Finnikin of the Rock - Melina Marchetta

Finnikin of the Rock by Melina Marchetta
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Just ok. Good concept, but the writing did not keep me engaged. Fantasy novel about the Kingdom of Lustare. Imposter takes over, Sorcoress curses kingdom, Kingdom locked off from the rest of civilization, Persecution, Saved... Wanted to like it, but kept getting distracted.

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Tinkers - Paul Harding

Tinkers by Paul Harding

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I don't know what to say about this book. It won the Pulitzer Prize for a reason. There are many beautifully written and/or interesting sections. But...it was a bit confusing and full of itself. Written from the point of view of 3 generations of men. The voice changes throughout the book, which I found to be disarming. All that being said,if you have the patience to read, I recommend it.



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Weekly Recipes #42

Curried Beef Short Ribs

Sophisto Joes

Indian-Spiced Salmon with Basmati Rice

Pasta Pugliese

Smoky Red-Lentil Soup with Cheddar Toasts

Weekly Recipes #41 - Heather

Butternut squash and apple soup

Steak Fajitas with Sweet Potato and Poblano

Thai chicken salad

Chicken with Acorn Squash and Tomatoes

Rigatoni with Roasted Sausage and Broccoli (could use turkey or veggie sausage)

Lean on Pete - Willy Vlautin (Bookgroup)

Lean on Pete by Willy Vlautin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Great book set in Portland. Story of a teenage boy who makes friends with a horse that races at Portland Meadows. Crazy plot with the boy travelling from Portland, to Colorado then to Wyoming to find family. The people he meets along the way are interesting, to say the least.



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Weekly Recipes #40 - Jill & Nathan

Day 1:

Slow Cooker Chicken and Pasta Soup

Day 2:

Dinner Pancakes

Day 3:

Spicy Tofu with Peas

Day 4:

White Bean Pasta and Swiss Chard Soup

The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Finally...what a long, long book. But a great read. Started watching the miniseries, which sadly focussed more on the battles than the story. Interesting plot following the building of the Cathedral at Kingsbridge.



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Blue Like Jazz - Donald Miller

Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality by Donald Miller

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Really enjoyed this book. Christian author who lives in Portland. Very real.



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Salted Caramel Brownies

This is the best dessert ever. We made the brownies from a boxed mix, Ghiradelli Brownies and then when cooled, topped with this delicious sauce. We also used it on apple pie with ice cream. Yum!

Salted Caramel Sauce

Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes
1 cup granulated sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

2/3 cup heavy cream, at room temperature

In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the sugar over medium-high heat, whisking as the sugar begins to melt. Some of the sugar will harden into clumps, but that’s okay – it will melt eventually – just keep whisking. Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches a dark amber color. At that point, whisk in the salt, and then add the butter all at once and whisk until it is completely incorporated into the sugar. Remove the pan from the heat and pour in the heavy cream (it will foam up when first added). Continue to whisk until it forms a smooth sauce.

Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before using in the brownies. The leftover sauce can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. (You’ll probably need to warm it up a bit straight from the refrigerator.)

Weekly Recipes #39 - Darla

Rustic Swiss Chard and Mozzarella Tart

This look like a delicious way to use the swiss chard from farmers market.

Roasted Eggplant Zucchini and Chickpea Wraps
Need to use some of that zucchini up? This looked yummy!

Pinto Bean Burritos

This looked like an interesting way to do bean burritos. Not the traditional refried beans

Broccoli Three Cheese Pizza Pockets

The multigrain pizza dough at winco would work well for these.

Beatrice and Virgil - Yann Martel

Beatrice and Virgil by Yann Martel

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really enjoyed listening to this on audio. The reader really captured the characters. Henry, a writer, receives part of a play in the mail. The story is about how he gets to know the writer of the play. The only thing that made this less than 5 stars was that the book ended on such a sad note.



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Weekly Recipes #38

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breasts

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1988550

Sea Bass in Papillote

I have had difficulty finding Sea Bass, so I will substitute some other white fish.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Sea-Bass-in-Papillote-236934

Smothered Steak and Potato Casserole

We have made this before, it's definitely Fall comfort food.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Smothered-Steak-241204

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Potato-Casserole-241203

Chicken Curry in Roasted Acorn Squash

http://recipes.menshealth.com/Recipe/chicken-curry-in-roasted-acorn-squash.aspx

Grilled Chicken with Sesame with Chili-Lime Grilled Corn

http://www.menshealth.com/bbq/ercipes/grilled-chicken-with-sesame

http://www.menshealth.com/bbq/recipes/chili-lime-grilled-corn

New England - Pizza, Ice Cream & Donuts

View New England Trip in a larger map

We recently visited Jill in Western Massachusetts. This maps shows all the places we visited. We ate our way across Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Way to many donuts. In the NW we have a coffee shop on every corner. In New England it was Pizza, Donuts or Ice Cream shops everywhere.

One for the Money - Janet Evanovich

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


First book in the Stephanie Plum series (bounty hunter). Fun fast read.



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The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein (bookgroup)

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Why do people write books from a dog's point of view? Puh-lease. Don't bother.



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Weekly Recipes #31 - Heather

Grilled Eggplant, Red Onion and Pepper Sandwich with Basil Mayonnaise












Black Bean & Toasted Corn Tacos











Thai Chicken Barley Risotto (or sub tofu)













Butternut Squash and Apple Soup












Zucchini "Pasta" with Mint Pesto















Tomato-Mozzarella Packets with Polenta

Weekly Recipes #30 - Nathan & Jill

Chicken Skewers with Bean Salad and Parsley Pesto

Serves 4 Hands-On Time: 30m Total Time: 30m

Ingredients
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 small clove garlic
2 1/4 cups fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1 15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
1/2 small head radicchio, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces

Directions
In a food processor, puree the yogurt, pine nuts, garlic, 2 cups of the parsley, ¼ cup of the oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; set aside.
Chop the remaining ¼ cup of parsley. In a medium bowl, toss with the beans, radicchio, vinegar, 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; set aside.
Heat grill to medium-high. Thread the chicken onto 8 skewers, coat with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. Serve with the parsley pesto and white bean salad.

Grilled Chicken Sausages with Zucchini, Tomatoes, Feta and Orzo
Prep time: 10 min. Total time: 25 min.

1 (8-ounce) box Orzo Pasta
1 package (4 links) precooked sweet Italian chicken sausage
2 Tb extra virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 lb. zucchini and/or summer squash, cut into ½ in. pieces.
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 tsp dried basil (substitute ¼ fresh basil, chopped)
1 tsp dried oregano (substitute 2 Tb fresh)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 (6-ounce) container crumbled feta cheese

Prepare orzo according to package directions. In the meantime, prepare sausages according to package directions, on the grill or in a skillet. While the sausages are heating, heat oil in a large heavy sauté pain or medium-high heat. Add garlic, stir for a few seconds, then add zucchini and cook 3 to 5 minutes.

When sausages are done, cut into large bite sized pieces and add to sauté pan along with tomatoes, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Continue to sauté until tomatoes are just softened, about one minute more. Toss together cooked orzo, feta cheese and sausage mixture in a large serving bowl. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Vegetable Garbanzo Wraps with Quinoa
Prep time: 8 min, Total time: 10 min (plus quinoa cooking time)

1 large tomato chopped
1 avocado chopped
1 cucumber chopped
4 leaves of Romaine lettuce, shredded
1 15oz no-salt added Garbanzo beans, drained and mashed
2 Tbs. fruit vinegar ???
4 whole grain tortillas
½ Tbs. raw sesame tahini
1 cup quinoa (uncooked)

Cook the quinoa. Toss the vegetables and quinoa with garbanzo beans and vinegar. Warm a whole grain tortilla and spread a thin coating of tahini on it. Roll with vegetable/bean/quinoa mixture.

SERVES 4

Coconut Rice Pudding
(using a heavy-bottomed saucepan is key for preventing the bottom from burning)

2 cups water
1 cup medium grain rice
¼ tsp salt
2 ½ cups coconut milk
2 ½ cups half & half
2/3 cup sugar
1 ¼ tsp vanilla abstract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut

Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the rice and salt and cover. Simmer over low heat, stirring once or twice, until the water is almost fully absorbed (15-20 minutes).

Preheat oven to 325F.
Stir in the coconut milk, half & half, and sugar to cooked rice. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook uncovered and stirring frequently until the mixture starts to thicken (about 30 minutes).

(Spread coconut out on a baking sheet and place in oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown.)

While the coconut is toasting, reduce the heat of rice mixture to low and continue to cook, stirring every couple of minutes to prevent scorching, until a spoon is just able to stand up in the pudding (about 15 minutes longer).

Remove rice from heat and stir in the vanilla and cinnamon. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. (To store, press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding and refrigerate for up to 2 days. If serving at room temperature or chilled stir in up to 1 cup of warm milk).

Salad of Beef with Lime, Chile, and Mint

Serves 4 to 6

Noodles:
1 pound wide or linguine shaped rice noodles
4 quarts boiling water

Dressing:
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 packed teaspoons brown sugar, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 large lime
1 tablespoon Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam)
2 tablespoons water

The Salad:
3 to 4 cups cooked beef, chicken, tempeh or tofu (grilled is ideal), cut into 1/4-inch dice, warmed if possible
4 whole scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, torn
2 to 3 thinly sliced very hot fresh red Thai chilies, or milder jalapeño chiles (seed if desired, but the salad should have a real snap of heat)
2 small cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into thick sticks
1 cup coarsely shredded green cabbage
1/3 tight-packed cup whole fresh mint leaves

Garnish:
Lime wedges

1. Place rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water. Let stand about 5 minutes, or until tender, but not mushy. Drain in a colander, rinse with cold water, and place back in the bowl. 2. Blend the dressing ingredients in another large bowl and toss with your choice of meat or other protein. Let stand while you pull together the rest of the salad.3. Just before serving, fold in the rest of the salad ingredients. Serve the larb accompanied by a bowl of the rice noodles. 4. Take a small amount of rice noodles and spoon the salad over them. Squeeze on lime juice to taste.

TIPS
Three things cut back the sear of hot chilies: some kind of fat (the substance that gives chiles' heat is soluble in fat) like coconut milk, cream, oils, etc; sugar, and acids like lime, lemon and vinegars. It's no accident that the countries with the world's hottest foods always team them with one or more of this trio. Think about Thailand, southern India, Sri Lanka, and all the others.

Mockingjay - Suzanne Collines

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Excellent finish to the series. Highly recommend this young adult series starting with The Hunger Games.



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Weekly Recipes #29 - Cory

Delicata Squash Bisque
Avocado Wasabi Salad
Fried Green Tomatoes
Broccolini Udon
Hurry Up Alfredo

The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Loved this audiobook. Better than The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Elizabeth Salander is accused of murder. Did she do it? You'll need to read the book.

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The Healthy Recipe Finder - Grilled Salmon with Red-Wine Butter

The Healthy Recipe Finder - Grilled Salmon with Red-Wine Butter

Adding this as the protein with the green bean tomato salad.

Weekly Recipes #28 - Darla

Wheat Berry and Tomato Salad

Cumin-Lemon Lamb Grill in Lettuce Rolls with Grilled Vegetables

Penne with Pistachio Pesto and White Beans

Green Beans and Tomato Salad with Roasted Tomato Dressing

Grilled Vegetables with Yogurt Tahini Sauce

Tokaido Road - Lucia St. Clair Robson

The Tokaido Road by Lucia St. Clair Robson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Finally finished this book. I renewed it the maximum number of times. Great read. The reason it took so long is that I had to pay attention the entire time. Lots of information about 17th century Japan. Highly recommend.

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Summer in the NW

Thai Red Curry Shrimp

This is the best red curry I have made. Any protein would work great. Next time I would cook at least 1/2 cup more rice.

Thai Red Curry Shrimp

Get restaurant-quality cuisine right in your own kitchen with this shrimp recipe that is packed with Thai flavors.

Yield: 4 servings

1 3/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Cooking spray
1 1/4 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

1. Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp; sauté 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp from pan; keep warm. Spoon coconut cream (the thick part from top of the can) into pan using a slotted spoon. Add curry paste; cook 2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in remaining coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 10 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Add bell pepper; toss to coat. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add shrimp; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice. Spoon 1 cup rice onto each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 cup shrimp mixture.

CALORIES 330 ; FAT 9.8g (sat 6.7g,mono 0.9g,poly 1.1g); CHOLESTEROL 220mg; CALCIUM 83mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.8g; SODIUM 865mg; PROTEIN 32.4g; FIBER 1g; IRON 4.4mg

'Chinese Buffet' Green Beans Recipe - Allrecipes.com

'Chinese Buffet' Green Beans Recipe - Allrecipes.com

Delicious Green Bean Recipe

South of Broad - Pat Conroy (bookgroup)

South of Broad by Pat Conroy

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Disappointing attempt by a great author. If you've read other Pat Conroy books and enjoyed them, don't diminish your respect for this author by reading South of Broad. The main character was unbelievable and the entire cast was very unlikely.

