CROCKPOT BEEF ROAST WITH BURGUNDY WINE GRAVY

INGREDIENTS:

1-2 cloves Garlic, peeled
Salt and Pepper for seasoning
3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2-1/2 to 3 pound Eye-of-Round or Beef Rump Roast
1 packet of dry Onion Soup mix
1/2 cup Water
1 can Mushroom soup mix (my favorite is Campbell's Golden Mushroom)
1/3 cup Burgundy Wine (Merlot or Cabernet are excellent choices)
4 teaspoons Cornstarch
1/4 cup Water
1 (4 ounce) jar sliced Mushrooms, optional

DIRECTIONS:

Place roast in a shallow pan and allow to come to room temperature; about 2 hours.
Rub roast with garlic, then season with salt and pepper.
Add olive oil to heavy skillet, turn heat level to high.
Carefully place roast in heated oil and sear* on all sides.
Remove beef from skillet, reduce heat to medium-low and transfer beef roast to crockpot.
Add dry onion soup mix and 1/2 cup water to skillet used for searing and mix well.
Cook soup mixture for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add mushroom soup and wine to soup mixture, stir well.
Remove from heat and pour mixture over beef roast in slow cooker. If necessary, add water so liquid covers three-quarters of the roast. Cover.
Cook 6 to 8 hours on low or until roast is fork tender.**
Remove roast from crockpot, place on plate and cover loosely with foil.
Add cornstarch to 1/4 cup cold water and stir.
Add mixture to liquid in crockpot and cook until thickened; then cook one additional minute.
Add water if necessary for desired consistency.
Add sliced mushrooms, if desired and heat thoroughly.
Transfer mixture to gravy pitcher and serve with beef roast.
Slice beef roast and transfer to serving platter.
*Sear means to brown beef on all sides to lock in juices and create a crisp outer layer.
**Fork tender means the beef will easily fall apart when a fork is inserted, pulling the meat away from the roast.

If desired, add quartered onion chunks, red potatoes and baby carrots. Place in crockpot after adding the soup-wine mixture. Or serve with mashed potatoes and vegetable side dishes.

I was very impressed with this recipe. It was delicious! I found it on this blog http://thecheapgourmet.typepad.com I used cabernet sauvignon which is my favorite wine for cooking. I am not a wine drinker so i am no expert but I am always happy when using this kind for cooking with red meats. I cut up two carrots, four red potatoes and sliced mushrooms and threw them in with my roast. My crockpot is a little big so I had to add a few cups of water to cover the roast properly. In the future I would maybe double the "broth" instead of using the water. I did not thicken the broth at the very end and it still turned out good.

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Ingredients:
2 packages (14-1/2 ounces each) gingerbread cake mix
1 package (4.6 ounces) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
3 cups milk
1 can (29 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

Directions:
Prepare and bake gingerbread according to package directions, using two greased 9-in. round baking pans. Cool completely on wire racks.
Meanwhile, for pudding, in a large saucepan, combine pudding mix and milk; stir until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Combine pumpkin and brown sugar; stir into pudding.
In a 4-qt. glass serving bowl, crumble one gingerbread cake; gently press down. Top with half of pudding mixture and whipped topping. Repeat layers. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Yield: 25 servings (1 cup each).

I made this for Christmas dessert. I personally wasn't a huge fan even though I love love love pumpkin. It sure did make a lot. We ate it for days. It seemed dry to me. I think one gingerbread cake would have been enough.

Crockpot Hungarian Stew

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium onions, chopped
1 pound lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1-1/2 cups hot water
3 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium green peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:
Place potatoes and onions in a 3-qt. slow cooker. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil on all sides. Place over potato mixture.
Pour off excess fat from skillet. Add hot water to the drippings, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Stir in the paprika, salt, caraway seeds, tomato paste and garlic. Pour into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours.
Add green peppers and tomatoes; cover and cook 1 hour longer or until meat and vegetables are tender. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat and vegetables to a large serving bowl; cover and keep warm.
Pour cooking juices into a small saucepan. Combine flour and cold water until smooth; gradually whisk into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; whisk in sour cream. Stir into meat mixture. Yield: 6 servings.

I did not have any caraway seed so I made it without it. I thought that this recipe was really good. There was a lot of prep work but it is well worth it. It makes a cheap cut of meat really good and tender! This recipe was from my taste of home magazine and I definitely recommend it!