Perfect Pot Roast (with sneaky easy gravy!)

Perfect Pot Roast

Ingredients

3-4 pound boneless chuck roast

4 TBS, olive oil

2 large onions, diced

5 celery stalks, diced

4 carrots, diced

1 TBS minced garlic (about 5 cloves)

2 TBS tomato paste

2 cups red wine

1 cup beef broth

3 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 

On stove, heat a large dutch oven or other pan large enough to hold the roast over medium heat (you will need a lid). Season the roast liberally with salt and pepper on all surfaces. Add the olive oil to the hot pan and when it starts to shimmer, place the roast into the pan and brown on each side for a couple minutes. 

Remove from the pan and set aside on a plate.

To the same pan, add the celery, carrots, and onions and sauté for 4 – 5 minutes until softened and starting to brown lightly.  

Add garlic and continue cooking for additional minute.

Next, add the tomato paste and stir until well combined with the veggies. 

Return the roast to the pan along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate and add the wine and broth and bay leaves.

Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pot and transfer to the 325 degree oven for 4 hours. 

Check the roast once an hour to be sure the liquid is simmering nicely and turn the roast once in the middle of cooking.  

When the meat is done, remove it from the oven, and place it on a cutting board, leaving liquid and veggies in the pot.  Throw away bay leaves.  This meat is so tender it practically falls apart.

 Now it's time to make the gravy.  Very carefully, put all the veggies (that's the sneaky part!) and about half of the liquid from the pot into the blender .  Leave the small top off of blender lid so steam can escape, cover with towel, and blend until smooth.  Add more liquid from pot until gravy reaches your desired consistency.

We serve pot roast with mashed potatoes and corn, and it was plated and eaten so fast that I didn't get any pictures!  This meal serves all seven of us with a little leftover (but not much!):

Looks like somebody gets a yummy lunch tomorrow!

Weeknight Meals for Busy Families

Every day when my kids get home from school they ask "What's for dinner?" and every day I want to be like:

Mwahahaha.

But, I don't because kids want to eat all the time (who knew? every mother every where, that's who.) and it's my job to feed them.  I know you're all in the same boat, as it's probably my number one request I get from you guys - to list out some meal ideas that we use to feed a gaggle of kids fast on nights when we are all coming home from work/school and running back out to meetings/church/sports events.  I'll admit, it's a little embarrassing to write out some of these simple meals, but I'm nothing if not honest, so I'll eat the humble pie and let you in on our easy peasy tried and true weeknight meals.

Some rules to start:

1) We always keep fruit and veggies in the house to act as sides to these meals.  Think apple slices, baby carrots, cucumbers, frozen corn, frozen peas, grapes, lettuce, bananas, you get it.

2)  We also keep starchy sides on hand.  I'm talking potatoes, rice, pasta, frozen french fries, and chips (I know, humble city over here!)

3) We do NOT serve milk with dinner.  We have found that some of our kids would fill up on milk and not eat the main course.  So they get water with dinner and a cup of milk later in the evening before bed.

4) We serve what we serve and that's it.  If they do not want to eat it, they don't have to (they'll always eat something on their plate) but they don't get anything else to eat.  There are some items that toddlers just have a hard time eating, and I will make them a turkey hot dog or chicken nuggets instead, but not as a reward for not eating the first meal.  They get that as their first meal.

5) We eat a lot of protein (six growing boys!) and we do not have any food allergies, thank you Baby Jesus, so please don't  be offended by our gluten-dairy-animal-egg-filled choices.  I'm just a basic home cooking mom.

Without further ado, here's our weeknight meal rotations:

{CWA} Volume 2

{Joining Suspicio for another installment of Catholic Woman's Almanac}

::Moments of Gratitude::

All of my sweet birthday comments and emails and texts and cards.  
This girl sure feels loved!

::Pondering::

I just realized this weekend that Pope Benedict was leaving so soon.  I mean, I *knew* he was but it didn't register just how fast it was coming.

::Praying::

For Pope Benedict XVI

For pregnant ladies.

For the poor souls in purgatory who have no one to pray for them.

::Cooking::

Ummm, I just spread almond butter on rice cakes for breakfast for Phil and I....does that count as cooking?

Oooooh!  I know!  This weekend I made a Roasted Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash soup and also a pot roast to give us some easy lunches and dinners for the week.  I'll have to post the pot roast recipe soon, it's so easy and delicious and I've finally found a way to make gluten-free and cornstarch-free gravy.  (Just typing that I realize you all now understand the simplicity of my cooking skills)

::Wearing::

Gray dress pants, pink tank top, black/white/gray/pink argyle cardigan.

::Creating::

Plans for the weekend.  A date is on the agenda, and basketball games and practices, and maybe a Baptism!

::Going::

Crazy waiting for my federal tax refund.  The state refund came in, and the IRS said I was supposed to receive the refund on February 13, but I am still waiting...