I listed to the audiobook for about 80%, then read the last 20%. I must admit that the book is better to read than for listening.

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Weekly Recipes #27

Grilled Polenta with Spicy Steak

Look for tubes of prepared polenta in the refrigerated part of the produce section.

Yield: 4 servings
4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed
1 (18-ounce) tube of polenta, cut into 8 slices
1 ripe peeled avocado, sliced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco
1/2 cup refrigerated fresh salsa
Lime wedges (optional)

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine 1 teaspoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cumin, chile powder, and pepper; rub evenly over steak. Add steak to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove steak from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

2. While steak rests, brush remaining 1 tablespoon oil over both sides of polenta slices; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add polenta to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Arrange 2 polenta slices on each of 4 plates; divide avocado evenly among servings. Top each serving with about 3 ounces steak, 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves, 2 tablespoons queso fresco, and 2 tablespoons salsa. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Summer Peach and Tomato Salad

Simplicity has never looked so beautiful. A stunning combination of skin-on peaches and heirloom tomatoes of various colors, sizes, and shapes creates a sweet-savory salad that pairs well with grilled pork.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

1/3 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
3 ripe peaches, pitted and each cut into 8 wedges (about 1 pound)
1/2 pound heirloom beefsteak tomatoes, cut into thick wedges
1/2 pound heirloom cherry or pear tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup small basil leaves or torn basil

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.

2. Combine vinegar, olive oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over peach mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and basil.

Lemon and Sage Chicken

Antioxidant compounds in citrus fruits and herbs may reduce the formation

of HCA compounds. Here, we leave the skin on for moisture while grilling, then discard.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 breast pieces or 1 leg and 1 thigh)

1 (4-pound) roasting chicken
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup Sauternes or other dessert white wine
1/4 cup minced fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Cut the chicken into drumsticks, thighs, and breasts; cut each breast in half crosswise to form 4 breast pieces total. Reserve wings and back for another use.

2. Combine rind and next 7 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl, and stir with a whisk. Place juice mixture in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour. Remove chicken from bag, and discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt.

3. Prepare grill to medium-high heat. After preheating, turn the left burner off (leave the right burner on), or arrange charcoal on one side of grill for indirect heat.

4. Place chicken on grill rack covering right burner; grill over direct heat 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes. Move chicken to grill rack covering left burner; grill over indirect heat 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°. Discard chicken skin.

Killer Grilled Artichoke - video

Honey-Mustard Salmon with Roasted Asparagus

• YOU'LL NEED
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 salmon fillets (6 oz each)

Dir

ections

1.

Heat the oven to 400°F. Combine the butter and brown sugar in a bowl and microwave until the butter and sugar have melted together, about 30 seconds. Stir in the mustard, honey, and soy sauce.

2.

Toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon of the oil, the Parmesan, and some salt and pepper. Place the stalks in a baking dish and roast until they're al dente, 10 to 12 minutes.

3.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in an ovenproof skillet over high heat. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and add them to the pan, flesh side down. Cook them until browned on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Then flip them, brush on half the honey mustard, and place the pan in the oven. Bake until the salmon is firm and flakes easily (but before white solids begin to form on the surface), about 5 minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and brush them with more honey mustard. Serve the salmon with the asparagus.

Basque-Style Chicken

This recipe is inspired by the Basque region of France and Spain. If tomatoes are in season, substitute one or two medium tomatoes for the tomato paste.

1 5-pound chicken cut into 8 pieces, skin removed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 medium red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted tomato paste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken on both sides with salt. Heat a large, oven-safe soup pot over medium-high heat. Pour in oil and heat until shimmering. Add chicken in a single layer and sear until nicely brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate.

Return pan to heat and add onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Sauté until onion softens, and deglaze the pan with its juices, about 3 minutes. Add peppers and another pinch of salt; sauté for another 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to combine. Pour in balsamic vinegar and wine, scraping up any brown bits on bottom of pan. Bring to a boil and cook until 2 to 3 tablespoons of liquid remain. Set chicken on top of vegetables and pour in any accumulated juices from plate. Scrape down sides of pan, cover and bake in oven 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, divide vegetables among eight plates and place chicken on top. Serve hot.

Serves 8

Nutritional information per serving
Calories: 157; total fat: 4g; cholesterol: 60mg; sodium (not including additional seasoning): 95mg; carbohydrate: 6g; total dietary fiber: 1g; protein: 21g