Beef Burgundy Pot Roast (Crock Pot)

I recently purchased a gallon jug of Burgundy wine. One might ask why would I do such a thing, since I don't even drink the stuff. Well, I purchased it mainly for the jug. I am making this wonderful elixir, cordial type concoction with vanilla, vodka and some other stuff and it needs has to be made in a gallon jug. In case you haven't noticed, not much stuff comes in gallon glass jugs these days. I needed an extra one, because I want to get two batches going, and I didn't see the point of ordering an empty jug for the same price as one filled with wine. My husband will drink some of it and I am coming up with some pretty delicious ways to get rid of it! This easy roast is one of them. I encourage you to give it a try. You don't have to buy a whole gallon, a cup or so will work just fine! If you find yourself in my neighborhood, why not drop by for a glass or two of wine? I got plenty! Come on over, I got you covered!

Start with a lean beef roast around 3 pounds.
1 cup burgundy wine
1 cup water
1/4 to 1/2 cup celery, chopped very fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 pkg fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 bay leaf
1 can golden mushroom soup
2 tablespoons oil (for browning roast)
salt and pepper to taste
a few dashes of worcestershire sauce, to taste
Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning

Place chopped onion, mushrooms, garlic and celery in bottom of crock pot.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high heat.
Rub salt, pepper, and Mrs. Dash on both sides of roast.
Brown both sides in skillet.
Place on top of veggies in crock pot.
Mix water, soup, worcestershire sauce and wine together and pour over roast.
Add bay leaf and cook on low for about 6 to 7 hours or until falling apart.
If desired, you can remove roast when finished, and thicken the flavorful drippings with a combination of  corn starch and water added to the crock pot and cooked for an additional half hour or so. I usually do this step on top of the stove in a saucepan on medium heat, whisking frequently until thickened.
serve with hot noodles, if desired.
Enjoy!

Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches

This is a super easy recipe that is easily adjusted to suit your taste. It is great for entertaining, because it is simple and foolproof. This is a perfect dish for a football party. It is hardy and will feed a lot of people. You need a bun with a little substance, perhaps toasted, because it is juicy! I like to use some of the juice for dipping the sandwich into to fully enhance the goodness. This recipe is for a 4 pound or larger roast. If you cook a smaller one, I would suggest using half of the rest of the ingredients. Also you do not need to add salt. Learned that one the hard way, as I do most everything!

4 pound or larger beef roast, any kind will work, I prefer a sirloin roast
1 jar pepperoncini peppers, rough chopped, if desired, stems removed
1 package dry Italian Dressing mix (like Good Seasons, found in the salad dressing aisle by the ranch dressing mix)
I sometimes add a little fennel seeds, completely optional
Sprinkle the roast with the Italian Dressing mix and place in the crock pot.
Pour the jar of peppers on top, juice and all (I always remove the stems)
Cook on high for the first hour at least. If desired you can turn down to low after it gets started good.
Usually takes 6 to 8 hours to cook, depending on the size of the roast
Once it's finished place it into a serving dish and shred apart with two forks if necessary. Usually it is so tender this step is optional.

Grab some buns and maybe some provolone cheese and chow down! You will be amazed at how good and easy this is. Enjoy!