Affogato Americano

Forget raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Ice cream and espresso are two of my favorite things.  This twist on the Italian affogato (vanilla gelato/ice cream with a shot of espresso) is actually a modified version of my favorite drink back at UCLA.  For those who knew me anytime between 2001 and ~2008, you'd know my go-to drink was the Mocha Roma- hot coffee with a scoop (sometimes two) of Baskin Robbins' Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream.  It was only served at Kerckhoff and between ~2006 and 2008, it was basically a secret menu item, since it was no longer on the main menu, but there was still a button for it on the register.  Eventually, they changed the registers and the Mocha Roma was lost forever...until now.  This Rocky Road Affogato (Rocky Roma?) may not have the same kick as a Mocha Roma, but it's still pretty darn delicious.  And really, a traditional affogato and a Mocha Roma are only a pint/quart/gallon of ice cream away.

Crock-Pot Roast

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

adapted from Foodnetwork.com

INGREDIENTS

- One 4-pound beef chuck roast
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for coating
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 stalks celery, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 3 cloves garlic, mashed
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped

(I added potatoes and mushrooms, cut into big chunks)

PREPARATION

- Sprinkle the roast all over with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Coat in flour and shake off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the roast to the skillet and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the roast to the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker, along with the carrots, celery, onions and garlic.

- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and stir until the oil begins to turn brick-red, about 1 minute. Add the flour and wine and whisk until thick (it's OK if there are some lumps). Add the beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, allspice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and bring to a simmer, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thickens slightly, about 4 minutes.

- Pour the gravy into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. The roast and vegetables should be tender.

- Remove the roast and let rest for a few minutes. Discard the thyme stems and strain the vegetables, reserving the gravy. Toss the vegetables with half the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Stir the remaining parsley into the gravy and season with salt and pepper. Slice the roast against the grain. Serve the meat and vegetables on a platter, moistening them with some of the gravy; serve the remaining gravy on the side.

(Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/slow-cooker-pot-roast.html?oc=linkback)

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