Oh yum.

Yesterday was my birthday.  The big 3-0.

In this house, when it's your birthday, you choose the dinner menu.  If you know me well at all, you know I just love food.  All kinds of food.  Sweet food, savory food, but most of all comfort food.  And nothing says comfort to me more than good old mashed potatoes!  So a few days before my birthday I started perusing cookbooks and foodie blogs to find the perfect accompaniment for my birthday spuds.  This is what I came up with and my my was it ever delicious.

Mushroom and Blueberry Balsamic Pot Roast

First I grabbed a pan and heated up a few lugs of olive oil.  Then threw in an onion and a few cloves of garlic to brown them up a bit before dumping them in the bottom of my crockpot.

Then I popped a nicely salted and peppered rolled brisket (in the same pan) to brown each side 

and lock in all the yummy juices. When I was done, it went right on top of that garlic and onion goodness in the crockpot.

Next was time for the sauce.  I combined some lovely balsamic vinegar, a bit of beef broth, a touch of good tomato paste and some fresh blueberries - same pan.  Yup, you read that right.  Blueberries.

That got dumped into the crockpot too -- with a sprinkle of thyme and a few sprigs of fresh rosemary from the garden.

We let this go all day... filling the house with an incredible aroma.

Later (same pan - no need to wash) I browned up some thick-sliced chestnut mushrooms.  These were dumped in the crockpot about 2 hours before we were ready to eat.

I made my mashed potatoes and mixed them with terrifying amounts of butter and cream cheese.  I made some lovely brown sugar and walnut coated brussels sprouts.  I put it all on a plate...

and ate savored every last bite.

You MUST try this.  It is absolutely divine.

The original recipe I found was from Mesiedy over at TheNoshery.  She did this in a dutch oven with some other veggies too.  You can find that post here.  I don't have a dutch oven (or a big enough oven to use one for that matter!) so altered it a bit for my crockpot and it still turned out incredible!

Then on to the cake.  My dear friend Katy has made this for me twice in the past and graciously passed the recipe along.  It's a moist, soft, perfectly spiced, luscious carrot cake topped with the best cream cheese icing.  So delicious it's ridiculous.

Happy birthday to me.   

PS - Special thanks to Ben for spending the day in the kitchen with me.  You are the best!  xoxo

A most beloved sister

Meet Linnaea:

She's my baby sister.  Although we are a little over 6 years apart, we shared a room until I was 16 so a LOT of my growing up happened with her very nearby.  And I've always felt a little extra protective of her.  She is amazing and I adore her.

Good news:      

My lovely, funny, talented, smart, sweet baby sister is getting married in Oregon this June!    

Bad news:      

I live in England.  Flights are super spendy at the moment (particularly trans-Atlantic flights) and we Edsalls are on a tight grad-student budget.

So... we're getting creative:      

In her spare time, one of my other incredible sisters (Trinette) sells Pampered Chef and she has generously offered to host an online event and to give me ALL the profits.  That means, you browse the online catalogue and pick out the things you'd like from the comfort of your own sofa.  Every bit of the proceeds will go toward my trip home for the wedding!  If by some miracle I have more than enough, I might even be able to bring Nora!  

Here's the Deal:      

You know about Pampered Chef.  You love their kitchen tools and yummy recipes.  (If you don't, just try them -- you will!)  Now is your chance to stock up all those great cooking/entertaining gadgets that make cooking easy, simple, healthy, yummy and FUN!  

Don't forget that Mother's Day is just around the corner - so be sure to pick out something special for your Momma too!  Or stock up on gifts for the upcoming wedding season!!

And remember that while you're buying you'll be helping me out heaps!   

Even if you can't buy anything it would be swell if you'd let all your kitchen loving friends know about this - anyone can order (you don't have to know me personally)!

Here's the Link:

http://www.pamperedchef.biz/trinette

When it asks for the host's name use mine - Deanna Edsall.  Happy Shopping!!

Fine Print:      

Orders must be placed by April 3rd 2011.  

PLEASE ask for your purchases to be shipped to your address (It must be a US address - sorry Canadian friends!)

I hope you're all well and if you're in Oregon, I'd love to see you in June!!

Love,

Deanna

Spring is coming…

 

"Bouncing on my knee."

Repetition is how Nora learns new songs. And she loves to learn new songs.

Lesson from my Supervisor #136

Me: (musing)     You know, it's weird. I used to be able to sleep anywhere but now I don't sleep well at all.

Supervisor: (not missing a beat)    It's called middle-age, Ben.



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Lately

Nora is a very busy girl.  Here are a few things she's been up to lately.

Nora loves working next to Dad (middle), directing him in the use of crayons (bottom left) and helping her dog to color by holding his paw on the pen (bottom right)

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Nora loves her some cocoa or tea!  

For her the appeal is 20% beverage and 80% using the big mug like Mom and Dad.

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Yesterday she lined up all her little toys and made them each a cookie!  (bottom left)

She made one for me too.  With sprinkles.  It was delicious.

A Nice Change...

It is 48 degrees out right now.  The sky is radiantly blue.  And as long as you aren't in the midst of a gust of wind, the sun is actually... (I can't believe I'm typing this) warm.  Gasp!

It's a far cry from the usual Oxford winter days of monotone gray skies offering a backdrop to monotone gray stone buildings, cold, damp air, wind and penetrating frost.  You know, perpetual chill-in-your-bones kind of weather that makes people like me LIVE in their long johns and wool sweaters, CLING venomously to their hot water bottle, and DREAD leaving the warmth of my bed in the morning or the comfort of my living room each afternoon (almost as much as I dread seeing the month's heating bill!).  Although it happens to different people in varying degrees, this glum state of affairs around us penetrates our outlook, our countenance.  It can sap our hope and optimism.  It can drain our joy.

Biking home from work today in 48 degree bliss er... improvement ('bliss' for me would be more like 78) the sun beating down on my face and back, the bright blue sky illuminating the magnificent old buildings on my right and on my left, seeing tiny crocuses and snow drops beginning to break through the surface of the dark earth with promises of blooms to come, I nearly forgot about the pale gloom of yesterday and so many many many yesterdays before that.

I'd like to think that this is it.  This is the day when winter begins to turn to spring:  the days get longer, and warmer, we dry our clothes on the line outside rather than draped on the rack (which has become a rather permanent and un-attractive fixture) in my living room, Oxford's lovely gardens once again come to life, and we can actually enjoy a trip to the park or a walk by the river.

And while I know this isn't it, I'm going to scoot my chair in front of the window, grab my book and soak up as much vitamin D as today's sun has to offer... because who knows how long it will have to last!