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.

Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

I decided to plant a little back porch herb garden this spring. The herbs are growing like crazy. I can't believe I haven't killed them off yet! I chopped up some fresh rosemary for these potatoes and it really made a difference in flavor. Red potatoes worked well for this dish although the original recipe called for small fingerling potatoes. The boiling makes a huge difference in the amount of time it takes to cook these in the oven. It's well worth the extra step. These are perfect for Sunday dinner because you can make them early in the day and then pop them in the oven to finish cooking when you're ready. Sometimes this Idaho girl needs a good potato dish . . . and this one hits the spot.

Adapted from Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. red potatoes, washed and quartered or halved depending on the size

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary needles

5 cloves garlic, minced

Black pepper

Salt

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add potatoes and boil for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, mustard and some pepper. Set aside. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Toss with the mustard mixture. Spread out in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered in tinfoil. Either cover and refrigerate until ready to cook or sprinkle with salt and bake in oven preheated to 425 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes.