As long as I'm here . . .

Me again.

I have a favor to ask. I'm approaching the end of my list of books to read. Pretty soon I'll have to just go to the library and start grabbing books off the shelf, which I've never had great luck with.

So I wanted to beg all you lovely relatives for any and all suggestions you could throw out to me. I miss the book reviews we had on here when the blog first started (not that I put any up myself until a few minutes ago - sorry!). It doesn't matter if you don't know what kind of books I like. My only preference in trying new books is that I like each one to be totally different from the last one I read. So anything goes.

Call me, email me, or just toss the title up here on the blog so I (and everyone else) can see it. But please don't let me end up at the library looking aimlessly around the shelves.

Understanding Comics

I know this is random, since it's been a while since anybody posted here, but I want to throw this out for your consideration. I've been reading a few graphic novels lately (that is, books written in comic book form). There are some I've really enjoyed, like Maus, which many of you have probably read. There are others, like Jimmy Corrigan, which I couldn't get into at all. Seriously, I can't figure out why that one is considered to be so wonderful.

Anyway, I started wondering about graphic novels in general, and how they've flown under my radar for so long when there are such good ones out there. So I picked up this book: Understanding Comics, by Scott McCloud. It's a comic book written about comic books. It has the information you'd expect if you picked up a textbook on the subject, but the layout and the way McCloud explains things make it fantastic. It's intelligent, thorough, and often quite funny. I kept thinking that if every textbook were written like this, even the school classes I hated would've been okay.

I don't know if any of you are interested in comics or graphic novels, or if you enjoy nonfiction at times, but if you like either one you should pick this one up. I'd never read anything quite like it, and I learned a lot.

Pasta E Fagioli Soup

 I found a recipe for Olive Gardens Pasta E Fagioli soup. We liked it and it was pretty easy:

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 small onion, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can cannellini beans (or white kidney beans), drained and rinsed (I couldn't find cannellini beans so I just used two cans of the kidney beans)

1 (26 oz.) container beef stock (or 3 cups)

1 jar (25 oz.) spaghetti sauce

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 teaspoons dried parsley

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta (or your favorite pasta shape) (I used Picolini pasta here since I couldn't find ditalini)

Salt, to taste (about ½ tbsp. kosher salt)

 

Directions:

Brown and crumble ground beef. Drain excess grease.

Add all the other ingredients to the slow cooker (except for pasta) and stir.

Set slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

During the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, add in the pasta and stir. 

Cooks Notes: Pasta likes to absorb a lot of the liquid so if you like your soup more soupy, be prepared to have an extra can of beef broth handy. You can add it towards the end.

Baked Parmesan Garlic Chicken

This recipe is so easy and only has 4 ingredients which is my type of meal!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 package Good Seasons Italian Dressing mix
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix cheese, dressing mix and garlic powder.
3. Moisten chicken breasts with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish.
4. Bake 20 to 25 min. or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

I found it on pinterest but this is the website
It has such a great taste (if you like garlic, which I do). All my kids liked it.
Try it, its yummy!

The Hunger Games

Hey All,

I'm probably super far behind everyone, but I finally finished The Hunger Games series.

I LOVED this series... though I admit that the first and second books were better than the third. I had seen a preview for the movie coming out in March, and I thought I should read the books first so I had something to compare the movie to.

I burned through all three books in just a few days (which is really good, since I'm a terribly slow reader), and was overall impressed with the way it flowed. The books are written in present tense, which starts out tough for me, but I quickly forgot about it and it became more natural as I read through the series. Definitely a good one if you're looking for a book that is easy to read and intense at times. I'm giving it a 4 out of 5, just because the last book was slow-moving. :) Very good, though, for those of you who haven't read them yet!

Cindy

Crock Pot Chicken

Crock pot chicken 

(I got this recipe from Vonnie who got it, I think, from Sarah)

2 cans Cream of Mushroom soup

6 oz. Italian dressing

3 - 5 chicken breasts (or about 10-12 chicken tenders)

Mix the Cream of mushroom soup with the 6 oz Italian dressing and pour into crock pot. (I actually just mixed it together in the crock pot)  Add chicken breasts or tenders and push them down into the soup mixture to coat.  Put the lid on and cook on high for 6-7 hours.  Serve over rice.   How easy is that!  

It has a good flavor and is nice enough for a company dinner.  

 

My kids all liked this, and it was extremely easy!

Report on Born on a Blue Day by Daniel Tammet

This autobiography is the story of Daniel Tammet, who suffers from autism (Asbergers syndrome), epilepsy and is a savant. Although it became tedious in places where Daniel's descriptions of his thought processes went WAY over my head, it was still fascinating. It was amazing that he was able to write his own autobiography, let alone describe so well what life is like with autism, and how he experiences and processes his environment. Imagine being able to memorize and recite pi to the 22,514th number without an error! I looked on youtube and watched a few clips of Daniel's documentary, Brainman. I would love to see the whole thing. Very fascinating story.

I wonder if Earl would be interested in a story like this?

I should probably take a break from reading and try some of these recipes!

Ham and cheese quiche

Hi family,

I just sent a recipe that Angie wanted but got to thinking about this quiche recipe that I also like, so I thought I would send it along, too.

Ham and Cheese Quiche

2 cups cut ham or fried bacon

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1 cup Bisquick

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Grease pie plate. Sprinkle ham, cheese and onion in layers on bottom. Beat remaining ingredients in blender 15 seconds. Pour over ham layers. Bake 35-40 min. at 400 degrees.

It's pretty good. Hope you enjoy it.

quiche recipe

Angie, I think this is the recipe you wanted. I got it from Susan and I agree -- it is really good.

Southwest Sausage Bake

6 flour tortillas (10 inch) cut into 1/2 inch strips

4 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chilies, drained

1 lb bulk sausage, cooked and drained

2 cups (8 oz) shredded Monterey jack cheese

10 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 tsp each -- salt, garlic salt, onion salt, pepper, and ground cumin

Paprika

2 med. tomatoes, sliced

Sour cream and salsa

In a greased 9 x 13 pan, layer half of the tortilla strips, chilies, sausage, and cheese. Repeat layers. In a bowl beat the eggs, milk and seasonings; pour over cheese. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 min before baking. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Arrange tomato slices over the top. Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until knife comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Serves 12

Book report- Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom

After Tuesdays With Morrie, which I loved, I wasn't much of a fan of Mitch Albom's other books. I picked this one up because I needed a book on CD and because it is a true story and because it only had 4 discs. I even picked it up in spite of the fact that it is read by the author, which usually makes me run in the other direction! I'm glad I did. It isn't great literature, or a prize winner or anything more than the simple story of the author's rabbi, and the story of a Christian reverend for the homeless with whom the author became acquainted. I really enjoyed it very much, and I especially recommend the book on CD. The author did a good job reading it, especially the inflections in the Jewish Rabbi's voice.

Love,
Bev

Quiche?

I'm looking for Vonnies and/or Susans breakfast quiche recipe? Are they the same? They are heavenly and I wonder if anyone has the recipe out there?

Spiced Salmon Steaks

This is a FANTASTIC recipe for Salmon. It's our family favorite! It only takes about 10 minutes to prepare it and 8 minutes to grill, so it's quick and easy and tastes great. Even my kids eat it (which is a BIG deal since they are picky eaters!) I'm not a huge fish lover, but this recipe is great. Hope you like it.

1 TBS Chili Powder
2 tsp light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil

4 salmon steaks
lemon wedges (optional)

prep outdoor grill medium heat

In cup, mix chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, thyme, salt and oil.

Remove any bones from Salmon. With hands, rub spice mixture on both sides of salmon steaks (or one side if skin is still on one side)

Place salmon on hot grill rack over medium heat. Grill salmon, turning once, until just opaque throughout, about 8 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges if you like.

* I put my salmon in foil and grill it that way, keeps it a little more moist. You can also broil it in the oven if you prefer it that way. I'd like to try it on those wood grill planks. . .that would be yummy too.

Hope you like it!

I hope you are not getting sick of book reports. That is all I can contribute, since I am not in any way a cook. If it has to be one or the other, I am definitely books!

I just finished OKAY FOR NOW, by Gary Schmidt. I liked it alot. I thought at first it was a bit repetitive, but as the story went on it became more endearing than bothersom. It is a story of a family with a no-count father, and is told first person by one of the children, a middle-school aged boy named Doug. It is written for older children. Although it is sad, I really did enjoy it.

What on Earth Have I Done? by Robert Fulghum

This book of essays is actually a 3+, if there only were such a thing on the Goodreads scale. I have only read, besides this collection, Fulghum's first two books. I read them many, many years ago but remember liking them. I liked this one, also, but somehow it seemed less original. The essays were mostly pretty good. Some language, but not overly serious.

Love to all,
Bev

OOPS! Christy was helping me with that last posting and it looks like we pasted that Turtle in Paradise review twice. Sorry!

LuLu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst

What a darling beginner chapter book for very young readers/listeners! My 8 year old grandson loved it, but I think it is too young for most children older than that. Wonderful read-aloud. Can be finished in half an hour or so, cleverly written and the illustrations are great.

