I first experienced crock pots back in the 1970s. Remember those lovely avocado green ones that probably matched your dishwasher and refrigerator?
My mother used hers for a couple of months before giving it away, saying it made everything taste the same - spaghetti sauce tasted like beef stew which tasted like chicken cacciatore. I agreed.
Anne BralyBut how things have changed. Slow cookers have come of age in all shapes and sizes, colors and gadgets with timers and the like.
And thanks to clever cooks and more readily-available ingredients, nothing tastes the same anymore. I love my slow cooker. It makes those great fix-it-and-forget-it dinners that we can all appreciate on busy days.
This is not a new recipe, and many of you are familiar with one very similar - the delicious Mississippi pot roast that uses butter, ranch dressing mix and pepperoncini peppers. But for those of you looking for a little different taste, this is it.
The roast works on different levels. First and foremost, it's simple. The whole point of crock pot cooking is simplicity, and so many slow-cooker beef dishes require browning in another pan on the stove before putting the meat in the cooker. That messes up two pans and requires more cooking duties on your part.
This roast goes in the crock pot raw and, after a day cooked on low, comes out so tender you can eat it with a fork. Serve it with a potato dish and sautéed vegetables and you have an amazing dinner.
The next night, leftovers can be made into sub sandwiches topped with red peppers and onions. Try mixing a little dry Italian dressing with some mayonnaise as a condiment or drizzle some herbed oil over top. Both add a nice flavor.
Italian Pot Roast
3 pound boneless beef chuck roast
1-2 cups beef stock (low salt, if you can find it)
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 cup pepperoncini peppers, optional
1/4 cup pepperoncini juice, optional
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 (0.6-ounce) package of dry Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup red wine
1 (16-ounce) jar giardiniera mix, drained
In the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker combine the beef stock, garlic, pepperoncini peppers and pepperoncini juice (if using). Place roast on top and sprinkle with dressing mix. Add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 8 hours or until roast is pull-apart tender. Shred or cut beef into chunks, then allow to remain in slow cooker on low for another 30 minutes to absorb all the juices. Check to make sure it doesn't dry out. Add a little more beef stock, if needed.
Note: If you have a larger roast, use 2 packets of Italian dressing mix and 1 cup red wine, but the same amount of peppers, juice and giardiniera mix.
A MASTERPIECE DINNER
WTCI-TV's annual Masterpiece Experience Wine Dinner will be held March 14 at 212 Market restaurant. The dinner is a production of 212 Chef Susan Moses, whose culinary wizardry will feature dishes never before served at the restaurant, which has been consistently honored with Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence.
This year's five-course dinner combines the Victorian spirit with locally sourced, organic foods:
* Whitehall Crackers with Leicester-aged Thomas Hoe Cheese; Angels on Horseback (oysters wrapped in bacon and baked); Duck Rillettes (duck confit on a crostini) and Mulligatawny Soup.
* Prosciutto Scallops on Creamed Queen Victoria Cabbage.
* Roast Loin of Pork Stuffed with Brandied Fruit, Potato Parsnip Purée, French-style Green Beans and Foie Gras Sauce.
* Finish the feast with a dessert trio of Vacherin with Raspberry, Cream Puffs and Chocolate Pot de Creme.
Tickets are on sale now for $175 each or $275 for a seat at the Chef's Table; they may be purchased online at www.wtciTV.org/wine. WTCI is the Tennessee Valley's public television affiliate.
ON THE MENU
The Foundry, the bar at The Chattanoogan, has always had good food, but it's been limited to mostly heavy appetizers in the past. Now, thanks to the hotel's new director of food and beverage, Anthony Frank, you can have an afternoon cocktail and stay in your seat through dinner.
"The enhancements at The Foundry are following the national trend of diners enjoying full meals in an intimate lounge setting," Frank says. "We hope locals will stop by, have dinner and drinks with us and experience great service and food."
The new menu features a nice selection of entrees, ranging from Honeysuckle Bourbon-Glazed Salmon and Slow-Roasted Pork Cheeks to scallops, bison meatloaf, burgers, salads, flatbreads and sandwiches. Not to worry, though. You'll still be able to order wings and sliders to go with your craft brew.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.