Slow Cooker Italian Beef

Last week I had the urge to come up with some new dinner ideas for the hubby and I and so before we did our grocery shopping I perused several different blogs and some of my favorite cooking websites. I found this recipe at allrecipes.com and thought why not give it a shot. Daniel is not a big red meat fan and the first time I made pot roast I think he dreaded having to sit down at the table with me and eat it. Lucky for me though he loved my pot roast and I have slowly started bringing him around. He still won't touch a steak of any kind but hey saves more for me. Of course I was somewhat leery of how this would be accepted by him but I knew that as long as it came out tender and juicy he would at least be willing to try it. Plus put anything on a sandwich with cheese and peppers for him and he's a happy camper.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef
Ingredients:
3 cups water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. onion salt
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 bay leaf (I omitted)
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 (5 pound) rump roast (I used an eye of round roast because we were unable to find a butt roast)

Directions:
1. Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in a saucepan. Stir well, and bring to a boil.

2. Place roast in slow cooker, and pour salad dressing mixture over the meat.

3. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork.

Now as usual I started putting this together without fully reading the instructions...big surprise I know. I completely skipped step one and ended up just putting everything in the slow cooker mixing it together as I went and then I threw the roast on top. Honestly, I don't see the point of step one so even if I had read the directions, I probably would have skipped over it anyway. I am afraid that here in five months I am not going to have time for extra steps that can be omitted from a recipe...lol.

Also a quick note, GENTLY place your roast into the slow cooker, DO NOT accidentally drop it in, especially if you omit step one as I did. Why you ask? Because if it gets dropped in, the liquid ingredients get splashed EVERYWHERE!! All over yourself and into your hair, on the poor dog who was just an innocent bystander and all over the kitchen counter and canisters and then unless you shower or give the dog a bath you will smell like italian seasoning for the remainder of the day. The other dogs are giving Lennon a hard time because they think Mom gave him a treat and forgot about them, poor guys.

Anyway, we served ours on hoagie buns with lots of mozzarella cheese and banana peppers and threw them in the oven for a few minutes to help melt the cheese and to make the bun nice and crispy. These were so good and so flavorful. I really think you should give them a try!!

Don't forget about my first ever giveaway. Everyone has until midnight on the 15th to enter!