim's website was amazing!!  Soo good, that we didn't even get a photo of it!!

Only changes I made - used a Cab instead of Merlot and only added a few carrots.  I roasted the other veggies instead of cooking them in the slow cooker.

Our meal fed 10 people, plus leftovers!!  Yummy!!

Meatloaf

I enjoy a good meatloaf.  And I think I finally found a good recipe (from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, modified a bit).  It easily doubles, so I made this a couple weeks ago when we took a meal to my friend Rowena who just had her daughter.  Sometimes I will also make a loaf and freeze it, then cook it at a later date.  The only bad part is that this is soo good, there usually isn't any leftovers...

Ingredients
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 cups soft breadcrumbs or 2/3 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 tbsp parsley, snipped
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried sage, basil or oregano OR 1 tbsp fresh basil, snipped
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup catsup
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp dry mustard

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl combine eggs and milk.  Stir in bread crumbs, onion, parsley, salt, sage/basil, black pepper and garlic powder.
3. Add meat and mix well.
4. Lightly pat mixture in bread pan (regular or mini).
5. Bake 50 - 60 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees (may be a little less time if you use a mini loaf pan).
6. While meatloaf is baking, combine catsup, brown sugar and mustard.  Spread over meat (spoon off  if any fat first) and bake for 10 more minutes.
7. Let stand for 10 minutes and serve.