I’m trying harder to be on time for these food blogging events. Too often, I make the foods and take pictures, but I can’t seem to get the blogging part done in time. I made this one, though

When it’s chilly and windy like it’s been lately, I love a nice, old-fashioned New England Pot Roast. The flavorful beef, the well-cooked potatoes and carrots, the caramelized onions, the savory brown gravy over everything … it’s major comfort food for me. So that’s what I made for the Monthly Mingle One-Dish Dinner for this month, hosted by Meeta of What’s For Lunch, Honey? The round-up of all the recipes is here.

I use Betty Crocker’s recipe, the same one my mother used when I was growing up. I’m not really a fan of horseradish, so I used to leave it out, but it didn’t taste right. I’ve since learned that the strong flavor of horseradish is tamed considerably by the long cooking. Good stuff. And the recipe makes so much, we can eat the leftovers for days

New England Pot Roast

2 tbsp. canola oil
4-lb. chuck roast
1 tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 5-oz. jar prepared horseradish
1 cup water
4 Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
24 baby carrots
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Sprinkle roast with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and brown roast well on all sides; reduce heat. Spread horseradish over both sides of beef. Add water and heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer on stove or place in 325*F oven for 2.5 hours. Add vegetables. Cover and cook until tender, about 1 hour longer. Remove to a warm platter. Prepare gravy and serve with beef.

Gravy

Skim excess fat from broth. Add enough water to broth to measure 2 cups. Shake 1/2 cup cold water with 1/4 cup flour in tightly covered container; stir gradually into broth. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil 1 minute.

Here’s my entry for the Photo Friday photo challenge: Fuzzy. That’s Elwing, our 12-year-old, born-feral, now totally domesticated fuzzball. She looks so cuuuuute!

Last night, Dan, Barbara, Bill and I went to see the Governor’s School for the Arts performers in a production of “All Shook Up” at the Roper Performing Arts Center in downtown Norfolk. It was great! Toe-tapping music and a lot of cute jokes, as well as love mix-ups a la Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night.

The synopsis says: “A new musical using 24 Elvis Presley tunes - but not based on his life story. Instead, it’s the story of a small-town girl who dreams of hitting the open road, and the guitar-playing roustabout who brings romance, rebellion and rock ‘n’ roll into her life.”

We’ve seen the GSA before, and they’re wonderful. I think they’re about as good as any Broadway company I’ve seen come through here. Their dancing and singing are top-notch. Way to go, kids!

I’m renaming my blog - lewandowski.net was so bland …

Live (an active life) ::
Love (my friends and family) ::
Laugh (as much as possible) ::
Eat! (cook and eat delicious, mostly healthy food as often as possible, for and with family and friends)

Kinda sums it up It’s a broad focus, I know, but hey - I’m a Gemini, I’m interested in all kinds of things.