Beef and Broccoli Lo Mein~by Kelsey

Pinterest strikes again.

http://spoonful.com/recipes/beef-and-broccoli-lo-mein

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces thin spaghetti, broken in half
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3 cups chopped broccoli
• 1 1/2 cups sliced onion
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 12 ounces sirloin tips, cut crosswise into thin strips
• 3 tablespoons beef broth
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1. Stir the spaghetti into a pot of lightly salted boiling water and cook it according to the package directions. Drain the noodles well, then return them to the pot and toss them with the sesame oil.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and onion and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and continue stirring while the mixture cooks for another 30 seconds. Add the sirloin and cook it, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until it is no longer pink.
3. In a small bowl, mix the broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and oyster sauce. Add the soy sauce mixture and the pasta to the skillet and continue cooking, stirring often, for 1 to 2 minutes or until everything is heated through. Serve the lo mein hot. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Bean and Beef Enchilada Casserole~by Kelsey

I found this recipe on pinterest.  It originally came from recipes.com.  It's really tasty!  I did not chill it in the fridge first and it worked just fine.  I also doubled the beef.  Next time I would double the whole recipe, though, because it only makes 6-8 servings as-is.

Ingredients:
1/2  pound lean ground beef
1/2  cup chopped onion
1  teaspoon chili powder

1/2  teaspoon ground cumin

1  15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1  4-ounce can diced green chili peppers

1  8-ounce carton dairy sour cream or light dairy sour cream

2  tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4  teaspoon garlic powder

8  6-inch corn or flour tortillas

1  10-ounce can enchilada sauce or one 10 1/2-ounce can tomato puree

1  cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

In a large skillet cook the ground beef, onion, chili powder, and cumin until onion is tender and meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir pinto beans and undrained chili peppers into meat mixture; set aside.

In a small mixing bowl stir together sour cream, flour, and garlic powder until combined; set aside.

Place half of the tortillas in the bottom of a lightly greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish, cutting to fit if necessary. Top with half of the meat mixture, half of the sour cream mixture, and half of the enchilada sauce. Repeat layers. Cover dish with plastic wrap; chill in refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

To serve: Preheat oven to 350F. Remove plastic wrap; cover dish with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes more. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

*Not my photo!

Beefy Macaroni Skillet~by Kelsey

From the Campbell's Classic Recipes cookbook.  Quick, easy, cheap, and my kids love it.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked corkscrew macaroni (about 1 1/2 cups uncooked), or you could use elbow macaroni


In medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef and onion until beef is browned, drain if necessary.  Add soup, water, Worcestershire sauce, cheese and macaroni.  Reduce heat to low and heat through.

Beef Taco Bake~by Kelsey

I found this in my Campbell's Classic Recipes cook book.  I made it according to directions and it was good, but we all agreed that next time I should add beans and/or corn.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz) Condensed Tomato Soup
1 cup thick salsa or picante sauce
1/2 cup milk
6 flour or corn tortillas (small size), cut into 1 inch piecies
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

(Again, I would add a can of kidney or black beans, or some frozen corn, as well.)

In a medium skillet, cook ground beef until brown.  Add soup, salsa, milk, tortillas, and HALF of the cheese.  Spoon into 2-qt shallow baking dish.  Cover.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Hamburger and Green Chili Casserole~by Kelsey

This recipe comes from my Bring 'Em On Home cookbook.  It is simple and really good, especially if you top it with sour cream and salsa.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onions
1 1/2 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 teasp salt
1/4 teasp pepper
1-7 oz can whole green chilies (I found these in the ethnic foods aisle)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger, onions, and seasoning.  Place in the bottom of a casserole or deep pie dish (I used about a 9X9 pan, a 9X13 would have been to big.  Lay the green chilies over the beef mixture.  Cover the chilies with the cheddar cheese.  Beat together the milk, eggs, and Bisquick.  Pour it over the top of the cheese.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the eggs set.  Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Beef Stew ~ by Sarah

I love stew.  I got this recipe from Mary Hunt of Everyday Cheapskate.  It's easy and delicious!  The meat will shred itself and be so, so tender after cooking so long!  I added peas to the recipe, but you could add green beans, instead.

