Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches with Broccoli Salad

I have a couple meals I will posting about today. I try to post as I prepare meals but, not the case all the time. Life seems to get in the way.

I love checking cookbooks out of the library. After reading through them, I decide if they are good enough to purchase. One that I have checked out a couple times (and is currently overdue) is Perfect Party Food. It is more than just a recipe cookbook. It has party ideas, menus - everything need to stress-free entertaining. It is also great for getting ideas for meals that can be made ahead of time.

I perused the book the other night and picked out a couple recipes to try. The first one was for Italian Roast Beef Sandwiches. The recipe is a two step process. First is roasting the beef in the oven and then finishing it in the crock pot. I have not had too much luck with my crock pot. The only recipe I love is for Pulled Pork. Either I am not a crock pot aficionado or they are not all they are cracked up to be. Anyway, the recipe worked well, everyone liked it, and dinner was a snap. It even made enough for me to put in the freezer for some weekend sandwiches. I served it with a Broccoli Salad. Pretty generic recipe but, 3 of the 5 of us like it. It is one of those recipes that would be served at a potluck dinner in a church basement.

Italian roast Beef Sandwiches
adapted from Perfect Party Food by Diane Phillips

serves 10

2 tb olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
One 4 pound sirloin tip, rump, or eye of round roast
4 cups beef stock or broth
2 tsp thyme
10 rolls
pepperocinis

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine oil, salt, pepper and garlic and rub over roast. Place in a roasting pan. Roast for about 1 1/2 hours - 2 hours until a thermometer registers about 135 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

Slice the roast in thin slices. Put sliced roast, beef stock, and thyme into crock pot. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Serve slice roast beef on rolls with pepperocinis and extra au jus for dipping.


Broccoli Salad with Sunflower Seeds and Raisins

2 bunches of broccoli, florets cut in bite sized pieces
about 3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tb sugar
dash of hot sauce
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raisins

Combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and hot sauce in a bowl. Put broccoli, sunflower seeds, and raisins in a large bowl. Toss with dressing. Chill until ready to serve. Keeps well in the frig.