Thimbleanna

Month: October 2010

Dear Blogger,

64 Comments / February 22, 2011 / Chat

I think I hate you.

There.  I said it.  I don’t mean to be cruel or anything, but, really, are you TRYING to drive me to drink???  I know I shouldn’t complain and all, because I know you provide a free service to many of my blog buddies, but could you please consider professional help?  I’m pretty sure you’re schizophrenic. I guess it’s only fair — if you’re out of your mind, you might as well try and take the rest of us down with you.

Let’s look at all of the various painful ways you torture me when I try to enter a comment on a friendly blog.

There’s the username and password option.

Blogger

Which sometimes goes through successfully, and sometimes pops up a new window and makes me enter a word verification.

Or, sometimes you cut right to the chase and let me enter it all on one screen.

Blogger

But, really, WHY do I have to enter my username and password?  I mean, after all, I AM logged onto YOUR google reader, can’t you figure out who I am without continuing to make me log in?   Apparently, sometimes you CAN figure that out and you skip right to the word verification.

Blogger

Which is sometimes more like an eye test the way you squish those letters together.

And let’s not forget this little gem.

Blogger

Oh, how I hate thee, pull down window.  Because you, my friend, pop up another window for the word verification.  This might not be too bad, but, apparently, I have some sort of security thingy set on my computer to protect me from YOU and this little pop up never happens.  You eat my comment EVERY time.  Which means I can’t comment on these blogs from my main squeeze computer.  (And there are an increasing number of blogs that use this window — could it be your latest upgrade?)

Blogger

And let us not forget all the many little hissy fits you’ve been throwing over the past few weeks.

Blogger

Only, you lie.  Your service isn’t always unavailable.  Sometimes the comment goes through and sometimes it doesn’t.  And if I happen to miss whether the blog has comment moderation turned on (which I most certainly did miss) then I never really know IF my comment went through, DO I?  Hmmmm????

The worst part of it is, Mr. Blogger, that my sweet bloggy friends might think I’m complaining about them.  I assure you I AM NOT.  I know you’re making THEM miserable too, what with all those untraceable comments that they get, and all.

Mr. Blogger.  This is NOT Rocket Science.  Perhaps you could take a page from the wordpress playbook and provide your public with a spam plugin.  I know you’re trying.  My bloggy friend Cathy says you have a new option.  But it’s not working.  C’mon — I know you can do it — I’ve stumbled across the perfect form that YOU produced.

Blogger

See???  Was that so hard?  All I had to do was type in my comment and hit publish.  No signing in.  No word verification.  Give it Your Best Shot!

XOXO,
Anna

Perfect Pot Roast

42 Comments / February 22, 2011 / Recipes

Last week, MeMum went all out and made one of my favorite all-time dinners — her Perfect Pot Roast with Chocolate Cake for dessert. I mentioned this to NoBlog Linda (hi Linda!) and she requested the recipes. I’ve already written about the chocolate cake, but until today, the pot roast hasn’t made an appearance on the blog.  The timing also seems perfect here too — it’s been chilly this weekend.  It’s definitely sweatshirt and comfort food weather.

I mentioned to several friends at work that MeMum was making pot roast and almost everyone said that “My mom makes a wonderful pot roast.”  Everyone seems to have a favorite pot roast recipe from their mom and I’m no exception.  All pot roasts are not created equal though.  So much depends on whether you get a good cut of beef and that’s often something you won’t know until you take your first bite.  The secret to this pot roast though, is the gravy.  It’s my faaavvvvooorrrrite part.  Even if the beef happens to be a particularly tough cut, you can chew through it, just to savor the gravy!  ;-)

Pot Roast

Perfect Pot Roast

4-to-5-lb beef rump roast
2 tablespoons salad oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
1 bay leaf, crumbled
8 whole black peppers
1 teaspoon salt
1 can(10 1/2 oz) condensed beef broth, undiluted (1 1/2 cups)
8 halved, pared carrots (1 lb)
12 small white onions, peeled
1 sprig parsley
3 tablespoons flour

Wipe pot roast with damp paper towels. Brown roast and sliced onion (onion browns and gives a good dark color and rich flavor to pan drippings) in hot oil and butter in 5 quart dutch oven over medium heat. Turn roast with two wooden spoons, until well browned on all sides — 25 minutes in all. Slow browning gives the meat and gravy a better flavor and color. To drippings in dutch oven, add garlic, thyme, marjoram, bay leaf, black peppers and salt; stir 1/2 minute. Add beef broth (the recipe says you may substitute tomato juice, stewed tomatoes, beer or red wine to vary the flavor — all true, but you’ll dork with the gravy!) Bring to boiling, then reduce heat to simmer, covered, for 2 1/2 hours. Turn meat occasionally so that it will cook evenly.

Pot Roast

Add carrots, onions and parsley; simmer, covered, 30 minutes, or until vegetables and meat are tender.

To make gravy: Remove meat and vegetables from dutch oven to a warm platter; keep in a warm place, covered loosely with foil. Pour 1/4 cup water into measuring cup; add flour; mix with fork until smooth. Strain liquid remaining in dutch oven. If necessary, add water to measure 2 cups. Return to dutch oven. Stir flour mixture into liquid in dutch oven; bring to boiling, stirring. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes. Taste; add salt, if desired.

Make your favorite mashed potatoes (sorry Kim!) and spoon the gravy over the meat and mashed potatoes and serve with vegetables.

YUM!
XOXO,
Anna