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By Stef, on August 29, 2010
Thought of the Day…Red meat is not bad for you. Now blue-green meat, that’s bad for you! ~Tommy Smothers
I was at the Farmer’s Market and bought a top round roast and wanted to prepare one that was tender and juicy.
I grabbed my Pioneer Woman Cookbook and flipped it opened to the bookmarked Pot Roast recipe. YUMMMMM… it sounded perfect.
The Cast of Characters: olive oil, kosher salt, beef broth, black pepper, roast (duh), onions, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme… and missing in action were the carrots. They were shy when it was picture time.
While the oven was preheating to 275 degrees, I followed Julia Child’s suggestion (rule) and rinsed the roast with water and then dried it with a paper towel. Julia said that you have to dry meat or it won’t brown properly. So I have made a habit to do this. (I will admit that I didn’t know this until I saw Julie & Julia – have you seen it?)
After drying the meat, I seasoned it with the kosher salt on both of the large sizes. Pioneer Woman says to “generously salt”, but I was more reserved. If you look closely you can see the salt on the meat.
I then heated the olive oil and sliced the onions in half and browned. As you can see I used a “splatter screen” as oil was popping everywhere! After the onions were done, I put them on a side dish.
Then I browned the carrots – as you can see I used baby carrots as that is what I had in the fridge. Moving the browned carrots to the same side dish as the onions.
Time to brown the meat… I browned it on all the sides. WATCH OUT for oil splatters!! I used tongs to hold the meat (sorry no pictures).
When the meat was browned, I moved it to another dish and poured the beef broth into the pan and deglazed the bottom of the pan to get all the good crusted on bits off the bottom. The beef broth bubbled right up but simmered down (ha ha ha… no pun intended!)
Now time to add everything back into the pot. I started with the roast and then added the onions and then the carrots. Then I added the rosemary and thyme sprigs (do not remove them from the stems). I covered and put into the pre-heated oven and cooked for 3.5 hours (I had a small roast).
The wonderful smell emanated from the pot as I removed the lid….
The meat was so tender and dinner was yummy… I added some of the broth as an Au Jus ,except do you see something missing from this plate????
…I forgot to make a starch! Yep, no potatoes, rice or pasta! Silly me!!
Have you ever made a wonderful dinner and forgot to cook part of it?
By Stef, on August 27, 2010
NOTE: So this post is a week late… sorry! All this is from last Saturday (8/21).
I’ve been at this for “a week”… The FlyLady says that Baby Steps, Day 8 is “Get a 3 ring binder and put paper in it”.
So here’s what I was using as my routine:
- Get up and dressed
- Keep your sink shining
- Read Big Tent or FlyLady.Net email messages
- Look at sticky notes in the kitchen and bathroom
- Recognizing the negative voices when you hear them and changing the words to be nice to you. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about.
- Put out ONE Hot Spot for 2 minutes
- Set out clothes for tomorrow
- Walk a minimum of 7,500 steps but goal is 10,000 steps
- Go to bed a decent hour (I added this one)
It is now time to split the routine into separate routines… a Morning Routine and a Before Bedtime Routine. I was supposed to get an old 3-ring binder and add paper. At the top of one sheet I was to write Morning Routine and on another piece of paper I was to write Before Bed Routine. Then I was supposed to write down my routines. Hmmmm… I sort of did it…
I did get the notebook and paper, but I didn’t get all written on paper. Some of it is on notebook paper, but the rest is here on my blog… I sure hope that counts!
The FlyLady says split your routine into two routines:
Morning Routine
- Get up and dressed
- Look at sticky notes in the kitchen and bathroom
- Read Big Tent or FlyLady.Net email messages
- Recognizing the negative voices and change them to positive. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about.
- Put out ONE Hot Spot for 2 minutes
Before Bed Routine
- Keep your sink shining
- Set out clothes for tomorrow
- Put out ONE Hot Spot for 2 minutes (The FlyLady recommends doing this twice a day)
- Walk a minimum of 7,500 steps but goal is 10,000 steps
- Go to bed a decent hour
I feel like being a non-conformist so I’ve created three routines. I want to be successful so I split things up so I could do my extra steps. Please forgive me for being difficult! 
