Yum, Sunday Dinner!

It's Sunday. Guess it's time for Sunday dinner.

I was in the mood for pot roast. Who isn't?

I decided to check the internet for a new recipe, and I came across my new favorite, the Pioneer Woman! She really does have some great recipes, and most of them are pretty easy to follow.

Here's her recipe here. I made a few small changes. Nothing too drastic.

I gathered my list of ingredients. Olive oil, chuck roast--3.5 pounds, carrots, onion, red wine. I added potatoes...Pioneer Woman prefers mashed potatoes, but I like the roasted-alongside-the roast-potatoes. I also used Beef Broth, but it didn't make the photo op.

After peeling the onion and cutting into about 4-6 pieces, I browned them in the pan, with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.

I trimmed the ends and peeled 6 carrots.

Once the onions were nicely browned, I did the same with the carrots.

Then I did the same with the roast. Sides and all! I had to add a little more oil here.

I peeled and diced about 3 pounds of potatoes, but did not brown them as I did the rest of the items.

After pouring a cup of red wine in the pan and deglazing the bottom, I added the roast, onion, carrots, and potatoes, and poured enough beef broth to cover halfway up the side of the roast.

Cover with a lid (or in my case foil) and roast at 275 for about 4 hours.

Yum!

Guess I could have tidied up the plate a bit, but why? I just cleaned it off a few minutes later anyway.

All that was missing was a glass of sweet tea.

Gotta love Sunday dinner!

Off to the Races

Today was the first of 3 Pinewood Derby races I get to attend as a Unit Commissioner. I visited my old Pack today, Pack 789. They put me to work, judging cars and tallying the results!

Some of my favorites...

A view from the top of the track...and they're off!

Who's hungry? Wonder if this was the same kid who did the Hershey bar last year!

 Popcorn! Yes, the exhaust fumes are real kernels of popcorn!

Three little piggies cried "Whee, whee, whee!" all the way down the track!

The bullet! The clamp on the end was removed in time for the race. I don't know about speed, but it won Judges' Choice!

Go, Steelers!

Spidey senses were tingling...it wanted to race!

 Mario!

This was a leader's car...the Smack-talk Express. I laughed at this one!

Love the Derby, The Cub Scouts love this event almost as much as the Dads do!

Two for Two!

And then there were two...Eagle Scouts in the family! Today we celebrated Nicky's Eagle Scout award. He earned the award in August, but we had the Court of Honor today. A lot of work for a few hours, but it was worth it.

I didn't get a lot of pictures, as I was up front with the Eagle Scout most of the ceremony, but thanks go to my friends Monica and Jeff, who were taking pictures throughout. Grandpa was, too, but we haven't seen those pictures yet.

The opening flag ceremony, led by our friend Eli

Candle ceremony with Grant, Jeffrey, and Ricardo

Honor guard Diego and Matt bringing the Eagle candidate forward

Mom and Dad join Nicky for the awarding of the Eagle

 Mom pins the medal on...

Nicky presents Dad with his Dad's pin...

And Mom gets one as well.

Scoutmaster Albert presents Nicky with his Eagle neckerchief...

And that's it! Congratulations, Nicky!

Now for the awards...

Commander of the American Legion Jack Custis presents a Good Citizen award to Nicky.

Maryland State Senator (and President of the State Senate) Mike Miller presents a certificate on behalf of the Maryland Senate.

 Our sheriff, Mike Evans, presented a plaque and gave Nicky a salute.

Two of the five County Commissioners, along with their Scouting ambassador, presented their declaration.

Ambassador Linda Kelley, from the County Commissioners, presented a copy of the county flag with a flourish! Such a sight to see.

School Board member Tracy McGuire presented a proclamation.

 Scouting District Executive Wes Haynes said a few words and presented an Eagle belt buckle.

Hug from Mom was the best award! Ha.

The new Eagle Scout said a few words, thanking those on his journey.

 The happy family!

                                      

Goofy friends Drew and Diego

                                      

The table with the Cub Scout memorabilia...ah, good times...

Nicky and Mrs. Kelley...

Proud big brother JJ, wearing his Eagle Scout award for the big day

Nicky and JJ with their Uncle Kurt

Aunt Ginny and Uncle Wayne, in from Rhode Island

Grandma and Grandpa

The gang of friends...

It was a nice day. So much work! I'm glad it's done. 

So proud. So proud.

And tomorrow will be weird...no Scouts for the first time, barring illness, in 9 years. Wow.

End of the line.

It's Corny, I Know

Ah, corn.

Who doesn't love it?

I made a wonderful corn chowder tonight for supper, compliments of The Pioneer Woman. Her blog is fantastic...lots of great pictures and great food. This is the first recipe of hers that I've tried, and it has made me realize that I need to try more.

Recipe can be found here on her blog.

All ingredients are assembled...

Man, I love bacon. I could have used the entire package, but I only used about 3 slices. Saved more bacon for later.

I browned the bacon...ooh, the smell!

Then I added about half a large yellow onion and believe it or not, a little butter.

I added in a 32-ounce package of frozen corn. The recipe calls for 5 years of corn, shaved off, but this time of year, fresh corn is scarce. I also added a can of green chiles and 1--only 1!--chile in adobo sauce. Mama mia, those are spicy! Be careful.

Once that's settled, add 1 32-ounce box of chicken broth and 1 1/2 cups heavy cream. (Don't tell Eric it's heavy cream...he thought this was a fairly healthy chowder.)

The recipe didn't call for potatoes, but I wanted to fill things out a bit, so I added 4 small potatoes...it was all I had left in the pantry.

The Pioneer Woman's secret ingredient? Corn meal dissolved in water. Thickens the chowder up nicely and gives a better flavor than corn starch. Nice and corny.

Potatoes are ready to go! I should have added them in with the onions...luckily Eric got stuck at a very crowded gym, because the potatoes needed a lot of extra time to cook through.

Cover and let it simmer for 15 or so minutes. The longer it sits, the better the flavor. Just be sure it doesn't boil much...the cream acted like it wanted to curdle a bit.

And there it is! Bowlful of yumminess, with a slice of French bread on the side. Delish.

Thanks, Pioneer Woman! I'll be back again for another awesome recipe.