SCIBS: Slow Cooker Italian Beef Sandwiches

SCIBS. How’s that for an acronym! Let’s see a show of hands. How many of you are familiar with the phrase “chat speak”? You know what I’m talking about: the indulgent substitution of acronyms for an entire glossary of phrases. There are the obvious ones that we see all the time in blog comments, such as LOL, which is short for Laughing Out Loud. Homeschooling blogs are clogged with DH, DS, DD, DC which represents Darling/Dear Husband, Darling Son, Darling Daughter, and Darling Children. Alrighty then!

Since I'm the somewhat conservative yet open-minded parent of twin teens and a "tween" 10 year old, plus I joyfully fulfill the role of carpool driver to a never ending sea of kids, I’ve made a special effort to decipher the chat code of today's youth. Actually, it's not just the kiddos who are using this. College students and adults of all ages, young and elderly, are adopting this newfangled way of communicating. What started with xoxo signing a card has come a looong way, baby.

I don’t think I’ve ever typed LOL before. I have, however, scralled "xoxo" when signing cards to my kids. Does that count? Here's a taste of some of the most common new text messaging abbreviations. There’s IDK for I Don’t Know, JK for Just Kidding, LMK for Let Me Know, NM Never Mind, B/C Because, BRB Be Right Back, and SUP What’s Up. Believe me folks, there are a zillion of them (some more than a tad shocking) and I don’t see any end in sight. While most of these little gems sprang to life to save the millions of calluses forming on thumbs during the texting, instant messaging, and on-line chatting craze presently taking place around the globe, many a kid and adult actually speak this way in regular conversation.

It drives my oldest daughter nuts when her classmates talk in acronyms all day long. She says it’s okey-dokey for emails and such, but not for face to face communication. Actually, my daughter doesn’t say okey-dokey. Ever. She’s is the epitome of articulate. Her mother, of course, has been known to say it. Okey-dokey. Oh, and you out there with young kids who don’t even use the computer yet, don’t think your wee ones aren’t exposed to this. It doesn’t matter where you live, who your friends are, etc. This chat speak has a life of its own. Of course, if you never set foot outside, never speak to anyone, never turn on the TV, radio, or computer, then, yes, chances are you’ve not experienced chat speak. Um, but if you’re reading this, well then, you know it’s EVERWHERE all over the globe. I’m just saying. It’s the technological version of cultural diffusion.
Today’s recipe represents culinary cultural diffusion. It’s a lovely Italian Beef recipe that’s made with Greek Peperocini, and served French style with an au jus of sorts. Just doing my part to bring the world a little closer.

Now that we are full swing into school and soccer, I dusted off ye ole crockpot, and whipped up a lovely Italian Beef recipe. Um, but I totally spaced taking pictures of it. Sorry. I remembered as I was washing the dinner dishes. Oops. However, I have hopefully redeemed myself by using the leftovers for Italian Beef Sandwiches. Note: I made the beef one day, and the sammies another day.

Slow Cooker Italian Beef (This portion of the recipe is Gluten Free)

3.5 lbs chuck roast, left whole
2 packages dry Italian Salad Dressing mix
1 cup water
½ 16 oz jar Peperocini

Place your roast into your slow cooker and sprinkle all sides with the salad dressing. Pour water over, cover, and cook on high for 6-7 hours. An hour before it is finished, pour the ½ jar of peperocini and it’s liquid into the slow cooker. When finished, shred the meat with two forks, discarding any fat. We ate ours with mashed potatoes and zucchini. Store the left over meat in the broth (au jus), in the fridge. The fat will rise to the top and harden. Discard. This is even better the next day.Italian Beef Sandwiches (This portion of the recipe is not gluten free due to the bread)

Ciabatta sandwich rolls or any crusty hoagie
Garlic Olive Oil
Left over Italian beef, reheated and drained
Italian Beef Au Jus, reheated
Sauteed onion slivers
Sauteed red, green, yellow peppers
Peperocini if desired
Thinly sliced mozzarella cheese

Prepare the Garlic Olive Oil.In a small, heavy saucepan, pour about a ¼ cup of olive oil and add 6-7 peeled garlic cloves.Heat gently over low heat for about 20 minutes or until the garlic is soft and carmel colored. The cloves will taste just like roasted garlic, and the oil is perfumed wonderfully with a mellow garlic flavor.

Heat your oven to 350.Cut the ciabatta rolls in half, and spread with the garlic oil. I also mashed a little bit of the roasted cloves into the bread, too. Pop in the oven until warm, about 5 minutes.Remove from oven, and top with roast beef.Next comes the onions.Remember the peppers. Leave these off if peppers don’t float your boat.You can add more pepperocini, too. (UM, you all date your jars, too, right?) They add a great tang to the sandwich. Now add the mozzarella cheese. Top with the top half of the ciabatta roll. Place back in the oven and warm it until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Serve with the au jus for dipping.

Oh now stop. I know some of you don’t like to get your bread wet. Just skip it if you don’t approve.I approve, so I slurped mine right up. Mmm, Mmm, Mmm! WFM (Works For Me)!!NOTE: The Italian Beef recipe is Gluten Free. The sandwich, obviously, is not. My g/f daughter just eats her servings without the bread. So, my peeps, LMK (Let Me Know) your favorite Italian Beef recipe. SYL (See You Later)! THX!