French Dip Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

Ya know, when I was growing up my family didn't call these French Dip Sandwiches as most people do. For some reason we called them Brown Dip Sandwiches. Which makes sense because the dip is brown and doesn't look anything like France. But I remember my dad laughing about it during dinner and the memory makes me smile even though I don't completely remember why it was so funny.

This is a fantastic recipe. It makes a lot - I used the meat for 4 different meals - and it was perfectly seasoned and tender. I let it cook for 12 hours on low one day and then put it all in the fridge overnight. The next day I scraped off the small amount of fat that was on top of the au jus and then reheated it all for a couple of hours. The meat fell apart when it was warm.

(Adapted from Allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

1 (4 pound) boneless beef roast

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 beef bouillon cube

1 bay leaf

3 whole black peppercorns

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Remove and discard all visible fat from the roast. Place in slow cooker. In a medium bowl combine all ingredients and pour over roast. Pour in enough water to almost cover the roast. Cover and cook on low heat for 1o to 12 hours. Remove meat from broth, reserving broth, and shred with a fork. Distribute on toasted sandwich buns, top with caramelized onions and cheese if desired. Use reserved broth for dipping.

Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced thin

1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 teaspoons brown sugar

Directions:

In a skillet melt the butter in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring constantly until onions begin to soften, about five minutes. Stir in the sugar and cook about 20 more minutes, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan often. Cook until onions are brown.

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak

I love to cook recipes like this that I can throw in the crock pot early in the morning and have ready for dinner immedietly after getting done with piano lessons. The smell permeates the house all day. I've made several different recipes of Swiss steak but this is my favorite because the sauce is isn't too thin. It's great over rice or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds round steak, cut into small strips

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup flour

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 package onion soup mix

Directions:

Place meat in crock pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in the flour to coat all pieces. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and cook 8 to 10 hours on low. Serve over rice or mashed potatoes.

Broiled Roast Beef Sandwiches

This is a great open-faced toasted sandwich. Some friends of our made it for us when we were first married and I'm still making it -- with some minor modifications. Tasted good then, tastes good now.

Ingredients:

6 bakery rolls (or small loaves of French bread) sliced in half

butter

3/4 pound thinly sliced deli roast beef

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 onion, chopped

28 oz crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

sliced mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is clear. Add crushed tomatoes and seasonings. Simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lightly butter rolls. Broil just until golden on top. Spread marinara sauce on top of rolls. Top with roast beef and mozzarella cheese. Place back in broiler until cheese is melted.

Meatball Sub Sandwich

Whenever I see ground beef on sale, I buy a lot of it . . . like 30 pounds. And then for the next few months I wonder what in the world I'm going to make with it so I can get it out of my freezer. This is one of my favorite uses for it. I've cooked this two different ways. One way is to put it all in the crock pot on low for 6 - 8 hours. The other way is to cook the meatballs in the oven and then add them to the sauce on the stove. I like the oven recipe better because the fat from the beef ends up in the bottom of the broiler pan instead of the sauce. But, if you use a lean enough meat, the crock pot works great and as always, it is super convenient on a crazy evening.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef

3/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 eggs, beaten

6 hoagie buns

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

salt to taste

1 (14 oz) jar spaghetti sauce

6 slices provolone cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, gently mix by hand the ground beef, bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, pepper, salt, garlic, parsley, Parmesan cheese and eggs. Shape into 24 meatballs and place on broiler pan. (This can be done ahead of time and placed in refrigerator until ready to cook.)

Bake for about 20 minutes in preheated oven, or until cooked through. Meanwhile, cut the buns in half and remove some of the bread inside to make a well for the meatballs. Brush with olive oil and season with garlic powder and salt.

Warm the spaghetti sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat. When the meatballs are done, add them to the sauce. Toast the bread in the oven while the sauce is warming. Spoon meatballs and sauce onto the bun and top with provolone cheese. Return to oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the cheese.