Dang Cold Asian Noodle Salad

Well it's that time of year again....Office Holiday Party time! At my office we do a pot-luck lunch then exchange gifts for our Secret Santa! After reading the list of what people were signing up to bring I noticed that 5 people are making desserts! Therefore, I decided to make something on the other end of the spectrum with a bit more substance that was healthy too so they don't feel bad about eating all those desserts!

I found this tasty recipe by Guy Fieri, "Dang Cold Asian Noodle Salad". It's made with Soba Noodles, Japaneese buckwheat noodles that are best served cold. Now if you live in the middle of nowhere like me and your "ethnic aisle" is little to none, its very likely you will not find these noodles in stock. Instead you can substitute Whole Wheat Spaghetti. The instructions only called for "1 package Soba" and I was not really certain how much product that translated too. Since I was making this for a large group I used 1 whole box of spaghetti. In addition I mixed up another batch of the sauce, and added half of the extra batch to taste. I threw in a bit more veggies so it was not all noodle. I also omitted the Peanuts at the end as I have a friend at the office with a Peanut allergy and I really do not think they are necessary for this recipe. In hindsight I wish I thought to grab soy beans and would have rather substituted those.

Overall I am very pleased with how this turned out! Its healthy, chock full of veggies, and easy to make! Since its served cold, no messing with reheating before the party. I think this dish would appeal to even the pickiest eaters, similar to a vegetarian Lo Mein.

Enjoy = お楽しみ

Dang Cold Asian Noodle Salad

Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri, 2007

Ingredients

• 1 package soba noodles
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot chili oil
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, thinly sliced or julienned
• 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced or julienned
• 5 green onions, bottom 4 inches, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced napa cabbage
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced or julienned
• 1/2 cup julienned bok choy
• 1 cup bean sprouts, optional
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish
• 4 tablespoons unsalted peanuts, for garnish

Directions

In a medium stock pot, boil water, add salt and cook noodles. When finished, place noodles in an ice water bath to cool. Drain and set aside.

In a medium bowl combine, sesame oil, vinegar, soy sauce, hot chili oil, hoisin and extra-virgin olive oil. Mix thoroughly and then combine prepared vegetables and noodles.

Garnish with sesame seeds and peanuts.

Copyright 2011 Television Food Network G.P.
All Rights Reserved

Click here to Print recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_67219_RECIPE-PRINT-FULL-PAGE-FORMATTER,00.html

Ranch Pretzels

We've all had those days where one frustration leads to another, and all you want to do is come home and SMASH something! Today was one of those days, so I elected to smash up a batch of Ranch Pretzels!!

Back in college when I lived at the sorority house, my roommate Kylie introduced me to this snack, and since then I've been hooked! Not only is it a fun way to get out your aggression; it's also a crowd favorite for parties or to have on hand for snacking. Time to give your boring old plain pretzels a makeover! Enjoy! Sigma Love to my 202 Main Street Girls!!

Ranch Pretzels

(2) 16 oz Bags of Sourdough Hard Pretzels

(2) Envelopes Ranch Dressing Mix

1 ½ Cups Oil (Olive or Vegetable)

3 Tsp. Dill Weed

3 Tsp. Garlic Powder

Pre-Heat Oven to 200 degrees. Smash Pretzels while still in bag, to break up into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl combine remaining ingredients. Add pretzels and coat thoroughly. Pour into ungreased baking pan. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Recipe courtesy www.recipegoldmine.com

Click here to print recipe:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/75618710/Ranch-Pretzels

Artichokes

As I make my weekly shopping run, and proceed through the check-out line; It NEVER fails that as soon as the cashier comes upon this particular item they will inevitably hold up the produce bag, wrinkle their nose, raise an eyebrow and stammer "Whaaaat's this??!!" Many smart remarks run through my head as potential responses...tell them its a green pepper they are on sale 10 for 10! Yet I know I had better behave, and perhaps I can educate them on this alien form of produce that apparently nobody else ever purchases. "Why it's an Artichoke!!" I reply cheerily. Some look at me in disgust as though the inconvenience of looking up the produce number has clearly ruined their evening; while others inquire how does one cook an artichoke?! A question many of my friends have asked me and this technique is one I am always happy to share.

