Slow Cooker Beef Sandwiches

This sandwich is a cross between a french dip and a philly cheese steak. I could have made a meal of just the sauce and called it delicious. I topped my sammi's with browned onions and red bells. Placed a slice of provolone on top of that and then tossed them under the broiler until the cheese was melted. I was tempted to lick the plate but reined myself in. Next time I plan on topping these with sauted mushrooms and caramelized onions. I think swiss cheese will go over all.

Serves 6-8


3 pounds of london broil or top round roast, trimmed of fat
4 stalks of celery cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 6oz can of tomato paste
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup red wine
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
brioche rolls
1 onion sliced
2 red bell peppers sliced
provolone cheese, 1 slice per sandwich

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large skillet. Season the meat on all sides with salt and pepper. Brown the meat on all sides and place into the slow cooker's insert. Place the garlic and celery over the meat. In a separate bowl, mix together the wine, vinegar, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, dijon, soy sauce, paprika. Mix together and adjust with salt and pepper if desired. Pour the sauce over the meat. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8. Remove the meat from the sauce and shred. Return it to the sauce to keep warm. Heat the last tablespoon of oil in a large skillet and add the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the veggies begin to brown. Split the rolls and load then with the meat. Spoon some of the pepper and onion mixture over the meat and top with a slice of cheese. Put the sandwiches on a baking sheet and place under the broiler until the cheese has melted and the roll is toasted. Serve.

Baked Cinnamon Sugar Mini Doughnuts

These are seriously the best thing you will ever eat. The best part is that these are mini sized. So you can eat them and not feel guilty. The second best part is that they take like 20 minutes to get into the oven. They are perfect to take to brunch or as a part of a quick Sunday morning breakfast after church. Don't let the absense of a doughnut pan keep you from making these. I used a mini muffin tin instead and they were fabulous.

Makes 36 mini doughnuts

doughnuts
5 tbsp softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour

topping
6 tbsp melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325. Lightly spray a mini doughnut or mini muffin tins with baking spray. In a bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Mix in the baking powder and the flour until just combined. If using a doughnut tin, transfer the batter to a zip lock bag, seal and snip the tip. Pipe the batter into the tins. If using a mini muffin tin, use a small cookie scoop to fill each about 1/2 full. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove immediately from pans, roll in melted butter and then roll into cinnamon/sugar. Serve warm.

Best Ever Slow Cooker Turkey Bolognese

Bolognese has to be my favorite pasta sauce. I have a traditional(cook all day) recipe that I have posted previously but I wanted to come up with a recipe for the slow cooker that would replicate the taste and texture of the traditional method. My last slow cooker recipe(which I posted) was good but a bit runny. I hadn't taken the condensation that the slow cooker produces into consideration. My traditional recipe calls for a whole bottle of red wine. I think it's the wine that makes this sauce so I had to find a way to get the whole bottle of red wine taste into my slow cooker version. I think I have met the challenge and mastered it! This sauce was so good that I did not remember to take a picture until I was half-way through my plate of pasta. Thus the photo.

2 pounds lean ground turkey
4 large carrots, peeled
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
2 large cloves garlic
4 stalks of celery, cut into fourths
2 28 oz cans of San Marzano Tomatoes
2 6 oz cans of tomato paste
1 bottle of good red wine
2 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Minute Tapioca

Cook's Notes- It is very important to take the time to brown the meat and veggies. This means you will need to let them cook without stirring very often. They will not brown if you are constantly stirring them while in the pan and if you do not let the moisture that naturally occurs in them to cook off.
Pour the entire bottle of red wine into a saucepan and place it over medium/high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so it will not boil over. Allow the wine to reduce to about 2 cups. Meanwhile,place the onion and garlic in a food processor and grind finely. Clean out the food processor bowl and repeat with the carrots and the celery. Add the veggies to a large skillet that has been heated over medium/high heat with 1 tbsp of oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and the veggies have browned. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Place the veggies into the slow cooker insert. Add the remaining oil to the skillet and brown the ground turkey. Season with salt and pepper. Again this will take about 15 minutes. Place the browned meat into the insert. Pour the tomatoes and the paste into the bowl of the food processor and pulse until pureed. Add the sauce to the insert. Pour in the reduced red wine. Stir in the thyme, tapioca and bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper if needed. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8.

Jelly Filled Doughnut Muffins

These muffins remind me of a recipe that I had in my first cookbook. It was a Betty Crocker cookbook for kids. My godmother, Kaye, gave it to me for my 11th birthday(I think). My mom still has that cookbook somewhere. I think I'm going to have to dig it out and take a trip down memory lane. But do make these muffins, they are easy and delicious. Perfect with a cup of tea.

Makes about 18
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk(if the batter is too stiff add 1/4 cup more)
6 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp vanilla
jam
4 tbsp butter
sugar

Preheat the oven to 375. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk until just combined. Place liners into the muffin tins. Using a small ice-cream or cookie scoop, place some batter into each tin. Scoop about a tsp of jam into the center of each and top them off with another small scoop of batter. The each muffin cup should be 3/4's of the way filled. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow them to cool. Melt the remaining butter. Dip the top of each muffin into the melted butter and then follow by dipping them into the sugar. Serve

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Having lived in Southern California all of my life (and being only 25 miles from the border), you would think that I would have discovered some really good Mexican restaurants by now. Unfortunately that is not the case. So when I want good Mexican food I usually have to get an invite to a friend's house or make it myself. If I can use my slow cooker to accomplish the homemade version, I am the happiest of campers. This one uses a pork shoulder roast which makes for a really moist, delicious filling for tacos, enchiladas or burritos. Best of all, this filling in low in fat and calories which takes the guilt out of what is normally a guilty pleasure.

Serves 8

2-3 pounds pork shoulder roast, trimmed of all fat
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock or beer
zest and juice of 2 large limes

Place all of the ingredients into the insert of a slow cooker. Cover and cook on 6-8 hours on low. Remove the meat from the liquid and shred. Place on a non-stick baking sheet. Place under the broiler heated on high. Leave under the broiler for 5-6 minutes or until the meat has browned. Serve with warm tortillas, pico de gallo, diced avocado,mexican cheese, fresh cilantro and lime wedges