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

Newbery Honor book 2011. This is a book I think I would have liked as an elementary age child. Set mostly in Florida in 1935 this is the story of a young girl who is sent to live with her aunt in Florida while her mother tries to pull her life together. The characters were likable, the writing was good enough, and though it was predictable, the story was good- especially for young girls.


Newbery Honor book 2011. This is a book I think I would have liked as an elementary age child. Set mostly in Florida in 1935 this is the story of a young girl who is sent to live with her aunt in Florida while her mother tries to pull her life together. The characters were likable, the writing was good enough, and though it was predictable, the story was good- especially for young girls.



The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World by E. L. Konigsburg

This is the story of Amedeo Kaplan, who finds himself helping to clear out the house of an elderly woman, Mrs. Zender, in preparation for her moving to an assisted living center. As that process proceeds, mysteries and secrets of the past are revealed having to to with great works of art, Nazi Germany, and war criminals. The story was okay, but there is no way this is elementary school material. I am surprised is wasn't shelved with Youth Fiction rather than Juvenile Fiction. In my opinion some of the language, homosexual references (appropriate for youth), complexity of the story and a few other objectionable things make it inappropriate for kids under 12.
As a book for children, this is 2 star book, and I wouldn't really recommend it. As a youth book, 3 stars and you just might like it!

EL Konnigsburg also wrote The View From Saturday, Newbery Award winner from 1997 which I loved; From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Newbery Award winner from 1968 which I read as a child and loved; and Silent to the Bone, which was totally offensive and poorly done. Can't win them all!

Love,
Bev

Review for Patwork Planet, by Anne Tyler

I read this book many years ago and liked it, so when I saw it on tape at the library for $1 I picked it up to listen to it again. I didn't care for it so much this time. It is basically the story of a man who has been a disappointment to himself and his family trying to redeem himself and find a way to a happier life. There were some inappropriate things in it, but mostly this time I found the main character a little annoying! I don't want to disuade anyone from reading it- maybe I just didn't like it much this time because I'd already read it, and maybe my taste in books has changed. The writing was good, and the reader did a good enough job. I have also read Saint Maybe by the same author and remember liking it. I guess I won't read that one again- leave well enough alone! Anne Tyler won the Pulitzer for BREATHING LESSONS, which I have never read. Mom read her book, BACK WHEN WE WERE GROWN-UPS, and she really liked it alot. She told me I wasn't old enough to appreciate it yet. I wonder how long I should wait?!

Love to everyone!
Bev

The Rangers Apprentice

This is one of my favorite series. It isn't the same caliber as Harry Potter, but what is?  These books are great for all ages; they are clean, funny, adventurous, exciting.... seriously, so good!

Description:
He had always wanted to be a warrior. The Rangers, with their dark cloaks and shadowy ways, made him nervous. The villagers believe the Rangers practice magic that makes them invisible to ordinary people. And now fifteen year-old Will, always small for his age, has been chosen as a Ranger's apprentice. What he doesn't realize yet is that the Rangers are the protectors of the kingdom. Highly trained in the skills of battle and surveillance, they fight the battles before the battles reach the people. And as Will is about to learn, there is a large battle brewing. The exiled Morgarath, Lord of the Mountains of Rain and Night, is gathering his forces for an attack on the kingdom. This time, he will not be denied.

Ravioli Lasagna

This is my sister-in-laws recipe and its become a favorite for us. Its easy and quick when you want a lasagna.

Ravioli Lasagna
1 (28 oz) Jar of Spaghetti Sauce

1 (25 oz) pkg. Frozen Ravioli (cheese or meat, Spencer likes the meat best)

1 (16 0z) Cottage Cheese

1/2 to 1 cup each of Mozzarella & Cheddar Cheese

1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

Spread 1/2 Cup spaghetti sauce in ungreased 9x13 baking dish. Layer half the ravioli, 1 1/4 cups sauce 1 cup of cottage cheese and half of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly

Easy Mexican Casserole

This is one of our favorites because it is so easy but tastes so good! In fact, we just made it for dinner tonight. We get it off of allrecipes.com, and I usually substitute low/non fat sour cream and sometimes turkey burger (don't tell Casey, he thinks it's the "real stuff".) :)

Ingredients

* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 2 cups salsa
* 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, drained
* 3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
* 2 cups sour cream
* 1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
* 1/2 cup chopped green onion
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
* 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Stir in salsa, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in beans, and heat through.
3. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread crushed tortilla chips in dish, and then spoon beef mixture over chips. Spread sour cream over beef, and sprinkle olives, green onion, and tomato over the sour cream. Top with Cheddar cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Amount Per Serving Calories: 632 | Total Fat: 43.7g | Cholesterol: 119mg