Morning (Before Work) Routine
- Get up and dressed - YEP
- Look at sticky notes in the kitchen and bathroom - YEP
- Put out ONE Hot Spot for 2 minutes - YEP, I actually did it for 5 minutes
During the Day Routine
- Recognizing the negative voices and change them to positive. That is what FLYing (Finally Loving Yourself) is all about. - YEP
- Read Big Tent or FlyLady.Net email messages
- Keep your sink shining - YEP
- Walk a minimum of 7,500 steps but goal is 10,000 steps - YEP, I actually walked 11,018!
Before Bed Routine
- Keep your sink shining - YEP
- Put out ONE Hot Spot for 2 minutes (The FlyLady recommends doing this twice a day) - YEP
- Set out clothes for tomorrow - YEP
- Go to bed a decent hour - NOPE
Bonus: Deleted over 1,000 email/RSS messages from my email inbox – YES one thousand… I freed up over 1GB of space! YES, I’m an email pack-rat! I still have over 1,300 UNREAD emails! UGH! Just need the time to sit down and go through them.
I’m making progress… just not as fast as I’d like… but at least I’m moving…
…I hope to get myself back on track in the next few days!!!
Am I putting to much pressure on myself by creating three separate routines instead of her recommended two?
By Stef, on August 27, 2010
Thought of the Day…Some people comment that stormy weather is Mother Nature getting mad, I’m not sure that’s always true. ~Unknown
I saw this rock formation while in Moab, Utah at Arches National Park.
I think she’s trying to tell us something else…
Do you see it? Let’s take a look from a different angle… (and camera)
What do you think? Is she trying to tell us something?
By Stef, on August 27, 2010
Thought of the Day…A day without laughter is a day wasted. ~Charlie Chaplin
I received this in an email and need to share with you…
Medical alert has been issued about a highly contagious, potentially dangerous virus that is transmitted orally, by hand, and even electronically. This virus is called Weekly Overload Recreational Killer (WORK). If you receive WORK from your boss, any of your colleagues or anyone else via any means whatsoever – DO NOT TOUCH IT!!! This virus will wipe out your private life entirely. If you should come into contact with WORK you should immediately leave the premises.
Take two good friends to the nearest liquor store and purchase one or both of the antidotes – Work Isolating Neutralizer Extract (WINE) and Bothersome Employer Elimination Rebooter (BEER). Take the antidote repeatedly until WORK has been completely eliminated from your system.
You should immediately forward this medical alert to five friends. If you do not have five friends, you have already been infected and WORK is controlling your life.
Happy Friday!
By Stef, on August 26, 2010
Thought of the Day…Writing is one of the few professions in which you can psychoanalyse yourself, get rid of hostilities and frustrations in public, and get paid for it. ~Octavia Butler
Can someone explain to me why it is that there are some people in the world who can’t live up to their word?
Why are people so wrapped up in themselves that they can’t follow through?
ARGH!
Thanks for listening! I feel a bit better.
By Stef, on August 25, 2010
Thought of the Day…Destiny grants us our wishes, but in its own way, in order to give us something beyond our wishes. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Flashback to August 1982…
When I approached the building in this picture for the first time on so very long ago I had no idea what was going to unfold…
Doesn’t look like much in this photo, but this picture was taken in 2004… not 1982. In 2004 this building was deserted… except for perhaps Roberta’s ghost… YES, I believe in ghosts/spirits… call me nuts if you must, but know I DO believe especially since… (oh… you don’t want to hear ghost stories…)
On August 25, 1982, this building and the area around seemed to bursting with happiness because its residents were arriving…
The above picture is of the breezeway between what was (yes, was  ) between Hudson (my dorm) and Perrin Halls at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri (2009 NCAA Division 2 football champs [among other years]… GO, BEARCATS!!  )
Sorry… I digress… I was wrapped in pride… Now back to my story…
Little did I know that what was about to happen in the room circled was going to change my life forever…
Little did know that as I sat in this room talking to my new friend and RA (resident assistant) Trudy that my destiny was unfolding… for I had not yet heard those simple words… “Hey, Babycakes!” spoken to Trudy…
“What are you talking about, Stef!?!” you asked puzzled…
OK, let me take you back to the age of big hair and wide belts… the ’80s!
