Bona Vita

Is It "As English As Roast Beef" or "As Yankee As Pot Roast"?

Emily and Rachel, here is your weekend recipe! Pot roast is an easy comforting entree. It's perfect for a wintry evening.  

 

Pot Roast

 

 4 - 5 pound sirloin tip roast (or similar cut)

1/4 cup flour

1 Tblsp. pepper

1 Tblsp. granulated garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1 ½ cup of Merlot or similar wine

1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce

2 packages Lipton Onion Soup Mix

1 pound baby carrots

3 large onions cut up into 1/8's

Water and wine

 

Mix the flour, garlic and pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge the roast in the flour mixture. Make sure you cover the roast completely with flour.

 Now, pour the oil into a large pot or dutch oven with a tight fitting lid. Heat the oil over medium heat and brown the roast on all sides.

 Once the roast is browned, sprinkle the onion soup over the roast, fat side up. Pour the Worcestershire, and wine over the roast. Add water so that the liquid covers about 3/4 of the roast.

 Bring to a boil then lower the flame and simmer for 5-7 hours.After the roast has been simmering for 2 hours, add the onions and the carrots. You will have to periodically add additional liquid. I prefer to add more wine as adding to much water will dilute the flavor of the liquid surrounding the roast. The roast will be quite tender when done. It will easily fall apart when forked.

 Serve with Beef Gravy and Herb Roasted Potatoes.

 

 

"Roast Beef, Medium, is not only a food. It is a philosophy. Seated at Life's Dining Table, with the menu of Morals before you, your eye wanders a bit over the entrees, the hors d'oeuvres, and the things a la, though you know that Roast Beef, Medium, is safe and sane, and sure." ~Edna Ferber

 

 

Just Say "These" Please

I do not like the word "one" pluralized after "these" and "those". It actually makes me cringe.

Perhaps at some point in our history to refer to your oranges, etc., as "these ones" or "those ones" may have been correct.Today, it simply sounds a bit rough.

I don't want to say that it sounds illiterate or uneducated. Quite frankly, I've listened to plenty of educated individuals refer to their oranges, etc., as "these ones". It just rubs me the wrong way.

I am quite comfortable with "ones" used in sentences like "He was surrounded by his loved ones." But please, until further notice, refrain from pluralizing "this one" to "these ones" and "that one" to "those ones".  Let's just say "these" and "those" and enjoy minimizing our words.

I'd love to hear your thoughts...

For Emily (and Rachel)

 
I would love to wax eloquently (or is it wax eloquent) about life, love and spiritual matters. However, it's Saturday and I need to attend to the concrete matters of life such as cleaning the house.  But, I have made time to write down  our family's favorite cinnamon roll recipe. I did this because you two are becoming such lovely foodies!

 

Cinnamon Rolls

 

Butter two large cookie sheets or jelly roll pans and then sprinkle lightly with sugar. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

• Disolve 2 Tblsps of yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water, sprinkle with sugar to proof
• Scald 2 cups of milk (bubbles will just form around the edge of the milk)
• Melt 7 tblsps of shortening in the milk and then cool the mix      
•  Combine in a stand mixer:           

                                 7 - 8 cups of flour     

                                 1 tsp salt

                                 1/2 cup sugar

                                 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• Add the proofed yeast mixture and the cooled scalded milk mixture to the mixing bowl and knead one speed 2 for about 4 minutes. If you are using a Bosch mixer, knead for 6 minutes. If you are kneading by hand, knead for about 15 minutes or until you feel the dough is the correct elastic texture. This is not bread dough. It will be sticky. You are working with raw eggs so make sure you clean your work surface appropriately.
• After kneading, let the dough rise in a greased large bowl. Make sure you cover the bowl with clear plastic wrap and put it in a warm place to rise.

• While the dough is rising make the filling. Combine:

                                   1 cup of brown sugar

                                   1 cup sugar

                                   2 Tblsps Cinnamon

                                   1 cup softened butter

• After the dough has risen (double in size), divide it  into two pieces and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a 9"x 12" rectangle and spread with the filling mixture.
• Roll from the long side and cut the roll into 12 pieces. Place, cut side down on the cookie sheets.
• Let rise again for about 20 minutes
• Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes. Watch the cinammon rolls carefully, as you do not want to over bake these delicious wonders!
• While the rolls are baking, make the glaze:

                                 - Combine 3 Tblsps brown sugar and 2/3 cup evaporated milk in a sauce pan. Dissolve the sugar which will happen at a low boil.

                                  - Add 1 tsp of almond extract to the mixture

                                  - Place 4 1/2 - 5 cups of powdered sugar in a mixer and combine with evaporated mild mixture until a smooth glaze has formed.

When the Cinnamon rolls are done, glaze immediately and serve warm.

Enjoy!

"Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast." - Oscar Wilde