Easy Slow Cooker French Dip

4 lbs. beef roast
1 (10.5 oz.) can beef broth
1 (10.5 oz.) can condensed French onion soup
1/2 can or bottle beer
Worcestershire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder, all to taste

6 French rolls
Butter
Cheese

Cook the first nine ingredients in the slow cooker on low for 7 hours. Remove roast from the slow cooker and slice thinly. Return meat to slow cooker and continue to cook for at least a half hour. Split rolls, spread with butter, and toast under the broiler. Place cheese on buns immediately and pile the meat on. Use the sauce for dipping, of course.

You might need to add spices at the end to get it tasty enough, but once you make it into a sandwich, it becomes pretty darn good. This is a slightly adjusted recipe from allrecipes.com. The original recipe is here http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Easy-Slow-Cooker-French-Dip/Detail.aspx

Apple Pie Bars

Crust:

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 c. butter

Mix together and press into a greased 9x13 pan. Chill in refrigerator until you have the other parts ready.

Filling:

5 c. apples, peeled and diced

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 c. flour

2/3 c. sugar

1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

Sprinkle apples with lemon juice. Add remaining ingredients and toss gently. Spread apples evenly over crust.

Topping:

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. quick oats

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter or margarine

Mix dry ingredients together, then cut in butter until crumbs form. Sprinkle crumbs evenly over apple mixture.

Bake at 375 F for 40 minutes, or until apples are soft and the bottom of the crust looks golden. Cut into 24 squares

That last line is just a complete guess, because I don't know how long I baked them. I started them at 375 and then was in a hurry and cranked it up to 400 F...just bake them.

I was dreaming up these bars for awhile, and I couldn't find any recipes that looked like what I was dreaming of. Out of pure desperation, I pulled from two different recipes and made adjustments and OH MY WORD they turned out soooooooooooooooo good! Kirk and I were quite blown away by them and I think they might be the best dessert I've had in a good long while. Please make them and tell me if you love them the way I do.

Date Muffins

Combine the following and let stand 15 minutes (then mash them up):
2 C coarsely chopped dates
3/4 C boiling water

In a separate bowl, combine and set aside:
2 C flour (I use whole wheat)
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In another bowl, cream the following together:
1/4 C unsalted butter
1/2 C brown sugar (dark brown if you can)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

In the bowl that has the butter mixture, add mashed up dates alternately with the flour mixture. Mix together well but don't over mix! Divide between 12 muffin cups and top with streusel:
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons rolled oats
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Bake at 375F about 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.