It was a lovely fall day yesterday. I had more time at home than expected since the kids did not race. Ethan was out at an Airsoft battle and Ellie had a bruised foot from when she ran Ethan around in the brand new, giant trash barrel that was delivered this week. (It was simply too inviting to not do it. Ethan deposited himself inside and Ellie ran him up and down the alley, barefoot. Ouch!)
I decided to begin revamping the garden strip on the south end of my front yard. October is a great month to start perennial in Colorado as the weather is usually mostly mild enough for the plants to get established before going dormant for the winter. This means they will have a nice root system in place for next spring. Ellie and dug up the garden for a few hours. I also went to the garden center and picked out a bunch of spring bulbs. I am hoping to enlist Ethan to help me do the final bit of digging and removing unwanted plants. Today I will augment the soil with compost and water it in. This will allow me to get planting soon.
We also decided to have Grandma Gay and Grandpa Don over for dinner and a movie so I made French Onion soup and a nice Chuck Roast with Au Jus for dinner. We rounded the meal out with coleslaw, broccoli salad and Dove bars for dessert.
In recognition and observance of John Lennon's 70th birthday (if he was still alive) we watch "Pirate Radio." It is such a fun movie - we might just have to own it.
Finally, here's a bit of video inspiration. The Benjamin Lacombe pop-up was found on the Rag and Bone blog. I might ask for that book for Christmas. Ellie uncovered the Parkour Motion Reel was uncovered by Ellie while "stumbling" online. I hope you will find them enjoyable!
Benjamin Lacombe's Il Wthait Une Fois (Once Upon a Time)via Vimeo
via Criacao
Il etait une fois - Benjamin Lacombe from B&C on Vimeo.
You can check out his blog , as well as his website for more inspiration!
Parkour Motion Reel via Vimeo
parkour motion reel from saggyarmpit on Vimeo.
French Onion Soup
4 Onions, thinly sliced
6 pc. Bacon (optional, but nice. I used turkey bacon)
2 TBL. Butter
2 TBL. Olive Oil
1 TBL. Sugar
1 tea Salt
8 cups Beef Broth
1 pk. Au Jus Mix (optional, but very nice)
1 cup White Wine
1 1/2 TBL. Thyme (fresh is best, but dried will do)
4 Bay Leaves
Gruyere or Swiss Cheese Grated
Bagette (Italian, French, Puglies or Sour Dough - any dense bread with a nice crust)
Cook the bacon. Remove it from the heat and chop it into small pieces. Heat the oil and butter in a deep pan. Add onions and turn to coat with the oil/butter mixture. (You can use all oil or all butter if you like)cook on medium until they are browning nicely. Stir them occasionally for even browning. Stir in the sugar and salt, cooking more until the onions have caramelized (Mine took about 40 minutes)Sprinkle on the Au Jus powder mix, if using, and stir it in. Add the bacon back into the soup. Add the white wine. Add the beef broth and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Once the broth is hot, turn down the heat and let the soup simmer for a long time. The soups can be enjoyed at this time, but it will have a deeper flavor if you let it simmer for a long while. The simmering can be done on the stove, or in a crock pot.
Preheat the broiler. Slice the bread into 1" pieces. Place them on a cookie sheet and toast them on one side. (I am going to consider cutting my bread into cubes next time. I believe this will make it easier to eat.)
To assemble the soup: Place the hot soup in an oven proof bowl. Top the soup with a piece or two of toast. Add grated cheese on top of the bread. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Be sure to keep an eye on it as it can burn easily. Serve right away.
The soup keeps nicely in the refrigerator.
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Tender Chuck Roast with Au Jus Gravy
1 Chuck Roast (Other types of roast would work nicely, too)
3 TBL Olive Oil
6 Garlic Cloves, peeled
1 TBL Rosemary (I used 4 large, fresh sprigs from my garden)
Beef Broth
1-2 TBL Worcestershire Sauce
Heat the oil in the bottom of a dutch oven, pressure cooker or other thick, stout pan. Add the meat to brown it. Turn occasionally so that every side is browned. I usually let it brown for about 3-5 minutes per side. (Longer browning time for thicker pieces of meat. Turn carefully to avoid getting splattered with the hot oil.) Once the browning is done, add in the garlic cloves, enough broth to fill the pan half way (with half of the beef in broth and half of it above the broth). Add in the Worcestershire sauce and the rosemary. Cover and let simmer for a long time. If this is done in a crock pot, it will need to cook for 7-8 hours. If done in a dutch oven, place a piece of foil over the top before placing the lid. This will help create a more effective seal. It will need to cook for 4-6 hours at 350 in the oven. If you are using a pressure cooker, place the lid, bring the internal temperature up to high and then reduce the heat to medium low once the pressure is going and cook for 4 hours.
To serve, remove the meat ahead of time to slice. Add the meat back into the pan to keep warm until just before serving. Place the meat on a platter, serving the Au Jus gravy on the side.
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