THIS is a terrific basic recipe!! Nothing to stop you from adding your favorite things - although the TASTE is GREAT just like it is. I used chuck because it's not as dry as a bottom round. I had a tomato so I chopped it up & added it. I saw where someone had added an envelope of beef gravy - great idea too!!! Thank goodness there's people out there REALLY KNOW HOW TO COOK!! Oh, and don't bother to brown the beef the way some recipes state - it only makes the beef dry. Thanks for this recipe.