While there are many methods to making artichokes, I prefer the basic boiled or steamed Whole Artichoke. Growing up this was one of my favorite things to eat for dinner, it was always a special treat and what kid doesn't love picking apart their food and dousing it in butter?!

Anyone who has eaten a whole artichoke before tends to tell me they have a favorite "dip" for the leaves. Some dip it in mayo, vinaigrette, lemon juice, or my favorite: melted butter! For your first time I recommend either setting out an assortment of dipping options or sticking with just butter.

Next time you pass through the produce section of your local grocery, grab a couple artichokes and give this technique a try! Don't forget to have fun with the check out clerk ;)

Basic Steamed Artichoke

2-4 Large, Whole Artichokes (1 per person)

Salt to taste

Butter or Dipping Sauce

• Make sure when purchasing, they are plump & firm when squeezed. Leaves should be crisp.
• Set a large pot of water to boil, tossing in a pinch of salt to taste.
• Break off the outer leaves that are small and rough looking. With scissors, trim any of the sharp points off of the outer leaves if desired (usually when serving children). Snip off about a 1/2 inch to 1 inch off the bottom of the stem. Discard clippings.
• Place whole artichoke in boiling water or steamer, bottoms up, cover and cook for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the size. You can taste test one of the middle leaves to test for doneness. It should pull away very easily and the meat will taste very tender. If it tastes too starchy let it go a bit longer.
• Remove with tongs and hold with tip down to allow the water to drain out into the pot. Give a little squeeze with the tongs to get any excess out of the middle.
• Serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce. Typically served with hot melted butter. Or you can serve with vinaigrette, mayonnaise, or lemon juice.

How to Eat Leaves:

Peel off the leaves starting from the outside. The first few outer leaves will be a bit tough, feel free to discard if not to your liking. Dip into your butter or sauce then scrape the “meat” off with your teeth. You should be holding the pointed end in your fingertips, and putting the bottom part in first. The inside of the leaf where it’s meaty should be facing up if you are a top teeth scraper and vice versa. Discard the leaf in a trash bowl. Continue until you reach the Choke, needle like center that you Do Not want to eat.

The Heart <3

Holding it by its stem, take a butter knife and carefully slide it in between the needle part and the heart. It should lift up; scrape off to reveal the coveted “Heart” below. Discard all of the choke into your trash bowl. Once the heart is revealed dip it into your sauce & enjoy. You can eat the stem too if you desire, or discard.

From the Kitchen of: Rachel Travers

Click here to Print: http://www.scribd.com/doc/75516286/Basic-Steamed-Artichoke

French Toast

French Toast originally known as "pain perdu" means lost bread; stale bread that might have been otherwise thrown away. There are so many variations to this recipe, stuffing or topping with different things. I prefer just the basic old french toast topped with Maple syrup, no fancy shenanigans! So next time you think its just "easier" to pack the family up in the mom-van to go out for breakfast, think again.....save money and stay home! This recipe is so incredibly easy you'll be kicking yourself for having paid someone to make it for you! Bon Appetit!

French Toast

1 Large Loaf French bread (stale & crusty)

4 Eggs

2 Cups Milk

dash of salt

2 Tbsp Sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

dash of cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

• Pre-heat griddle or skillet on medium-low heat
• In a medium bowl, Beat the eggs lightly and stir in remaining ingredients. Slice the bread.
• Add some butter to the griddle coating surface evenly. Dip bread slices into liquid mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place on griddle and cook until nicely browned on either side. Serve immediately.

*Note you can use any type of bread: Brioche, Italian, or even regular sliced bread. Just remember its best to use stale bread as fresh bread will just be soggy in the middle.