Ingredients:
3 pounds stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup red wine
4 cups beef stock
1 can diced tomatoes
4 tablespoons tomato paste
6 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
3 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together
2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
zest of 1/2 an orange
8 small red potatoes
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut
1 small bag frozen peas
salt and pepper

Directions:
Marinate beef in red wine overnight.  Place meat, wine, beef stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, cloves, peppercorns, thyme, garlic, and orange zest in a covered casserole dish or crock pot.  Cook for 12 hours in a 250 degree oven, or on medium in a slow cooker for 10-12 hours.  Add carrots and potatoes in the last two hours.  Add peas in last 20 minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste.

*One thing I will probably do next time is, after marinating the beef, take it out of the wine and dredge it in flour before adding it to the crock pot.  I like my stew really thick and this was a little more runny than I prefer.

Crunchy Rice Casserole~by Kelsey

This comes from my Taste of Home Ground Beef Cookbook, it's a must-have cookbook that I use ALL the time.  The kids LOVED this casserole, which is rare, and it disappeared so fast that I didn't even get a picture.  I will take one next time I make it.

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups cooked long grain rice
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups corn flakes, coarsely crushed
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

In a skillet, cook beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Add the ketchup, mustard and salt.  Mix well.  Transfer to a greased 2-qt baking dish.  Top with cooked rice.  In a bowl, combine the cheese, soup, milk, and Worcestershire sauce.  Pour over rice.  Combine cornflakes and butter, sprinkle over top.  Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until heated through.

Cajun Rice Dish~by Kelsey

This recipe came from my super-fantastic Ground Beef Cookbook from Taste of Home.  Seriously, you need to have that cookbook and 50 lbs of ground beef from the Wasco Market.  This recipe calls for Cajun seasoning, which I could not find at Fred Meyer, so I made up my own mix of garlic, chili, cayenne, and onion powder.

Ingredients:
5 cups of beef broth
2 cups of uncooked long grain rice
1 pound of ground beef
1 medium onion
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper (I used orange)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

In a roasting pan, combine broth and rice.  Mix well.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Add to rice with vegetables, salt, and Cajun seasoning.  Mix well.  Cover and bake for 30 minutes more, or until rice is tender.  ( I found it took almost an hour more for my rice to be tender.)

I put soy sauce on mine, Josh added Frank's hot sauce.

Won Tons~by Kelsey

Mom usually makes these.  They are really good, so I got brave and tried to make them myself.  They turned out pretty good for my first attempt.  They are so yummy, it's worth the effort.

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef
finely chopped cabbage
2 whisked eggs
pkg of bean threads (I find them with the Chinese food stuff in the ethnic foods aisle of Fred Meyer)
salt
garlic salt
soy sauce
egg roll skins (these are found in the refrigerated produce section, maybe with the mushrooms in Fred Meyer, I can't quite remember)
cooking oil (lots)

Mix hamburger, cabbage, eggs, seasonings, a little soy sauce.  Break up bean threads and pour hot water on them in a bowl so they will soften.  After they have softened, add them to the hamburger mixture.

Put about 1/4 cup of the mixture on an egg roll skin and roll up like a burrito.

Use a little water on your fingers to seal the edge.  Make sure you don't get it TOO wet, though, or it will fall apart.  Place the roll on wax paper on a tray.  They will stick together, so put wax paper in between each layer if you stack them.  Cook them in oil, (I use my deep-fat fryer with about five inches of oil in it).

The trick is to cook them completely inside without burning the outside.  When they turn crispy brown on the outside they should be done.  Let them cool and then serve with a mix of soy sauce and ketchup for dipping.

Pasta Fagioli Soup ~ by D'Lynn

INGREDIENTS

1.5 lbs of ground beef

2 cans (14oz) chicken or beef broth

(if using chicken broth compliment it with a TBLS of beef bouillon seasoning, it will make the broth richer

1 can (15oz) Great Northern Beans (white beans), rinsed and drained

1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

2 medium Zucchini (shredded)

1 TB of EVOO

1-1 1/2 tsp of garlic

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 to 3/4 Cup of Ditali (any type of "small" shell pasta)

Garnish: with shredded Asiago, Romano, or Parmesan cheese and serve with fresh baked french bread.

