You are my inspiration...(as sung in Pillow Talk)

Everybody looks for inspiration in different areas and a few of mine are here. I find it particularly wonderful that the most inspirational person is right next to me right now. Each day he makes me feel special, needed, loved. To quote a favorite movie of ours..."You make me want to be a better person". He is trusting and honest and lights up a room and makes me proud to be his wife. I love that he is one of the only people I can be myself whether it is a good thing or not.

My wonderful girl cousin is inspiring in so many ways as a person-we share genes and senses of humor and our love for all things creative. The thing about Deanna is that she can rock anything she sets her mind to. She puts flowers together, she can decorate any room (her house is beautiful, but more importantly cozy and homey and her kitchen rocks the casbah!) and make it look like a show piece and she puts together a mean scrapbook. The thoughtful wonderful book she put together for Al and I after our trip to Napa brought me to tears. She had everything in chronological order with pictures, quotes, notes and mementos. It was a very special gift. And then one year for our anniversary she sent us a backpack picnic basket complete with a spot for a nice bottle of wine. Deanna gives me inspiration with her determination for doing things the best you can do and with a ton of love. The thoughtful sweetness she puts into things warms my heart.

Dana has been my friend for 20 years. That is right, 20 years, we just celebrated our anniversary in September by using the pasta machine we bought together. Dana surprised me for my birthday this year and brought me to a cooking class at one of my favorite kitchen stores. We made homemade pasta and sauces for Al, Bob and Carlos. We always have so much fun together and laugh our pants off, everytime. We just went out for Chinese on Monday and laughed ourselves into tears. She does things for her friends and family that are special, she loves to do wonderful things for others. She listens and understands-and is always there for me and others who are lucky enough to have The Dana. Dana inspires me to be the best friend I can. She is one of the most fiercly loyal people I have ever known and I love her dearly. She is, and always will be My Own, Personal, Dana.

My baby boy inspires me in more ways than just being the best mom I can, that is a given. His big brown eyes make me want to be the best person I can be, not just for me but for him. His athletic talent makes me want to get my butt off the couch. The boy has Skill!!!!

My beautiful Lara is a wonderful genuine soul. I think about Lara everyday. We share a special bond and I wish we lived next door to each other, believe me we have dreamed this dream a few times! Lara is, also, so very creative and really makes use of every second of her day. She throws the most fabulous partys for, Dylan, her son's, birthday. Every detail is covered-we all think she could do this fabulously as a business! She will stay up late to do whatever it takes to complete a project or just do a project. She inspires me to just do it, already!

Simone, I wanted to post a picture of you here...someday there will be one of us and I will treasure it. You, my lovely soul sister, inspire me to pour out my soul in different ways be it pottery, cooking, my blog, writing. You, epitomize true friend. Your beautiful blog is in a class all to itself. You, too, inspire me to be the best I can, you know that though right?

Since we are at Cafe Marisa, a recipe will complete my entry for today so with out further adieu:

Marisa's Perfect Pot Roast

2-3 lb. chuck roast

1 large onion, sliced

2 beef bouillion cubes, dissolved in 1 cup of boiling water

Olive Oil

flour for dredging

1 Tbls Montreal Steak Seasoning

Red Wine

Carrots, optional

This can be done in the crock pot on low or in the oven. I have been doing it in the crock pot lately for ease. My crock pot is from the 1970's and was my Grandma Smith's, so the settings are high, low and off. I start this before I go to work in the morning and let it cook all day long. I begin the browning part about 6 or 630 am and turn the crock pot on low before I go out the door (about 745 or 8am) and we have eaten as late as 640pm (after swimming lessons). But this is actually ready probably by 5pm, but because there is enough liquid (but not too much) it does not dry out.

1. Mix flour and steak seasoning (or use Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper) together. Lightly coat roast in flour and seasoning mixture.

2. Heat 3 or so tablespoons olive oil in a skillet until almost smoking.

3. Sear roast in skillet about 3 minutes per side. Don't forget the sides too! Roast should easily come up from pan, if not, it hasn't browned enough. Use that nose, don't let it burn.

4. Remove roast and place in crock pot.

5. Put sliced onions in skillet with oil and beef bits. Add more olive oil if needed. saute' onions until they are translucent. When done, pour onions on top of roast in crock pot.

6. Deglaze pan with a swig of red wine until all the bits are loose. Pour this on top of roast.

7. Pour dissolved bouillion and about 1/2 cup, more or less of red wine over roast.

I have made carrots on the side, but they can be added an hour or more before dinner so they don't get mushy. I like steaming carrots, easy and quick, on the side, they seem fresher to me. We also dig mashed potatoes with pot roast, but if you like, throw potatoes into the crock pot in the morning so they cook all the way.

I have done this by memory...so I hope I haven't missed anything. This is really sooooo good. Amy C and Heather S-M, this ones for you!

Much love.

M