From the Kitchen of Rachel Travers

Click here to Print:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/73926038/French-Toast

Croutons

Well I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving Holiday yesterday!? Rob and I managed to find the only deer in the Philadelphia area who must have been drunk on eggnog because he ran right into the side of our car as we were departing Uncle Davids house! Fortunately he only caused minor cosmetic damage to the side view mirror, nothing a little duct tape couldn't fix temporarily!! However I just cannot believe that living in the land of Deer & turkey (aka: Pocono Mountains) where herds of deer frequent my yard daily, we managed to get hit BY a deer in the suburbs of Philadelphia! Story of my Life!!!

Anywho....just thought I would do a quick & easy recipe today! I needed to use up some leftover french bread that is a few days old, good and crusty; so this is a good opportunity to make a batch of homemade Croutons!

Croutons

Pre-Heat oven to 350. Take one Loaf semi-stale crusty French Bread, and cut into cubes. Spread out on a sheet pan. Drizzle with EVOO. Season with: Sea Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, & Onion Powder. Toss so all the cubes are coated evenly and bake for about 10 minutes, until browned.

Buffalo Chicken Three Cheese Dip ~ Slow Cooker

While most people this time of year are preparing for Thanksgiving....my husband and I are preparing for another annual Holiday.....BEERFEST!! Every year the resort where I work, has this huge indoor festival that draws crowds of about 5,000 people! More than 50 Breweries are featured and provide samples for your 2 oz tasting glass that comes with your admission ticket. Not only is the beer incredible but so is the food, live music, & craft vendors!

http://www.splitrockresort.com/festivals/beer-festival/beerfest-overview

Every year we have a huge group of family & friends aka fellow "Beer Connoisseur's" meet up at the house and hop on board the big yellow school bus! Mona our favorite bus driver makes sure our group gets to and from the festival safely so no one has to drive! Afterwards we head back to the house for a huge afterparty!! We set up all the usual drinking games & feast on the huge spread of food Rob & I have prepared, as well as covered dishes that friends bring to share! Today's recipe is always a crowd favorite especially with the guys! This recipe is my version, adapted from one by my friend Amy Downing. This one is so easy, and you can just set it & forget it overnight (with a timer on of course) and by morning its ready to shred! So next time you need a great party dip, give this one a try!

Buffalo Chicken Three Cheese Dip ~ Slow Cooker

1 lb. - Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

16 oz. - Cream Cheese, Softened

1 Cup - Blue Cheese

2 Cups - Cheddar Cheese, Shredded

1 Cup – Frank’s Red Hot

2 Tbsp - Butter

1 Can – Diced Tomatoes

2 Bags Fritos Scoops

• Turn crock Pot on Low heat setting. Rinse & trim fat from chicken.
• Stir all 3 cheeses, Butter, Frank’s Red Hot (If you prefer a milder flavor only use ¾ cup of the Hot sauce) & can of diced tomatoes until well blended and warm.
• Add in the raw, whole, chicken breasts into the mixture and stir. Cook on Low setting for about 6 hours or until chicken is cooked through. Stir Occasionally.
• Shred the Chicken with a fork and stir thoroughly. Turn down to Warm setting and serve with the Fritos Scoops.

From the Kitchen of Rachel Travers.

Adapted from a recipe by my friend Amy Downing.

Click To Print Here:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/73171974/Buffalo-Chicken-Three-Cheese-Dip

Recipe Holder ~ Kitchen Tips & Tricks

Many times friends are helping out around my kitchen before a party and inevitably someone makes the comment...."Uh Rachel there's a coat hanger in your kitchen cabinet??? Do I need to check for the Milk in the dishwasher or something?" Nope rest assured the coat hanger is there for a reason!!

Today I want to share one of the simplest tricks I use for recipes that I've printed from the internet. I have such a limited work-space, and I find by the end of the night the recipe has nearly caught fire getting too close to a burner, or is sploshed and sloshed with sauces and what not.

So simple fix! Take a coat hanger, the kind you use for pants/skirt that has clips or you could take a regular hanger with a clothes-pin. Hang it off the kitchen cabinet handle over or next to your stove. Clip your printed recipe in place and voila! Not only is it off of your work surface, its up at eye level where you can easily read the next step!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin ~ Dog Treats

So while waiting for the cake to cool, and since I had some leftover Pumpkin on hand, I decided to make a batch of treats for my dogs Stella & Marley! My boss ripped this recipe out of a magazine and put it in my inbox with a note attached stating "Marley called, Please bake for me" LOL!!