Pretty Darn close to Olive Garden!~

It's winter time still, even though the tulips are breaking thru the ground. I am tired of the gray, damp days, even more tired of this head cold, and because I have become more like my mother than I'd care to admit....I love making homemade soups (I will say I'm a better cook than her though!) and because this soup has Zucchini in it...I know anyone close to Kelsey's garden will be required to give it a try!

In a large soup kettle brown beef, drain off extra fat. Add broth, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, evoo, and seasonings. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and turn down to simmer for an hour or so, then add the dry pasta, let it cook 30-40 minutes...the pasta will soak up the broth quickly, so make sure you have enough liquid.

Chili Mac in the Slow Cooker ~ by Kelsey

Another fabulous recipe from my Taste of Home Ground Beef Cookbook.  It was good, the kids even ate it!  The onions, celery, and green pepper cook down to almost nothing, so the kids didn't even see them in there.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef, cooked
2 cans (15 oz each) chili beans (The recipe calls for hot chili beans.  I used regular and it was plenty spicy!)
2 large green peppers, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 envelope chili seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (7 oz) elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

In a slow cooker, combine the first eight ingredients; mix well.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until heated through.  Stir in cooked macaroni; mix well.  Season with salt and pepper as needed.  Don't forget to look up our cornbread recipe!

*When I made this, I made a few changes.  I didn't have elbow macaroni, I used the little round ones.  Also, I decided to throw the uncooked noodles in about an hour and a half before we ate.  It worked out fine, EXCEPT that the noodles will absorb all the liquid out of the crock pot while they cook.  Luckily I checked on it, because it was starting to burn and I had to add a couple cups of water.  In the end it was okay, but just be aware that if you add UNCOOKED noodles, you will have to add more liquid.  I have learned to always add the noodles in the last hour of cooking, too, otherwise they over-cook and turn to mush.

Mexi-Casserole ~ by Kelsey

This is a recipe passed down from Grandma Jessie.  I remember eating many, many meals of mexi-casserole while gathered around her little table in her little dining room.  It seems like it was often a meal served during a weekend of working cows.  It's a bitter-sweet memory now, since they have since moved to a new house and we won't have any more meals crowded around the old table, and grandma doesn't really cook any more now anyway.  I still love to make this casserole, though, and remember the good times!

Meat Layer Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
1 package of taco seasoning (reserve one tablespoon for later)
1 can of tomato soup
1 can of chili beans, drained

Cook ground beef, add taco seasoning, soup, and beans.  Spread in a 9X13 pan.

Topping Ingredients:
1 cup of pancake mix
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup cheddar cheese

Mix together.  Spoon on top and spread on the meat mixture.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Wendy's Chili ~ by Aunt D

Have you ever eaten Wendy's Chili? From the Wendy's fast food? It is my ABSOLUTE favorite. Corny maybe, but cheap and easy I am. When my friend Megan G. at work posted on her FB that she had the recipe I was salivating! And to make it even better it was 21 degrees out and clear today in beautiful Maple Valley. So off to the market I went in search of the basics I was missing. Side note: I also made a pan of Marie Callendar's Southwest Corn Bread, the variation that adds a can of corn to it. GREAT side dish for this.

*2 lbs of ground beef, browned

*one 29oz can Tomato sauce

*one 29oz can of Kidney beans (drain liquid)

*one 29oz can of Pinto beans (drain liquid)
*one 29oz can of diced tomatoes

*1 cup diced onion

*1/2 cup diced canned green chilies

*1 cup of diced celery

*2 tsps cumin powder

*3 TBSP of chili powder

*1 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

*2 tsps salt

Brown meat and drain off fat. In a large kettle combine beef, celery, onion, and green chilies.  Sweat them for 5-10 min.  Add all other ingredients and simmer over low heat, stirring every 15-20 min for 2-3 hours.

Mouthwatering!

Beefy Harvest Soup ~ by Sarah

This recipe is from the Oregon Beef Council.  It is one of Wes's favorites.  Definitely a good wintertime main dish!  I like it because, other than the sausage, I usually have all the ingredients in my kitchen.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
4 c. water
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 c. frozen mixed vegetables
4 t. beef bouillon
1 c. uncooked large elbow macaroni
6 oz. smoked beef sausage, cut in 1/2-inch pieces

Directions:
Brown ground beef.  In large saucepan combine water, tomatoes, mixed vegetables, and bouillon.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in macaroni and ground beef; return to a boil.  Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in sausage; continue simmering 2-4 minutes or until macaroni is tender.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.  (I also add Lawry's seasoning salt and garlic salt.)

