Slow-Cooker Pizza

This recipe is from my "Fix-It and Forget-It" cookbook.  I made it for the first time yesterday and it was a big hit.  It's super easy to make and really yummy.  Sorry that I don't have a picture of it!

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef or bulk Italian sausage (I used Italian sausage and only used a pound because it was all I had)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
Half a box rigatoni, cooked
7-oz jar sliced mushrooms, drained
3-oz. sliced pepperoni
16-oz jar pizza sauce (This didn't seem like it was enough so I added a little spaghetti sauce)
10-oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
10-oz cheddar cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS:
1. Brown ground beef (or Italian sausage) and onions in saucepan.  Drain.  Meanwhile cook rigatoni as directed on box.
2.  Layer half of each of the following, in the order given, in slow cooker: ground beef and onions, green pepper, noodles, muxhrooms, pepperoni, pizza sauce, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese.  Repeat layers. 
3. Cover.  Cook on Low 3-4 hours. 

NOTE:
Keep rigatoni covered with sauce so they don't become dry and crunchy. 

VARIATION:
Add a 10 3/4 oz can of cream of mushroom soup to the mix, putting half of it in as a layer after the first time the noodles appear, and the other half after the second layer of noodles.  (I did this because I wanted to make sure it wasn't too dry)

Italian Beef

I love Italian beef.  My grandma would pronounce it Eye-talian beef, and that is how I say it when I'm trying to get a laugh out of Josh or my sister.  It is super easy to make, but I've only made it a few times and have never been very happy with the results... until NOW.  I think I finally got it right!  (Insert victory dance.)  This recipe is a tweaked recipe from one on allrecipes.com. (FYI, girls, this is way better than the stuff I made at the TROOPS reunion.)

Ingredients

3 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon onion salt

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 bay leaf

1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix (I use zesty Italian.)

1 (5 pound) rump roast

1 jar pepperoncini peppers (This is the key ingredient.  It adds SO much more flavor and makes it tangy.  You can get mild ones, but we like the regular ones for a little kick.)



Most of the ingredients are staple items!

 Directions:
1. Combine water with salt, ground black pepper, oregano, basil, onion salt, parsley, garlic powder, bay leaf, and salad dressing mix in slow cooker. 

2. Place roast in slow cooker, making sure that it is completely immersed in mixture.  Pour entire jar (juices included) of pepperoncini peppers over the top.

3. Cover, and cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 5 hours. When done, remove bay leaf, and shred meat with a fork. (Meat should be very tender and fall apart.  If it doesn't, it isn't done yet.) 

*It is helpful to remove peppers before shredding the beef.  I left them in (because I love them) and the stems all fell off into the beef.  It was a little annoying pulling them all out, but still delish!

Serve on Eye-talian buns and top with shredded Moz cheese. 

Perfect for a fall day or a busy Sunday!