French Dip Sandwiches

As adapted from April 2014 Food Network Magazine

French Dip Sandwiches

3 scallions

2 tsp fresh thyme (I used dried)

1 clove garlic crushed (I used more - minced from a jar)

Kosher salt and ground pepper

1/4 tsp celery seeds

1/4 tsp ground allspice 

1 - 2.5 pound beef eye round roast, fat trimmed

2 carrots sliced 1 inch thick

2 T Worcestershire sauce

1 cube beef bouillon

6-8 kaiser rolls

Horseradish or spicy mustard for serving

Pulse scallions, thyme, garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, celery seeds and allspice to make a paste. Pierce the roast all over with a paring knife. Rub the paste into the meat. Tie the roast with kitchen twine so it keeps its shape.

Spread carrots in a slow cooker. Put roast on top. Insert thermometer into roast's center so you can read it through the glass. 

Combine 1.5 cups water, Worcestershire sauce and bouillon cube in microwave safe bowl. Microwave 2-4 minutes until hot. Add to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until meat is 120-130 degrees for medium rare, about 2 hours.  Transfer meat to a cutting board and cover with foil - rest 15min. Skim excess fat from liquid.

Slice meat thinly. Spoon liquid onto cut sides of bun, sandwich with meat and serve with mustard or horseradish. Serve more liquid for dipping.

The kids were away when i made this.  Husband of Cheerios and I both felt the same about this. It smelled great and tasted boooooooring. Very disappointing.

We will not make this again.

Chicken Divan

Once upon a time, Cheerios Addict worked as a cashier in a drug store.  On break she would grab a cookbook from the magazine aisle and flip through it - writing down interesting recipes and putting them into her recipe box.  Then - a mere 20 years later - she decided to clean out her recipe box and finally try it for the first time.  :)

Chicken Divan - as adapted from Company's Coming Slow Cooker

Broccoli florets (3 cups)
Skinless Chicken breast halves (4)
Flour 1/4 cup
Chicken bouillon powder 1 T
Salt 1/2 tsp
Pepper 1/4 tsp
Milk 2 cups
Grated Parm Cheese 1/4 cup (I used Parm Reggiano and added another 1/4 cup of Cheddar)

Place broccoli in slow cooker.  Lay chicken over top.  Sauce:  Stir together flour, bouillon powder, salt and pepper in a saucepan.  Gradually whisk in milk until no lumps remain.  Heat and stir until boiling and thickened.  Remove from heat.  Stir in cheese.  Pour over chicken.  Cover.  Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours. Serves 4.

Husband-of-Cheerios started off by saying how delicious it was and that he would have it again.  I took a bite and while it was ok - it didn't knock my socks off and I made a mental note to note this in the recipe.  Meanwhile Mr Picky gagged on every bite and heartily declared it to be two thumbs down.  Miss Almost Vegetarian chewed noisily and put one thumb up.  After a few more bites I decided to pretend that I was going to make this recipe again but really throw it away.  Just after having that thought, Husband-of-Cheerios changed his mind and said that it wasn't as good as he originally thought.  Hee Hee.  We will NOT make this again.  The chicken was dry and the sauce pretty bland.  The broccoli was quite overcooked.

Pulled Pork Chili

From Krafts Kitchens http://www.kraftcanada.com/en/recipes/pulled-pork-chili-127085.aspx

What You Need

2 cans (10 fl oz/284 mL each) 25%-less-sodium chicken broth (we would definitely only add one can next time - it was too watery)

2 cans (19 fl oz/540 mL each) chili-style diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (19 fl oz/540 mL) red kidney beans, rinsed

1 can (19 fl oz/540 mL) black beans, rinsed

1 large onion, chopped

2 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 boneless pork shoulder (2-1/2 lb./1.1 kg)

1 cup Kraft Old Cheddar Shredded Cheese

1 cup sour cream

Make It

COMBINE all ingredients except meat, cheese and sour cream in slow cooker. Add meat; cover with lid. Cook on LOW 10 to 12 hours (or on HIGH 7 hours).
REMOVE meat from slow cooker. Shred meat; return to slow cooker. Stir.
SPOON into bowls; top with cheese and sour cream.

This was really really good! Both DH and I loved it but found it very very filling.  Mr Picky turned his nose up at it until he actually took a bite.  He then said it was good but ate the rest with a "something smells bad" expression on his face.  Miss Almost Vegetarian was most pleased with the cheese sprinkled on top and the buns served with the chili but even she managed to take in a few bites.  We WILL make this again.

Cheeseburger Soup

As adapted from "Eating Forward" by Sandi Richard as seen here

Repeated here for convenience:

1 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin
1 onion
2 celery ribs
1 lb or 450 g ground beef, extra-lean
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
 ¼ tsp fresh ground pepper
 ¼ tsp –  ½ tsp hot chili flakes (optional for spice lovers)
3 bay leaves
1 can Italian or chili stewed tomatoes (14 fl oz or 400 mL)
1 tomato can filled with water
1 can consommé (10 fl oz or 284 mL)
1 consommé can filled with water
1 can pasta sauce (24 fl oz or 680 mL) choose a lower sodium brand or or use reserved 3 cups pasta sauce from Calabrese Lasagna meal (another recipe in the book)
3 cups frozen mixed veggies
 ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated, light
fresh buns or focaccia (optional)
leftover pasta (optional)
…the night before…
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick fry pan at medium-high. I use my electric fry pan for this. Sliver onion, adding to pan as you cut. Finely chop celery, adding to pan as you cut. Sauté until onion turns slightly brown, then add to inside crock of slow cooker.
Reduce heat of uncleaned fry pan to medium. Form tiny little flat burgers (approx 1½" in diameter) in the palm of your hand and brown on both sides. Once browned, add to slow cooker.
…while burgers are browning…
Add the following ingredients to slow cooker:
spice, chili stewed tomatoes, consommé, water from both cans, pasta sauce and mixed veggies. Stir to combine. Refrigerate over night.
…in the morning…
2. Set slow cooker at low heat. Simmer all day.
…when ready for dinner…
3. Serve with a bowl of grated cheddar cheese at the table. Get the kids to lift their little burgers to the top of the bowl so they can sprinkle them with cheddar. I actually find this fun!
Our family loves this with fresh buns, focaccia or… I make extra pasta from another meal so that we can put a little pasta in the bottom of the bowl and pour the soup over top. Either way it’s a meal in one and it is absolutely fun
and delicious!!
Serves 6.




The best part about this one is that everything was ready the night before so in the morning all we had to do was plug it in.  Although it was weird seeing tiny little hamburgers floating around in soup - this tasted really great.  


My parents dropped in unexpectedly and there was enough soup to feed them too.  Both my parents had 2 helpings so I know that they liked it!  DH said that it was really good too.  Miss Almost Vegetarian ate a bit of hers but preferred her bun instead.  Mr Picky gave it merely a so-so as there were too many vegetables present.


We WILL make this one again!

Meatball Stew

Taken from Taste of Home magazine from years ago...
It's not a new recipe for me but it is a yummy one that I just made again this week.

And here is what it looks like once you eat some...  :)

Both kids actually liked this as did we.  We will make this one again.   I love coming home from work and finding supper already made in the slow cooker!