The kids love it, too!

Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwich ~ by Sarah

This is a recipe from my Pioneer Woman cookbook.  I have been wanting to try it for awhile now, but I was scared of all the butter.  It didn't disappoint--this is amazing!  

Ingredients
1 whole large onion
2 sticks butter
2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) cube steak
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
lemon pepper (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
½ cup (approximately) Worcestershire Sauce
Tabasco sauce, so taste
4 whole French/deli rolls

**Note: I also added fresh mushroom slices to the onion when it was cooking and grated mozzarella cheese to put on top of the meat when the sandwich was assembled.

Directions:
Slice onions and cook in 1/4 stick butter until soft and light brown. Remove and set aside.

Slice cube steak against the grain. Season with Lawry’s, lemon pepper, and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat (in same skillet) until melted and beginning to brown. Add meat in single layer. Cook one side until brown, then flip and cook until brown, about a minute on both sides.

Add 1/2 cup (at least) Worcestershire sauce, 5 to 6 shakes Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons butter. Add cooked onions. Stir to combine.

Butter halved French rolls and brown in skillet.

To assemble, lay bottom half of French roll on plate. Place meat mixture, followed by a spoonful of juice from the pan.

 *This is a Pioneer Woman picture.  I was too lazy and too hungry to photograph my own.

If you want to see step-by-step instructions with pictures every step of the way, go here: 

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/marlboro_mans_f/

Serve this to a man in your life--he will be over the moon!

Lasagna ~ by Sarah

I have had this recipe for years.  I believe it is Aunt Elaine's that Mom got from her years ago.  I was really surprised when I got my Pioneer Woman cookbook and the same recipe was in there.  The only difference is that PW adds fresh herbs (totally worth it!) and hot breakfast sausage (also totally worth it!).  Grandma Shirley had this on Sunday night and she says it's the best lasagna she's ever had!

Ingredients:
1 T olive oil
salt
10 oz. lasagna noodles
1 lb. mozzarella cheese, grated
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 lb. hot breakfast sausage
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 14.5-oz. cans whole tomatoes (I cut them up with kitchen scissors before using them)
2 6-oz. cans tomato paste
freshly ground black pepper
10-12 fresh basil leaves
1/4 c. chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 c. low-fat cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese (she uses the finely grated stuff in a can, I always buy the shredded)

Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the hamburger, sausage, and garlic until brown.  Drain excess fat.  Add the tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, salt, and pepper.  Stir together well.  Simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Chop basil and parsley.  Add half of them to the meat mixture.  (You can use dry herbs, but it's not as good!)

While meat is simmering, combine cottage cheese, eggs, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and the other half of the herbs.  Also while the meat is simmering, boil the noodles according to package directions.

In a 13x9-inch pan, layer 4 lasagna noodles on the bottom, overlapping them slightly.  Spoon half the cottage cheese mixture over the noodles and spread it out evenly.  Sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese on top of the cottage cheese mixture.  Spoon just under half of the meat mixture on top of the cheese and spread evenly.  Repeat the process beginning with another layer of noodles, then cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella, then meat.  Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes--until bubbly.  Allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

*Pioneer Woman picture. I forgot and it didn't last long!

Smoky Beef-and-Bacon Chili ~ by Sarah

This recipe originally came from Sunset Magazine, but was given to me by my co-worker, MaryRuth.  It is so delicious and will definitely be replacing our regular chili recipe!  It is a bit spicy, so you might want to back down on the cayenne pepper and chili powder if you're wimpy like me.

Ingredients:
4 slices thick-cut bacon, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2-2 lbs. ground beef (she said this is also really good with elk burger)
1 T plus 1 1/2 t. chili powder
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 t. smoked paprika (You might have trouble finding this in the grocery store--I had to borrow some from MaryRuth!)
1/2 t. to 1 1/2 t. cayenne pepper
1 t. salt
1 can (14.5-oz.) crushed or diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 can (8 ox.) tomato sauce
1 c. Indian Pale Ale (IPR) or pilsner
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
sour cream, green onions, and/or grated cheddar cheese for topping

Directions:
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon, stirring until it just begins to brown, about 4-7 minutes.  Stir in garlic and onion and cook for about 1 minute.  Add ground beef and break up.  Cook 6-8 minutes; until it loses its raw color.  Stir in spices and cook 1 minute.  Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer, and Worcestershire and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook 30 minutes.  Add beans and cook 10 more minutes, uncovered.  Season to taste with additional salt.