This recipe is so easy and you will most likely have all of these ingredients on hand! These make for a great gift during the Holidays! Get creative with cookie cutter shapes, buy some pretty ribbon & bag them up as and inexpensive gift for your pet loving friends!! My Pups love these fresh baked cookies from the oven & I think yours will too!

Peanut Butter Pumpkin ~ Dog Treats

2 ½ Cups Whole-wheat Flour

2 Eggs

½ Cup Canned Pumpkin

2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

• Pre-Heat Oven to 350 degrees
• Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl. Dough should be dry & stiff, but workable. You may need to add bit of water to the dough if it’s not pliable.
• Throw a pinch of flour on your cutting board and roll out dough till it’s about ½ inch thick. Using a cookie cutter cut into bite size pieces, arrange on cookie sheet.
• Bake 40 minutes until hard.

From the Kitchen of Rachel Travers

(This recipe was adapted from a magazine article, In NCC Fall ’09)

Click here for a Printable version:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/72730920/Peanut-Butter-Pumpkin-Dog-Cookies

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Every time a Birthday rolls around at the Office we all take turns making something to celebrate their special day....it also makes for a good excuse for an afternoon snack!! So this time around since I had today off from working the weekend I decided to utilize cousin Dana's recipe and make this cake entirely from scratch! Now I'm not usually the most graceful baker and tend to make more of a mess than a success! Baking can be so tedious because your measurements must be exact. When I cook I like to be free to add a little of this, a little of that until I think it tastes right. I also tend to be a perfectionist and it has to look just so or I will not be satisfied. Just ask Milissa after our cupcake decorating class & trying to make Roses!! Uggh what a nightmare not to mention I was fresh off of one of my hand surgeries so that was quite the hindrance. Well cupcake class is a whole other story for another blog entry.

So all in all, I think today's experiment in baking came out superb! Not to mention I was able to put my lovely red Kitchenaid Mixer to use (thank you Aunt Denise, Aunt Penny, Cousins Krista & Nicole for that wedding shower gift!) I feel I may have overdone the amount of Ganache...but according to Dana you can never have too much!! It was prettier before adding the glaze but Rob says he thinks its going to taste better with the chocolate topping....Lets just hope there is a slice left for him to try tomorrow ;)

*Warning: The Icing is quite possibly the devil and you may be tempted to toss the cake & sit down with just the icing and a spoon instead....Must resist the temptation! Thank you to Dana Grohol for sharing this fabulous family recipe!!

Chocolate Pumpkin Cake.

Cake:

1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cups butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large (plus one yolk) eggs

Icing:

6 oz Cream Cheese

1 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar

¼ tsp Cinnamon

1 ½ tsp Cocoa

1 tsp Vanilla

1 ½ Cup heavy cream

½ Cup Powdered Sugar

Orange Food Coloring

½ Cup semi sweet Chocolate

½ cup Heavy Cream

· Preheat oven to 350 F

· Line the bottoms of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and lightly butter.

· Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.

· Stir the buttermilk, pumpkin, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.

· Beat the butter and sugars together using an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time. Reduce mixer speed to low and alternately beat in the flour and buttermilk mixtures in thirds.

· Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake until a tester, inserted in the center, comes out clean--about 35 minutes. Cool layers completely before icing.

· The icing is 6 ounces of cream cheese whipped, add 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoon of cocoa and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. In another bowl whip 1 1/2 cups heavy cream with 1/2 cup powdered sugar and some orange food coloring. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until incorporated.

· Ice the cake and eat the leftovers. After an hour in the fridge make up a Ganache by melting a half cup semi sweet chocolate into half a cup of heated heavy cream. Pour over the entire top of the cake like a glaze and return to the fridge.

Recipe Courtesy of Dana Grohol. Thank you for sharing!

