Crock Pot "French Dip"

Back when we were young, with extraneous income and no one to be responsible to, my friend T and I used to go out to dinner in our old neighborhood.  We always went out for Burritos and Beer (and often cake because the bar made its own cake with HOMEMADE carmel sauce poured over the top).  During our weekly B&B evenings, we would discuss very important things like what we want served at our funerals.  The food should, of course, be food you loved and which celebrates your life.  T, I'm here to make an official addendum to my funeral foods!  In addition to burritos and fried chicken, I need to add THIS FRENCH DIP recipe to the mix.

This stuff is "'da bomb".  I mean, its so good that I feel ok about posting this on the web with the words "'da bomb" attached do it.  I am salivating just thinking about it.  Ay dios, I'm now thinking about it in another language, that's how good it is.  Sadly, I have no pics of my own to show you how amazing this recipe is.

And preparing it comes with my two favorite caveats:
1) It couldn't be easier!
2) It makes enough for leftovers!

I used this recipe from the Pioneer Woman (the first one on the page), but made some changes according to what I had in the cupboard, what I thought my family would eat and the mistakes I made from not reading the recipe right.  :)  God Bless yummy mistakes.  Because I'm thinking about going into the freezer to defrost what I just put away and eat it straight from the bag.

Except that would leave me with less for next time.  And that would be sad.  Unlike my funeral, with all that good food, which will not be sad at all.  :)

Crock Pot French Dip 

Ingredients
1 whole Beef Chuck Roast, 2.5 To 4 Pounds 
2 cups water + 2 tsp beef base OR 2 cups of beef broth/stock
1 packet dry Italian dressing mix

1 jar (12 Oz) Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice 
Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls
Top with cheese- optional 


Preparation Instructions
Put roast into crock pot.  Blend pepperoncini peppers in blender with juice.  (You can leave whole, but I don't really like pepperoncinis, so the blending works well).  Pour over roast.  Pour beef flavoring (either water plus beef base or beef broth) over roast.  Add Italian dressing packet.  Cover.  Cook on  high 5-6 hours or low all day until fork tender.  Place meat on buttered rolls (I like to melt cheese on the rolls first, so as to prevent sogginess).  Serve with small bowls of liquid from crockpot.  Don't forget the bowls to dip, that's what makes it "French Dip".  Die of goodness.


**Also, this makes enough for at least one nights of leftovers.  After everything has cooled (usually the next day, after I've removed the fat from the top), I'll divide the leftovers into freezer bags with the liquid.  It "freezes beautifully", and provided you have rolls and cheese, you have an EVEN EASIER meal for another night in the future.