Three Packets and a Roast ~ by Sarah

This is a Mary Hunt from Everyday Cheapskate recipe.  It is the best pot roast you'll ever make.  I guarantee it!

Ingredients:
1 beef roast (chuck, London broil, round...the cheaper the better--mine was only six bucks!)
Three packets of dry mix:
   brown gravy dry mix
   Italian dressing dry mix
   ranch dressing dry mix

Directions:
Place beef in the slow cooker.  Tear open the packets and pour them on the raw meat.  Add one cup of water.  Cover and cook on low 8 hours for a large roast or on high for 5 hours.  Check after a few hours to make sure it's not getting too done.  The gravy this creates is incredible and even the cheapest cut of meat will be so tender! 

Variations:

If you have a pork roast, substitute the brown gravy mix with pork gravy mix.  If you have a whole chicken, substitute it with chicken gravy.

Vegetable Lasagna (With Meat) ~ by Sarah

It's lasagna--without the carbs! I got most of this recipe from my ground beef cookbook, but I changed it quite a bit to more closely resemble the regular lasagna I make. You can add or subtract vegetables as you wish. My kids don't usually eat spinach, zucchini, or mushrooms, and they ate them in this. They had no clue they were in there! It was really, really good!

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 jar marinara sauce
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 package sliced mushrooms
4 zucchini or 2 zucchini and 2 yellow squashes, sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
2 T flour
1 to 2 cups fresh spinach
2 T chopped fresh basil
16 oz. small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
shredded mozzarella cheese  (I used reduced-fat and it was fine)
shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat.  Season as desired.  If you have Italian Seasoning, dump some in!  Drain.  Add marinara sauce, stewed tomatoes, and mushrooms.  Mix well (I used the spatula to chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces) and simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.

 While the meat is simmering, grease a baking dish and layer the bottom with zucchini and yellow squash.  Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour.

In a small bowl, combine cottage cheese with beaten eggs.  Add 1 tablespoon fresh basil.  Pour half of the mixture over the zucchini and squash and spread evenly.  Add a layer of half of the meat sauce, then another layer of zucchini and squash with 1 tablespoon flour.  Spread the second half of the cottage cheese mixture over that.  Sprinkle with as much spinach as desired.

Spread with the last of the meat mixture.  Add as much Parmesan and mozzarella cheese as desired.  Sprinkle with remaining basil.  Bake at 375 degrees about 40 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly.  Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

As you can see, it's pretty watery due to all the vegetables.  The flour is to help that, but the more veggies you use, the watery it will be.  It didn't bother us, though!  This is nice because it doesn't require a side dish.  I baked some garlic bread, but that was it!  A meal in one!

Slow Cooker Beef Dip Sandwiches ~ by Kelsey

I found this recipe in my Woman's Day magazine.  I modified it a little to fit what we like.  It was AMAZING!  So easy, and delicious.  It has a little kick to it, so it's a little more exciting than a regular French Dip.

Ingredients:
Small beef roast, your choice of cut.  I used a cross-rib roast, and it worked really well.
Jarred pepperoncini peppers, your choice of quantity.  I used about three peppers, sliced, and it was fairly spicy.
1 cup of pepperoncini juice
1/4 cup each of water and oil
1 pouch of Italian dressing mix
1 tbsp minced garlic
Ciabatta rolls
Walla Walla Sweet onion

Put the roast in the slow-cooker.  Mix the peppers, pepper juice, oil, water, and salad dressing mix.  Pour over the roast.  Cook for 4-5 hours on high, or 7-8 hours on low.  Take the meat out of the slow cooker, let it rest for 15 minutes.  Saute the onion in a little butter in a frying pan.  Brush the juice that is left in the slow cooker on the halved ciabatta rolls.  Broil until lightly toasted.  Slice or shred the roast, put it on the bun, top with the onion.  Serve with a side of juice from the slow-cooker for dipping.  The kids didn't want it as a sandwich, so they ate the shredded meat with the bun on the side, minus onions.