In the movie Groundhog Day

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People, how could a day feel longer? Suffice it to say that I'm daydreaming about bedtime and 100% chagrined that it is still 2 hours away. I feel as if my brain and ears are bleeding from the constant assault of the children's verbiage; you can think of it as woodpecker beaks mercilessly beating a tree. At present, J is encouraging O to jackhammer him in the butt, pleading with him really. O is happy to oblige. The number of times they've uttered the word poop today must have set a new record. The refusal to tee-tee is just stupid; who likes a full bladder? Clean up, be quiet, calm down, please!!!! S-T-Ruggling over here. In the meantime, I decided to make a roasted potato recipe I've wanted to try for some time. Easy as get out, but you sliver the potatoes into rectangles first, interlace them with bay leaves, drizzle with butter and salt, and roast. Ultimately, they're supposed to look like golden dominoes, and I think their flavor will be nice with the stew later.

Fresh mushroom pasta, beef broth smells to the nines, Daube now in the oven

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In a momentary lapse of wise decision making, T decided to make fresh pasta last night. I was totally pooped, having already made the beef broth and all the prep for the Daube. All I wanted to do was crash on the couch and play Angry Birds in a catatonic fashion. But T needed some help when it came time to roll out the pasta so I obliged. We had some dried mushrooms which we'd ground in a burr coffee grinder (a great spice grinder) and he'd integrated that into the pasta dough. It did look and smell nice, and it turned out quite well, but we were a bit too tired to make a sauce that did it any justice. Concurrently, the beef broth was simmering away on the stove and smelled truly incredible. I was happy that the butcher had steered me towards a pack of marrow bones in addition to the beef shoulder I'd requested. Percy benefited too from a post-cook, marrowed-out bone. I used some of the broth this morning to top off the Daube and will save the rest for some French onion soup this week. This picture doesn't tell much but if there were a integrable smell button, I'd add it here, and you'd be glad.

The Daube- layers of bacon, the marinated beef/onions/carrots, mushrooms, tomatoes and repeat- is in the oven now and also smells to the heavens. It will be a treat later!

And I must be honest in telling you that while this marmalade didn't really set in the way that a jam might, its flavor is sublime.