A Moment Frozen in Time

On the morning of September 11, 2001 nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercial airlines mid-flight. All four planes were bound for Los Angeles. None would reach their final destination.

In the span of a few short hours the towers of the World Trade were gone. The United States Pentagon came under attack. And heroes banded together over the skies of Pennsylvania. America and the world forever changed that day.

We should never dwell on the past, but it should always be respected, taught and remembered. It’s a part of the learning process. History forgotten is history repeated, mistakes and all.

Today, September 11, is Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance. It also happens to be the 2nd Sunday in September, National Grandparents Day. I cannot help but feel an ache, 21 years later, for the children who grew up missing a parent because of that moment in time. Children who are now parents with children of their own. Those second generation children will never know one or both of their grandparents. Grandparents who will never hold their beautiful grandchild. And all babies who will never be born because a life was cut short that day, before that life had a chance to know parenthood. A darkness crept into the world on September 11. It is a darkness that has continued to fester and can no longer be denied.

There is only one thing that can overcome hatred, and that is love. There is only one thing that can pierce through the darkness, and that is light. The violence that is becoming commonplace will not end until we allow the peace within ourselves to rein.

Immediately following the attacks on September 11, Americans flocked to places of worship hoping to make sense of it all. We came together as a country in ways we had not done in nearly 60 years. The importance of Me no longer existed. We is how we saw ourselves. It shouldn’t take a common enemy to bring people together. Look where we are today – so filled with anger, so consumed by hate. So divided. This is not how we were meant to be.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.
Psalms 133:1

To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted and humble in spirit.
1 Peter 3:8

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bonds of peace.
Ephesians 4:3

Today let us gather as a family. Give thanks for what we have, pray for those who have lost so much and find the peace within our hearts. Now more than ever we need to come together as one.

Sunday Supper Wine-Braised Pot Roast
4 lb boneless Beef Chuck Roast
Kosher Salt as needed
Fresh Black Pepper to taste
2 large Yellow Onions
8 Garlic Cloves
4 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Bay Leaves
2 teaspoons Onion Powder
1 (28 oz) can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
1 cup Beef Stock
1 lb small Yukon Gold Potatoes
2 large Carrots
3/4 cup Red Wine

Position oven rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

Pat the roast dry, tie to hold shape. Generously season roast with salt and pepper. Set aside. Cut onions in half from root to tip. Peel, slice into thin half-moons. Set onions aside. Peel and thinly slice garlic, set aside.

In a Dutch Oven or oven-proof pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the seasoned roast; sear, turning until browned on all sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the seared roast to a cutting board and set aside.

To the now empty pot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Once hot, add the onion and garlic slivers along with bay leaves. Sauté; stirring often, until the onions soften and start to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with the onion powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

Add the tomatoes with their juice, beef stock, wine. Season with a pinch of salt. Gently break up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Increase heat to medium-high, bring the mixture to a boil. Nestle the seared roast into the sauce, spooning some of sauce on top.

Cover the pot with a piece of parchment paper held in place by the tight fitting lid, and transfer to the oven. Cook undisturbed for 2 hours. During the last 15 minutes scrub potatoes, cut in half. Trim ends of the carrots, split lengthwise then slice into ½ inch pieces. Once the roast has cooked for 2 hours, remove pot from the oven, uncover and carefully flip the meat over. Add the potatoes and carrots, tucking them into the sauce. Re-cover with the parchment and the lid, and continue to cook until the vegetables are soft and the meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours more.

Remove pot from oven, shut off heat. Transfer the roast to a carving board, drape loosely with foil, and let rest 12 minutes before slicing. Slice roast, arrange the meat on a serving platter surrounded by potatoes, carrots and any large pieces of tomato. Cover with foil and place in the warm oven to hold.

Discard the bay leaves from the cooking sauce in the pot. Set the pot over medium-high heat; bring to boil. Stir pot occasionally, until the sauce is reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes.

Remove serving platter from oven, discard foil. Spoon the sauce over the meat and vegetables and serve warm.

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