::Reading::

My Other Self by Clarence Enzler

::Memorizing::

Employee policies at work.  Fun, right?

::Listening to::

Some Nights by Fun

::Wandering Around the Web::

I am catching up with my friend, Sandra's family as she is catching up on blogging at State of Motherhood.  Don't you love it when old bloggy buddies start writing again?

::Liturgical Living::

Realizing that Lent is not a diet in disguise.

::Around the House::

A friend asked to borrow maternity clothes.  In digging out and organizing those bins, I started digging out and organizing the desk and closet around it.  We found tons of hand-me-down costumes for the kids that now live in three hampers at the bottom of the upstairs hallway closet.  It's like we discovered Disney World - they are so happy with these get-ups and have been doing daily parades for our entertainment.  It's just another example of how we always get more than we give.

::Looking Ahead::

We just finished February vacation and now we are counting down to April vacation.  We'll be heading to Maryland to visit with Phil's family!

::Captured::

My birthday buddy made me a birthday card.  (Tigers are my favorite)

I can't believe John-Paul is TEN!

Thanksgiving Recap: It's Giving Family, It's Giving Fun, It's Giving Thanks

 On Tuesday night, the college boys arrived home late after a long rainy drive from Ohio!  They appreciated the welcome home signs that Declan and Brendan left out for them as well as the homemade chocolate chip cookies :)

On Wednesday, some of us had half-days of school/work and others had Stay at Home Learning days.  Phil made a yummy pot roast dinner and the big kids went bowling.  I started the cinnamon rolls for the following morning, which came out delicious as that recipe always does.

We ran our own Turkey Trot and then headed up to my sister's house for Thanksgiving about an hour away.  Everybody brings a few dishes, this year we brought Pesto Meatballs, a Cranberry Pecan Kale salad and a Feta, Corn and Black Bean dip with fritos.  My brother-in-law cooked the turkey sous vide and while I don't like turkey, everybody agreed it was delicious and tasted like pork.

Super Scoopers

Mysteries and Music and Meals, Oh My

 Guys, I am having the weirdest dreams since I had Covid.  

And they all involve babies.

When I had a Covid fever one night, I dreamed about 5 cold babies and 5 hot babies and I was trying to care for them.  I was scrambling to put hats on the cold ones and give ice packs to the hot ones.  Nobody was there to help me and I was very stressed at trying to help all those precious wee ones.

A few days later I dreamed that I was back in the house I grew up in, taking care of a baby that didn't want to nurse.  The baby wasn't even mine, so of course it didn't want to nurse from my dry wells, but I was very aware that the baby would die soon if I couldn't provide food.

Last night I dreamed that there was a toddler and a baby riding bikes, and the baby was holding a tire (like from a car) and kept dropping it, falling off his bike, right in the middle of traffic.  I was trying to drive behind him to make sure nobody hit him.  I can still see his little body in footie pajamas, flopping on the ground.  The toddler kept looking back, getting upset every time the baby fell off.

Well these dreams have got me all shook up,

Hey Joseph, won't you tell me what it means?

Sorry, slipped into my favorite musical for a second.  I'm back now.  What does it mean to dream about babies in distress?  Help me solve this mystery so I can go back to dreamless sleeps!

~

I haven't brought Xander (10) to his piano lesson in a while, for some reason Phil usually does it, but I thought the little duet he and his teacher played on Saturday was nice:

~

Wanna know our meal plan this week?  I enjoy seeing others, so here goes:

Breakfast: same smoothie recipe as last week

Lunch: Crockpot Chili

Dinners:

Sunday - Pot Roast with mashed potatoes and corn

Monday- Perfectly marinated grilled chicken on salad

Tuesday - Shepherd's Pie (adding leftovers from Sunday in the dish)

Wednesday - Cheese ravioli (kids) and cheese and veggie omelets (adults)

Thursday - Sheet Pan Sausage (kielbasa) and Veggies with brown rice

Friday - Pizza for kids and Paleo Salmon Cakes with salad

Saturday - Date Night

Sunday Dessert - Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondies (delish!)

If You Give Colleen a Cookie

If you give Colleen a Cookie,

She's going to eat it and ask for another.

And another.

Because she is a Cookie Monster, and her Prince Charming makes the most delicious cookies ever.

Then she is going to feel guilty about all the sugar she just ingested.

And so she will eat some chocolate to make herself feel better.

After that chocolate, she will have woken up the craving center in her brain, and want to put inordinate amounts of food into her "mummy tummy".

So she will dine on mashed potatoes, pot roast, and carrots.

Then she will feel like a bloated pig ready for slaughter.

So she will go for a long run, about 7 or 8 miles.

When she comes home, she will feel tired and pretty good about burning all those calories.

So she will reward herself.

With a cookie.

