I had INTENDED to work on a project for work. We have quarter close at work and there's issues. I took my laptop home so I could tele-work. The email to IT is as follows:
From: Me
To: IT
Subject: Why do you hate me?
Body: that you would make my token not work so I couldn't log in and had to drive in to the office so I could work on this time sensitive project?
Sincerely,
Me.
Well, the body was a bit longer, but the subject was the same. *snort* Yes, they know my snarky personality so I'm pretty sure they won't be offended. And will probably get a chuckle out of the message.
So, there it was, 10am on Saturday and I'm driving downtown to work on this project. Not so restful. Took my 4 hours to finish it up because I was an idjit and didn't double check the initial numbers until an hour into it. Then there was adjusting and tweaking and making it purdy. Not restful. I had just enough time to get my hair lobbed off, walk the dog, put clean clothes on, then head to dinner with Mom and step-dad where we had a GREAT time! Got home about an hour before bed time.
Sunday, up at 4:30. got S out the door, again. Was UN-inspired for the menu this week. I mean I REALLY struggled to put one together this week. I've been stuck in cupcake land I guess and just didn't know what to make. That and S will be home Monday and Tuesday. For some reason, that messes me up in making the menu.
Oh! I always peruse the baking aisle and the little center aisle highlight section they usually have. How cool are these? My mind is RACING with all the ideas I could use these with. That hot pink sanding sugar on top of the pink one? COOL!And then there's the Siamese twin mushrooms in my cremini package. I shared it on my instagram, cause it was #toocoolnottoshare
The store didn't open until 10. I got my butt in gear, put the menu together, made a grocery list, and hit the road. Didn't get home until about 12, had to put the groceries away, start laundry, put the roast in the oven, then start some cleaning sprees. This place is D.U.S.T.Y. Cause I'm lazy. LOL I was still cleaning when S got home around 3:45 and well, I was FAMISHED. So, I started the mashed potatoes. I don't think I sat for more than hour after I got home? NOT RESTFUL!
So, for those of you younger peeps...cherish your restful weekends before they become chaotic.
There's been such...controversy isn't the word, but discussion? About searing or not searing your meat. Does it keep juices in? All I know is, I tasted the yummy flavor of the sear in this roast. So, sear it, please?
Preheat oven to 350. Sear the roast in an oven proof Dutch oven on all sides.
While it's searing, coarsely chop the mushrooms. You don't want them really thin, as they won't hold up in the long cooking time. There's 4 cups of white button, 3 cups of cremini and 1 cup of "exotic" blend mushrooms.
Once the roast has seared, remove it from the pan and add the mushrooms. Since I wanted to soften them and not really brown them, I added them all at once. This cause them to sweat and release their juices which de-glazed the pan.
Add 1 cup of red wine and simmer for about 5 minutes. Return the roast to the pan and add several sprigs of fresh thyme and rosemary. Peel 4 cloves of garlic and add them, whole, to the pan.
Combine 4 cups of fat free beef broth with 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and add to the pan. Add one 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes, undrained, to the pan, too.
Yes, it looks like it's swimming, but it will reduce by almost half when it's done cooking. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake the roast in the oven for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until tender.
Remove the Dutch oven and place heat on medium-high on the stove. Remove the roast and allow it to rest while you thicken the gravy.
Combine 1/2 cup of cold water with 2-3 tablespoons of corn starch. If you like thicker gravy, add 3 tablespoons. If you like a more saucy gravy, add less.
This REQUIRES mashed potatoes. I mean, I bought No Yolks, but felt it necessary to have potatoes to make that little pool to hold more mushroomy, gravy goodness in it!!
- 2 pound round roast
- 4 c white mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 3 c cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 c exotic mushroom blend, sliced
- 1 c dry red wine
- 4 c fat free beef broth
- 1 T tomato paste
- 14 oz canned tomatoes, undrained
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/2 c water
- 2 - 3 T cornstarch
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Sear roast on all sides in a Dutch oven over medium-high and remove from pan.
- Saute mushrooms in the Dutch oven, allowing them to sweat. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned bits.
- Add 1 cup of red wine and bring to a boil, simmer 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, rosemary, and thyme to the pan.
- Return the roast to the pan along with any juices that may have seeped out.
- Cover and bake at 350 for 3 1/2 to 4 hours or until fork tender.
- Remove from oven and remove roast from the pan. Bring broth mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Combine 1/2 cup of cold water with 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add slurry to boiling broth, bring to a boil, then simmer until thick.
- Slice roast and serve immediately with the mushroom gravy.
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