Started off the early morning with 1/4 cup of Mariebelle Aztec Hot Chocolate… just enough for me to handle in the dark hours of the dawn…

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Yena’s Quote of the Month: “Mom, what’s the name of that movie, Princess Diarrhea?” (Princess Diaries)… oh [...]]]> Luxury for Mom:

Started off the early morning with 1/4 cup of Mariebelle Aztec Hot Chocolate… just enough for me to handle in the dark hours of the dawn…

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Yena’s Quote of the Month: “Mom, what’s the name of that movie, Princess Diarrhea?” (Princess Diaries)… oh my child, so blessedly out of the loop.

Tip for Slow Food Lovers in Wintry Weather:

Take some oxtails from your favorite grass fed beef farmer, put in water in a large heavy pot, bring to a boil, then simmer overnight on LOW LOW LOW. Wake up in the morning to falling-off-the-bone tenderness. Take out meat pieces with slotted spoon, leave pot with stock outside in the cold (32 degrees F here right now), covered. In the early evening an hour before dinner, take pot inside. Scoop out solidified beef fat (could probably use this for a birdseed feeder?), bring stock to a boil, season with salt and add yummy things like peeled quartered potatoes, lots of onions, whole black peppercorns, green beans and cabbage leaves. Return meat to pot and simmer just until all warmed up. Perfect for fall.

Prayer to Saint John Bosco for our Young Driver

O glorious Saint John Bosco, who in order to lead young people to the feet of the divine Master and to mould them in the light of faith and Christian morality didst heroically sacrifice thyself to the very end of thy life and didst set up a proper religious Institute destined to endure and to bring to the farthest boundaries of the earth thy glorious work, obtain also for us from Our Lord a holy love for young people who are exposed to so many seductions in order that we may generously spend ourselves in supporting them against the snares of the devil, in keeping them safe from the dangers of the world, and in guiding them, pure and holy, in the path that leads to God. Amen.

Keep her safe from irate drivers who are impatient to get to where they’re going…

On my to-do-list today:

• David Lebovitz’ Ginger Ice Cream
• Ginger Molasses Cookies from King Arthur
• a fruitcake, perhaps this one from Traveler’s Lunchbox
• If I have time to spare, make oven mitts kinda like these for Christmas presents — using the material we have right now, including the Insul-Bright and cotton batting I got from Over the Rainbow, we could make 15 of these!!
• Request Advent books (yeah, a tad late) — to pick up on Friday after Thanksgiving. Might post links and book suggestions later, we’ll see.
• Go shopping with hubby for our artist-in-training, soon-to-be-10-year-old’s put-together art box: tackle box filled with goodies like Prismacolors in his favorite hues, a new sketchbook or two, and other goodies from Michaels
• If not too tired, shopping for stocking stuffers also for St. Nick‘s Day on the 6th.
• Return shoes to Zappos, my very own shoe store in the living room.
• Print out Bible verses and fill advent calendar.

Off to do my 15-minute-each-room tasks, so I can check them off Toodledo, THE (so-far) perfect online spot to help me accomplish tasks according to GTD principles. Still working on a paper-based organizational tool, but haven’t perfected *my* system yet.

I can’t remember what cut of beef this was. I just told the farmer I wanted a roast cut and would take whatever he had, and he handed me this — maybe a bottom tip roast, or something. Suffice it to say, any slow-cooking roast will do here. The one I used was [...]]]>

I can’t remember what cut of beef this was. I just told the farmer I wanted a roast cut and would take whatever he had, and he handed me this — maybe a bottom tip roast, or something. Suffice it to say, any slow-cooking roast will do here. The one I used was wrapped in one of those elastic net thingies that hold the meat in nicely and helps it keep its shape.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a oven-proof pot (I like using enameled cast-iron here), bring meat — and water to cover — to a boil. Immediately transfer to oven, covered, and let simmer all night.

In the morning, turn oven off, remove pot and let cool. When meat is cool enough to handle, lift up from liquid, and transfer to a cutting board. Cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside, tented with foil.

Meanwhile, bring cooking liquid to a boil, along with cut up potatoes (I used small Yukons) and carrots and herbs and aromatics and seasonings you like. I sometimes use thyme, bay leaves, aromatics like celery, onions, plus Worcestershire sauce, etc. Today I just used salt and pepper and a bit of soy sauce, oh and yeah, two dashes Tabasco. Cook ~10 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are just cooked through. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

Tomatoes (canned or fresh) and/or some full-bodied red wine are nice additions here, if you like. Continue boiling liquid until reduced a bit, and thicken with a cornstarch-water paste to desired consistency. Return meat and potatoes carefully to gravy to heat through, lowering heat, 5-10 minutes. Transfer to serving platter and garnish with a sprinkling of freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley.

You can also adapt this recipe to a crock-pot/slow-cooker.