She actually loves the snow. She does love to prance and play in it, but I think she saw something move. Once I get done with work, we’ll probably get out there and play a little.
My mom’s house is pretty old, too. The big picture windows are single pane, with another single pane storm that we put in for the winters. The views and light are amazing, but you can see the curtains move when the wind picks up.
I made Italian Beef for dinner yesterday (and today, and probably a few days more). Delicious!
3 to 4 pound chuck roast or round roast trimmed of large chunks of excess fat
Kosher salt
14.5 ounce can beef broth divided
8 ounces pepperoncini pepper slices plus 1/4 cup of juice and additional peppers for serving
8 ounces giardiniera (mild or spicy) drained, plus additional for serving (look for the kind that is chopped, versus whole pickled vegetables)
Provolone cheese slices for serving
Hoagie buns for serving
FOR THE SEASONING*:
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning Just go buy a packet of Italian salad dressing mix
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon thyme dried ground
Let the meat rest at room temperature for 15 minutes (this is a good time to measure your other spices and seasonings). Season the beef all over with kosher salt.
Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Once it is hot, sear the meat on all sides until golden brown, moving it as little as possible so that it develops a nice crust (this will take about 10 minutes). Transfer to the slow cooker.
Turn the heat to medium. Carefully splash in some of the broth and with a wooden spoon, scrape up the brown bits on the bottom of the pan (this is FLAVOR). Pour the liquid and any bits into the slow cooker on top of the beef.
In a small bowl, stir together the seasoning ingredients: Italian seasoning, granulated sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and thyme. Sprinkle on top of the beef. Again, just use Italian salad dressing mix.
Add the pepperoncini peppers and juice. Add the giardiniera (do not add any giardiniera juice).
Pour in the remaining broth.
Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. Shred the beef, then stir it together with the juices. Cover and cook on low for 30 additional minutes.
To serve, split the hoagie buns and toast on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes (if desired). Fill with the shredded Italian beef (get plenty of that yummy, messy juice!) and top with provolone, pepperoncini, and Giardiniera as desired. Enjoy!
TO STORE: Refrigerate Italian beef in an airtight storage container for up to 3 days.
TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
TO FREEZE: Freeze beef in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
