Celebrating Fall and More Pink Wig Silliness + Pioneer Woman's Pot Roast Recipe

The school year has settled in, and so I have, though I still find myself much more busy than I had been in the past. That is what comes from moving to a new school, teaching a grade I have not taught before and trying out new strategies.

We were excited for the start of Fall on Saturday. On Monday night the evening was perfect for sitting around the fire bowl and making s'mores. The summer evenings had simply been too warm to enjoy a camp fire. I glibly said, "What a nice night for a fire. Kohlton and Ellie, how about s'more?!" Then they set about making a fire. I had forgotten how much rain we had on Sunday night and did not realize that I was asking them to do an almost impossible task. Once I realized the error of my request, I apologised and told them that they did not have to keep trying. Ellie replied that it was their choice to keep at it. Playing music on the Ipad seemed to help keep them motivated. They persevered and were finally successful.Yeah for Ellie and Kohlton!

I pulled out the giant marshmallows, the graham crackers and the chocolate bars. Ellie found the roasting sticks and a good time was had by all.

Later on Britt, Kohlton's mother joined us. We also got out the pink foam wig I got for Halloween and had a bit of fun.

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Here's what I have in the oven tonight. It will be dinner for another night.

Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Pot Roast

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 3 to 5-pound chuck roast
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 whole onions, peeled and halved
6 to 8 whole carrots, unpeeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup red wine, optional
3 cups beef broth
2 or 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
Season the roast with salt & pepper.
Heat the olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the halved onions to the pot, browning them on both sides. Remove the onions to a plate.
Add carrots to pot and cook until slightly browned. Remove the carrots and place with the onions.
Add more olive oil to the pot. Sear the meat for about a minute on all sides until it is nice and brown all over. Remove the roast and tent with foil.
Deglaze the pot with either red wine or beef broth (about 1 cup) scraping up the brown bits on the bottom. Place the roast and vegetables back into the pot and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway.
Add the fresh herbs.
Put the lid on, and cook on low-medium heat for 4-5 hours.