I was a new freshman at the university and gone there to major in biology/pre-dentistry. NO plans to get caught up in the dating scene… after all, I was going to be a dentist and had many years of school ahead of me.
On August 25, 1982, I was sitting in this breezeway talking to Trudy while she cut someone’s hair. When in walked this cheerful man who was good friends with Trudy (they were from the same small Iowa town outside Des Moines). When he exclaimed “Hey, Babycakes!” to Trudy I was puzzled, but fascinated. I’m not sure why, even to this day, why this cheerful man called her Babycakes, but he often did. It was a friendly term of endearment…
Trudy introduced us and we all chatted a while. Nothing earth-shattering, but just friendly conversations… I was intrigued…
Today I celebrate the 28th anniversary of meeting my future husband… I love you, Hubby!
P.S. Sadly, the university tore down my Hudson Hall dorm to build new a new dorm. There’s even a Facebook group for former residents. The description reads: For Bearcats who lived in Perrin or Hudson Hall before they were torn down for renovations at Northwest Missouri State University.Never again will college students experience 10×12 cells, no A/C, steam pipes that screech at 2 a.m. and metal walls that bend when you lean against them. But we still had fun.
By Stef, on August 22, 2010
Thought of the Day…A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book. ~Irish Proverb
Do you ever find yourself having trouble getting to sleep or stressed out because of work? I do… Instead of reaching for a medicine bottle I try doing a meditation first… I’d like to share our experiences with you… (The Offspring and I both do this)
Way back when (February 2009) I was looking for something to help me relax at bedtime so I could sleep better. I found this great Podcast on iTunes. It is called Meditation Station. She also has her My Thought Coach podcast as well.
Well… Stin had a podcast called ZZZZZZZZ . . . It is about 20 minutes long and the first 10 minutes are a guided relaxation process all while listening to music that matches the delta frequencies of our brain to signal it is time to go to sleep. After about 10 minutes Stin stops talking and there is this peaceful music. My breathing starts to match the music flow.
In the almost year and a half that I’ve been listening to ZZZZZZZZ . . . I think I have heard her stop talking less than FIVE times! Yep… I get so relaxed that I fall right to sleep in LESS THAN 10 MINUTES.
One of The Offspring’s close friends had severe headaches and I introduced her to ZZZZZZZZ . . . and it helped her, too. Didn’t make the headaches go away, but lessened them. She too could relax and go to sleep.
On her website (MyThoughtCoach.com), Stin has two other tracks that are our favorites… Anti-Insomnia Music – To match your Brain’s Sleep Rhythms and Music to Sleep– No Stin. Just really relaxing music to help you sleep.
The Offspring and I both have a playlist that has all three and another with no Stin. We will often each have it playing in the background when we sleep – just in case we wake in the middle of the night.
Stin has some free samples and streaming options, as well as options which are only available by subscription. Admittedly I do subscribe*. Yes, I pay $6.95/month via PayPal and have access to all of her meditations, guided journeys and affirmations.
Sometimes I question myself if it is worth paying every month… it seems like a lot, but I keep doing it. Admittedly if things get tight, it’d be one of the things that I’d have to cancel, but for now I look at it as I don’t go out to lunch every day at work and $6.95 is only once a month… so I keep paying it.
Originally, I’d planned on only subscribing for one month, but some of her other tracks have come in handy, but I’ll discuss those another time.
I believe that ZZZZZZZZ . . . is no longer on iTunes, but you can find it on MyThoughtCoach.com under her “Sleep Library”. Even if you only subscribe for one month – it’s worth it to get the tracks that help!
Do you have trouble sleeping? What do you to help you get to sleep?
Speaking of sleep… it’s time for me to go to…
…ZZZZZZZZ . . .
*I received no compensation for this review. Images are used with permission.
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