The Goal of My Blog - and a Free Gift!

My original goal with this blog was to get a big enough following and to know enough about homeschool and the blogging world to be accepted as a reviewer for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.   One of the very first blogs I read, Our Busy Homeschool, did a lot of reviews and I thought it seemed like a very interesting opportunity.


I contacted Tristan (the author of Our Busy Homeschool) with lots of questions, and she was gracious enough to write me a LONG email about being on "The Crew" and the commitment it entailed.   (In the meantime, I became associated with The Homeschool Village, and reviewed for them.  I was so grateful for that opportunity!)   I started about the business of growing my blog, and applied to be on The Crew.  I'm thrilled that I will be on the Crew for 2011-2012.


What does this mean?   Essentially, I will be receiving lots of different products in exchange for my honest review on this blog.   I do hope you will read and hopefully find out about some things that will be of use to you.   I found one of our very favorite resources this way last year!   You should start to see reviews here fairly soon!  You can also follow all reviews at the review crew website.  


Homegrown Learners (originally called Homeschool Success from its inception in November, 2009) has evolved into so much more in the past year and a half.  It's been a creative outlet for me, but it has also served as a vehicle for making some of the most wonderful homeschool connections.   I have met so many homeschool moms with fabulous ideas.  I look forward to sitting at my computer and checking in with my online friends.


Finally, after this much time, I feel that I've achieved a good blogging balance and am JUST WHERE I WANT TO BE.   I know I like to write about our daily activities, with the emphasis being on lessons and activities that work for us.  When I visit a blog I want to be inspired to do better and/or get a great idea I can implement in our homeschool.    This is what I want my blog to do for others.  


In addition to homeschooling and taking care of my family I do give piano lessons a couple of afternoons a week. It gives me a great side income (which helps sock some money in the bank in these uncertain times) and so much joy.  Between all of this and my blog my plate is just full enough, and I am happy.  


Enough of all that ~ on to the free gift:


I  want to let you know about a special offer from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine - and best of all, it's free!   Here's what The Old Schoolhouse Magazine has to say:  

Take a look at the brand new Summer digital edition of The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine. TOS is offering this digital issue of the magazine totally free with no strings attached. Enjoy this free gift from TOS—no registration or email address required to view the magazine! Take a peek here. Then share the link with your friends by clicking on the share button at the top of the magazine pages.

I grabbed one of the cute buttons and put it on my sidebar, and you can, too.

Enjoy the magazine, and be watching for some reviews of homeschool products in the very near future!

My New Favorite Item in the Kitchen

Cooking is something I don't blog about much.  I don't know why, because I do like to cook.... especially when I have great kitchen tools.

I have a new favorite item in my kitchen:  The  3 1/2 qt. Le Creuset Dutch Oven!  

 

This is one of those things that will last a lifetime and is just a quality piece for your kitchen.   I must say I love the bright blue - in fact I just leave it on my stove because I like to look at it... (oh, and Williams Sonoma has the smallest ones on sale, so they are more affordable!) 

I have never really cooked in a Dutch Oven (until last week), but I found a fabulous recipe I just had to share.   Of course, if it's from Emeril, you know it's good.  So here goes:  Emeril's Pot Roast!  

The recipe calls for a Goose Neck roast (HUH?!?!) or a simple beef roast.  Can you guess which I chose?  Right.  The beef roast.  We did learn, however, that the Goose Neck roast is quite a delicacy and can be purchased in specialty stores.  The flavor is wonderful because it is such a fatty cut of meat.  

I bought elephant garlic (a change from the recipe), cut it is pieces, and inserted it in 10 slits in the meat, then seared the roast on each side for about 5 minutes.    I did all of this around 1:00 in the afternoon, since the roast had to cook for 4 hours before I put the vegetables in for the final hour.   

I love a meal that I can get mostly prepared in the early afternoon! 

After this, I put the meat in the dutch oven and covered with beef stock.  

This baked at 325 degrees for four hours (in those four hours I went to the pool with my kids... we had to race home because "the roast was waiting!")

I added turnips, parsnips, red potatoes, baby carrots, and onions on top of the roast.   See how everything is cut crinkled?  That's because I love my crinkle cutter from the Pampered Chef.  It cuts everything wonderfully!  

After cooking for the additional hour the roast came out of the oven looking just beautiful.   My poor dog was out of his mind because the house smelled sooooo good!  There's also nothing better for your husband than to walk in the door after a long day and almost be knocked over with the smell of a fabulous dinner.  (It put him in such a good mood he ran out after dinner to pick up Italian Ice for dessert!)

The meat was literally falling apart, so the presentation left a little to be desired.   It was such a wonderful meal... truly the BEST pot roast we have ever eaten.   The recipe calls for a gravy to made at the end, but I just spooned the juices from the dutch oven over the meat and veggies and it was great.

The dutch oven washed up so nicely, so clean-up was a breeze.   This meal is definitely a keeper!

Linking up today with Living Well Wednesdays at Women Living Well!