Click here or Copy & paste link into browser for Recipe:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/72730634/Chocolate-Pumpkin-Cake

French Onion Soup with Gruyere Crote

Recently I have been taking cooking classes at an area cooking school run by Chef Alice Colin. The classes I have taken so far include: Thai, Indian, French Bistro, Tapas, Global Appetizers/Hors'd oeuvres & Caribbean! I'm even scheduled to take the Southeast Asian next month! This is something I do as a "Girls Night Out" with my friends and we enjoy it immensely! I learn something new every time I attend; cultural tidbits from the area of study, introducing new spices into my dishes for unique flavor combinations, and proper knife skills. The class usually lasts about 3-4 hours. You prepare a full course meal from start to finish usually four courses, which ends with a sit down dinner to enjoy what you've prepared.

If you are interested in checking out her classes visit her website: http://www.chefalicecooking.com/

The most recent class I attended was the "French Bistro" class where I finally learned how to make better than restaurant quality ~ French Onion Soup! After going over the proper way to chop an onion we moved onto carmelizing the onions to avoid that rubber taste found in most restaurants. *FUN FACT: French Onion soup should NOT be served with Mozzarella, Provolone or anything but Gruyere Cheese!* If a restaurant is serving it with one of these other cheeses, they are just trying to save a buck! The cheese should not be a stringy mass lump that has to be held up by soggy roll! Try this recipe and tell me what you think?! I would love to hear your thoughts after preparing it the way it was meant to be enjoyed!

French Onion Soup with Gruyere Croute

Serves 8

1 stick unsalted butter

4 lbs 6-7 large) yellow onions, halved, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick

2 bay leaves

6 fresh thyme sprigs tied with kitchen string

½ teaspoon Kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

1 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

5 cups beef broth

3 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup sherry

½ day-old baguette, sliced ¼ inch thick

4 ounces (1/2 cup) grated Gruyere

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, 25-30 minutes. Add the sherry and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are almost dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs.

Add the flour and stir. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. Add the beef broth, chicken broth; bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. Stir in sherry. Season to taste, with a generous amount salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and toast on each side until just golden brown; watch carefully to prevent burning; about two minutes. (May be done two days ahead.)

Ladle the soup in ovenproof crocks, ramekins or coffee cups and float two croutes on top. With the tip of your finger. Cover the croutes with Gruyere covering the entire top of crock as much as possible. Place back in the oven on the sheet pan and broil until cheese is melted and golden, watching carefully. Place each crocks on a plate. Alert your guests the crock and soup will be very hot.

NOTE: Depending on the brand of broth used, you may end up using more salt. If the broth tastes weak, you can reduce it a bit by boiling in a saucepan until reduced by one third.

Recipe By: Chef Alice Colin of Chef Alice Cooking Classes & Catering - http://www.chefalicecooking.com/

THANK YOU to Chef Alice for permission to share this recipe on my blog!

Click or copy & paste link into your browser to for a printable version of this recipe:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/72271875/French-Onion-Soup-With-Gruyere-Croute

Hot & Honey Chicken Wings

Well its Game Day...so you know what that means?! HOT WINGS!! My husband Rob, actually requires hot wings every weekend for his football! So since I have no interest whatsoever in watching the sport...I've decided to busy myself in the kitchen instead making Rob's favorite flavor: hot & honey! It was incredibly easy and I cannot believe all the money we have wasted on ordering take out! He commented how fresh they tasted and how nice & crispy they stayed, since we avoided the yucky styrafoam take out box steam bath, which makes them soggy. This one is a keeper for sure!!

If you prefer a healthier version, I grill up chicken breasts & toss them in the same wing sauce and serve on a toasted kaiser roll. Top with some blue cheese & serve! I made these sandwiches for Super Bowl Sunday last year and had the boys drooling!! They were a big hit and easy to make for a large group!

