Yikes! I just realized I left out the last 2 paragraphs of Giada's pot roast somehow - here it is again, in total. Give it a try - the gravy is absolutely to die for. Stracoto with Porcini Mushrooms Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis Cook Time 3 hr 25 min 6 to 8 servings Ingredients 1 (4-pound) boneless beef chuck roast Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil 2 onions, sliced 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped 1 cup dry red wine 1 3/4 cups canned beef broth 1/2-ounce dried porcini mushrooms 1 large sprig fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish Directions Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy 6-quart roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes total cooking time. Transfer the beef to a bowl. Add remaining tablespoon oil to the pan, add the onions and saute until tender, scraping up the brown bits on the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute. Add the wine and boil 1 minute. Stir in the broth and mushrooms. Return the beef to the pan. Bring the liquids to a boil. Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise until the beef is fork-tender, turning the beef over halfway through cooking, about 3 hours Transfer the beef to a cutting board. Tent the beef with foil and let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, spoon any excess fat off the top of the pan juices. Transfer the pan juices and vegetables to a blender and puree until smooth. Combine the sauce and rosemary sprig in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Cut the beef across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange the sliced beef on a platter and garnish with rosemary. Spoon the sauce over and serve, passing the remaining sauce in a sauce boat.

I don't have a recipe....but if someone asked me to make a carrot and broccoli soup in a veggie stock, I would first make a nice flavorfull stock, by roasting some cup up onions, celery, a few cut up carrots, some red pepper, a sweetpotato and perhaps some okra.....when the veggies were nicely browned I would put into a stock pot, cover with water.....add a bay leaf or 2, a handfull of parsley, a couple of cloves of garlic, about 1 Tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of whole pepper corns and simmer, covered, for about 2 or 3 hours. Strain through cheese cloth, discard the solids....and procede. For the soup I would chop about 1/4 cup each of onion, celery and red bell peppers and sautee in a couple of tablespoons of butter, when soft, I would add 2 T. flour and whisk and slowly in 4 cups of the veggie stock. Than I would add about a cup and 1/2 of carrot buttons and simmer 10 minutes, then add 2 bups broccoli florettes and simmer until just tender. Check for salt and serve. I also would like about 1/2 tsp curry powder added to the veggies as they were sauteeing....but you may not like curry. Linda C

Indeed Ken, what used to be the domain of only professional arborists can now be had by all-the tri-edged saw blades that make a mockery of older saw technology. Any old hardware store....or big box outlet...carries these items today. I remember the first demo of the then-new ARS blade (Turbocut-about a zillion other names by now). Was at a conference of the Wisconsin Arborist's Association and a guy had these new-fangled things in his booth. Had a section of old, dried-out oak log in a vice and asked me to cut through it with his saw. I was converted immediately and have never looked back. This would have been right around 1990.

Yes. I was 17 and worked at Subway. I had been there 2, almost 3 years and wasn't really even offered the job. I was told I was being made manager, and getting a whooping salary of 9 whole dollars an hour. I accepted because I was 17 and dumb. While I have no issue confronting problems with staff ,suppliers or customers, I had no desire to either. After a year or so of it, I went to a temp service and asked them to find me night shift industrial work. I had enrolled in college and did not need or want the extra stress of being paid pennies for a thankless position full of stress and responsibility. I found I enjoyed being able to clock in, work, clock out and FORGET ABOUT WORK. I was only responsible for my actions, no one depended on me. No one was calling me with problems, no one was giving out my phone number to angry shrews who took offense to the tomato selection that day. And I was making twice as much. That was enough. I did not finish college because I took issue with what I saw and still see as the huge scam they are running. But through my experience I found my way to the job I have now which I really really enjoy. A few years ago my supervisor died suddenly. We all knew who was going to be our next supervisor, the only issue was they tended to go with seniority, and both myself and the other night minion had seniority over him. HR called and asked "Um, you don't want that position do you?" To which I assured her that no, I did not, and no, I take no issue with the said person being my supervisor. I wish to be a worker bee. I no longer have ANY desire to be over anyone or any department. I do not want to trade my low stress living for those problems. I want to come in, clock in, do the necessary work, maybe a little gardening, decorate for the holidays, walk every night, and then clock out and go home. And collect a check, that is the ultimate objective here. I truly feel as though I have hit the jackpot with this job, even if it has a few...challenges. (coworkers) In your case, if those people are unwilling to submit to your authority or create a hostile environment or wish to quit because of their opinion on staffing, then good riddance. It is not their business and therefore their opinion on who should run it should not matter to anyone. Be extra kind and hold the door all the way open for them to walk out.