(of course)

The Birthday Boy's Weekend O' Fun

When your 13th birthday falls on a summer Friday, well you gotta live it up all weekend, and Alexander Blaise certainly did just that!  He went to the last day of Camp Acutis with his little brothers:

And they had a pizza dinner and award ceremony when camp ended at five.  Phil and I were both able to make it to the 4:15pm daily mass where the kids sang as they had practiced all week.  Let's just say it was beautiful to God's ears, I'm sure!

Xander's award said "Amazing with a thurible" thanks to all those years of altar serving :)

Brendan got "wearing St. Anthony socks to St. Anthony church".  This made Declan mad because that was actually Declan who wore the socks.  Hey, they look alike!

Declan's award said "Your youthful spirit and sincere love for those around you"

We had brought a cake to the dinner, but Xander did NOT want to be recognized or sang to, so it just sat on the dessert table.  Gotta respect the teenager's wishes!

We drove home and Xander wanted to open his presents, which included gift cards, cash, treats, Lord of the Ring books, and...

... a new phone!  We give our kids a Gabb phone when they turn 13 so that they can call and text and take photos but there is no Internet access or app store, which makes it a great and safe phone.

On Saturday morning, we had breakfast together because we have to do it before The Cottage opens and everyone goes to work.  Sadly, JP was not home because he's travelling, but Darian took his place and even wore a Harry Potter shirt just because Xander loves Harry Potter so much.  Xander chose crepes with strawberries and belgium chocolate and whipped cream.  We also made eggs and bacon because protein, people.

My brother texted asking if anyone wanted to go on his boat, and this lucky crew headed out with some cousins and their Aunt and Uncle:

Vitamin Sea.

After a day on the ocean, Xander came home to a delicious (if I do say so myself) pot roast dinner and sheet cake, his choices.

Xander B we can not believe you are already 13 and you have grown up so much recently.  We are very proud of you and your hard work ethic, amazed at your desire to swim or run every day, crack up at your sayings all the livelong day, admire your reverence on the altar, your commitment to reading and listening to audiobooks every night, and your talent on the piano.  We know it's not easy being a fifth child who has the biggest age gap from the sibling above and behind you.  Sometimes you are a young man on your own island, but we all love coming to visit you there.  You bring joy and honesty and fun and craziness to our lives and we love you so much!!

Weekend Tales

Cliche time: I can't believe how fast Advent is going!

Real Time: What we've been up to...

Last week I was a bit under the weather, just exhausted and had a virus and the world's biggest coldsore, and so I got to stay home one day and cuddle in bed with the kitty.  She seriously sleeps all day.  Is it depression?  I'm just jealous.

That's the last time I'll be napping in that bed because we're getting our new bed delivered tomorrow!  Thanks to your suggestions, we were able to narrow down where we looked, and based on the advice of two local friends, we went to a family owned store about a mile from our house and got a great deal.  Our KING mattress and boxspring comes tomorrow, and our beautiful solid wood headboard/footboard will come in about 8 weeks from a little company in Maine that chops down the trees to make your bed when they receive your order.  (At least that's what the bed store owner told us).  It's so gorgeous, I can't wait to show you all when we get it.  Merry Christmas to meeeeeeee :)

Speaking of me (narcissistic much? oui, oui) here's the 26 week bump.  Large and in charge.  I'm already at that point where you look down and think "How the heck is THAT coming out of THERE?"  Miraculous, indeed.

Tunic: Old Navy Maternity
Leggings: Old Navy Maternity
Uggs: Lost & Found

Snowy days lead to crafty play time, and if you have a mom who hates arts and crafts, the best you get is playdough and perler beads.

Xander: I bangin'.

Cousin Bridget came to play.

On Sunday, we went to the kid's Christmas Pageant.  It was beautiful as always, great singing, a handbell choir, and they act out the Nativity story while the music plays.

Maggie was a Child of the World, with all the other Kindergartners (and preschoolers).

Here she is with one of her bestest friends, Madison.

Eamon (in the middle) was a shepherd, and got to carry a staff!

Andrew (on right) was also a shepherd, so handsome.

Bad photo, but Baby Jesus is always a REAL baby, and this one was awesome.  Slept through the whole thing!

The most exciting part of our weekend though, was that our babysitter came home from college!!  I shouldn't call her our babysitter, she's like a daughter to Phil and I, and a big sister to my kids.

When the pageant ended, nobody was sure whether to clap or not because they had asked us to hold our applause until the end.  But Xander was standing up on my barely-there-lap and started clapping and soon, the whole congregation joined in.  What a rock star!

And then we went home to watch the Patriots barely lose.  Boo.  Ah well, at least we were able to console ourselves with a pot roast that had been cooking all day, and some delicious garlic mashed potatoes that Phil whipped up.  I even made some peppermint cookies that were pink for Gaudete Sunday.  

(Fine, they came from a roll of dough.)

(And yes, I ate some of that dough pre-baked.)

Leaving before I spill any more secrets.