~ Rachel ~

Hot & Honey Chicken Wings

5-6 lbs Chicken wings

1 stick real butter

1 bottle Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce

¼ Cup Honey

Peanut Oil

Blue Cheese & Celery

• Heat Peanut oil in fryer to 375 Degrees.
• Prep Chicken - Tips removed and wings cut in half at the joint
• In sauce pan, over Medium heat melt butter and add in the hot sauce & honey. These measurements are just estimations, I pretty much just eyeball it and prepare it to taste. Adding more Honey for sweeter taste or more hot sauce for hotter flavor. Once Sauce is blended well leave on low to stay warm.
• Fry Chicken in batches for about 8 minutes, until chicken is browned and crispy.
• Remove from fryer and toss with your wing sauce. Serve immediately with Blue cheese & celery.

From the Kitchen of Rachel Travers

Click here or copy & paste into browser to print:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/71841940/Hot-Honey-Chicken-Wings

Thai Turkey Burritos

This is one of our weekly staples at the Traver’s house! So easy and delicious. Plus its chock full of veggies so a healthy dish too!

Rachel’s Thai Turkey Burritos

1 lb Ground Turkey (or Pork)

2 Tbsp. Ginger (*Ginger root keeps well in the freezer in a Ziploc, use a cheese grater on ginger right out of the freezer and shred right over the pan, this gives the best flavor)

2 Tbsp. Chopped Garlic

1 small Onion - Chopped Small

1 Red or yellow Bell Pepper - Chopped small

1 bag Broccoli slaw or Shredded Red Cabbage whichever you like

Large handful of Baby Carrots – Chopped small, or use shredded

1 tsp. Sesame Oil

3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp. Honey

2 Tbsp. Lime Juice

2 Tsp. Ground Coriander

½ tsp Crush red pepper or Hot chili oil (Or both, depending how hot you like it)

Optional – 1 Jalapeño or 1 Habanero Pepper for added heat (omit CRP & Oil if using the Habanero)

Large Burrito Tortilla shells, warmed

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

• Heat large Skillet on high, add Meat and cook through (drain fat off)
• Add Ginger, Garlic, onion, and veggies, stir frying for 2-3 min with the meat.
• Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and then add to the skillet mixture, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are done.
• Spoon onto warmed Tortillas, Sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese if desired. Roll up & enjoy!

From the Kitchen of Rachel Travers

Click here or Copy & paste Link in browser to Print:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/71758997/Thai-Turkey-Burritos#

Pot Roast Burgundy - Slow Cooker

Sirloin Tip Roast, about 2 1/2 -3 1/2 pounds

3 cups red wine

2 tablespoons butter

2 carrots

2 ribs celery

1 large onion

2 Parsnips

2 Turnips

6-8 baby dutch yellow potatoes

1 clove garlic

3 tablespoons flour blended with 2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl cover roast with red wine. Let soak for at least an hour or more, refrigerated. Cut vegetables into medium to large chunks. Heat butter in a large skillet and add chopped vegetables. Saute until lightly browned; cook another 2 or 3 minutes.

Place roast in the Crock Pot, coat with salt & pepper. Cover with the sauteed vegetables. Pour wine into the hot saute pan and bring to a boil. Pour over the beef and vegetables. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. 30 to 45 minutes before done, whisk flour-butter mixture in to thicken. Remove meat, and pull apart with a fork to shred or chop into chunks, whichever you prefer. Stir back in with veggies & broth before serving.

(Original recipe credit About.com this has been edited to how I prepared it.)

Click Here or Copy & Paste into your browser for Printable Version:

http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/71751851?access_key=key-uwvivmsgefu7iovtb3

I have been an avid cooker for as long as I can remember. Always watching what dad was up to at the stove or grill and baking with mom. In college I studied Hotel, Restaurant, Tourism Management & began fine tuning my skills in the restaurant classes.

Friends are always asking for my recipes, and one suggested I start a blog. So here goes my first blog, dedicated to my trials & tribulations in the Kitchen! I like to take recipes and make them my own creating substitutions or additions to suite my taste. I have a vast flavor palette, and enjoy creating global cuisine and comfort foods.

So from my kitchen to yours...I gladly share my favorites and hope you and your family enjoy them as much as I do!

XOXO

Rachel