Winter is here !

So very cold for the last few days-  finally feels like winter. I got out my winter sweaters just the other day. The menu last night was stuffed shells, salad, and bread. No photo- tasted so good ! We ate it all up.

  I just started reading  Come Rain or Come Shine / Jan Karon. So very I am enjoying it as I have all her other books. I will do a review when I am finished.    I got a new computer light that I am trying out ,  and will make a comment about  also in the near future.

Book Review- Go Set a Watchman

Written in the mid 1950's Go Set a Watchhman is the sequel to to Kill a Mockingbird.    In this novel by Harper Lee, Scout is 26 and returning to Maycombe, Alabama .   She goes back yearly for her 2 week vacation from her job in New York city.

  Jean Louise ( Scout ) returns to find her Father Atticus, and her boy friend Hank (  the boy who  Atticus  took under his wing) , and the town in a bit of  political turmoil.   The negro/ white situation is tense 

  Hank wants to marry Jean Louise, she keeps putting him off. Jean louise  loves Hank but can't see herself living in Maycombe.  Memories  of her childhood ( which are taken from  To Kill A Mockingbird)  keep flooding back. 

  This is a moving story about Scout's journey  into adulthood. The writing is not as polished  as Harper's famous book.Sometimes the transitions  from past to present are not always  easy to discern.  It was hard at times to keep track of where Scout was in time.

  The characters are well developed . The setting helps show the tensions and how the people lived in Maycombe.  

 So this is a story of Scout,  the people who love her, and her hometown.  Without To Kill A Mockingbird this story would   not really make sense.  

Book Review- The Story Keeper

   The Story  Keeper  by Lisa Wingate( Tysdale  House ,2014)   is a great read. Jen Gibbs, a successful New York city editor, is at a new position at Uda House Publishers. A mysterious manuscript appears on her desk.  Jen finds herself drawn into the manuscript - Sara & Rand and and their troubles in Appalachia.

  She has a hunch about the manuscript's author that leads her back to her hometown ( which she had thought she had left forever) . Shes goes through many twists and turns - some with her estranged family and begins to work out the author of the manuscript that entail a lot of hard feelings to stare out with . When you get to the end you 'll just want more story!

Book Review- The Guest Cottage

  Here is another great summer read by Nancy Thayer. Although I hadn't read any of  her other books , I may go in search of some now that I have read this one.

  The novel. is set in Nantucket  near the beach. Sophie , at 36 , has just leaned her husband of 16 years wants a divorce.  She is at a loss on what to with her life and those of her children, Jonah and Lacy.

   Trevor Black , w web designer , has lost his wife and is struggling to bring up his little boy  Leo  who at 4 is having a hard time with the loss  of his mother.

 The tow parents end up renting the same house. When they both arrive at about the same time, they decide to try and share the house  and the responsibilities , because they don't know really what else to do.

  As the summer progresses.  Sophie and Trevor have a lot of ups and downs , adventures and incidents. Sophie is sure that she is to old for Trevor. But Trevor is smitten with Sophie. How  will it all end? Read this to find out!

Book Review- The Bookseller

     Kitty MIller and Kathryn Anderson- which is the true life, which is the dream?   Kitty is a single bookshop owner with a loving cat and her good friend, Frieda ( co-owner in her book shop) and her loving parents.

    Kathryn is a loving wife and busy mother of three.  Kitty goes to sleep and in her dreams becomes Kathryn. And she loves being Kathryn, even with the struggles  and stress with her children.

     The story will keep you turning the pages and hoping it doesn't end.

Easy Summer Dinner Mostly leftovers!

      For an easy summer dinner, pick up a rotisserie chicken. This time we got an italian  seasoned one for a something a little different .  We did that yesterday while we were doing our weekly shopping. Find the largest one you can- most are about the same size!   
  So for our dinner we had chicken, roasted potatoes ( another leftover) and Bob's Leftover salad.

     In this salad , he put odds and ends he found in the fridge from the weeks meals. So this is what was in the salad: roasted red peppers, sliced olives - both green and black, homemade salsa,  and a can of drained  chickpeas.  Then he tossed in  a little chopped cheese and some chopped hard salami.  For dressing, he put in a dash of apple cinder vinegar  &  a little olive oil. it was  delicious!!  

    So that was our dinner . We did have some chicken left over . It will go on a green salad  for one of my  lunches for next week.

Book Review- At the Water's Edge

At The Water's Edge, Sarah Gruen  ( Spiegel & Grace, 2015)

    Maddie Hyde and her husband, Ellis, and their friend Hank disgraced themselves at a High Society New Years Eve party in 1944.  Ellis is cut off from his wealthy parents.His Father is already ashamed about Ellis, his marriage to Maddie, and the fact he was not accepted to serve in the war effort.

   Ellis decides to win back his Fathers approval by finding the famous Loch Ness Monster.( His Father publically failed in doing this)  The three then go off to Scotland to see if they can document the Monster. As members of the sheltered American, they are greeted with a different world in Scotland, The food is rationed and the people are hard  workers. Maddie becomes frustrated by her husbands behavior and actions toward the people.
   As Ellis  and Hank delve deeper into their search for the Loch Ness Monster , Maddie finds she like the simplicity and beauty of the land and people of Scottish Highlands.  The message unfolds as Maddie'e life begins to unravel and then  be completed in a very surprising way. I didn't want the book to end.

Wedding gift - personalized for your favorite couple

                 This was made   for a special couple  a couple years  ago.  Ask for the couple's  colors to match their bedroom or living room. It will become a keepsake for years and years .  Also a great reminder for  both of them .

                 The same item can also be handmade for the newest member of your family!  

Book Review- Divergent

  Divergent by V . Roth ( Katherine Tegen Books, 2013)

      Beatrice has a choice, actually many choices  of factions  to belong to after her schooling. She chooses one faction she knows will be exciting and challenging, but she does it on a whim and she is not sure why she has chosen it. But did she  make the wrong choice?

     Tris ( as she decides is her new name) has new friends. There are some in her group who are not sure and aware of her ca[abilities. Tris learns a lot and builds up her body as a member of the Dauntless group.

  As a final acceptance into the group, Tris learns the truth about the factions and her leaders. She must help her old factions and the others to  avoid being controlled by a few.  This YA book is intense Science Fiction story.( Similar to the Hunger Games) Now I want to read the second novel   to see what happens next.
  If you liked the Hunger Games  , this intense novel is for you.  Roth is an exceptional author bring characters and events to life.

Meal Plan: Summer time heat & Memorial day

The weekend was warm , I mean really warm. That's the day to go to the lake, where we cook out and hang out together.  Bob and I had barbequed spare ribs, and chicken fried steaks that we put on the grill. Ann and Peter did hot dogs and Hamburgers. We had macaroni salad, pasta salad,  and of course chips and dips.  The best was the first watermelon which was really good. Don't forget also the yummy cake! I have to get that recipe!

  This weekend will be rainy so we will do  something different

 Monday- out for Chinese

Tuesday- sword fish steak, corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes

Wednesday- Spaghetti & meal balls , salad, and bread

Thursday- grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, corn on the cob

Friday- Pizza night

Saturday  : ??

Sunday : Asian pork chops,  rice , carrots

Easy Ham Dinner

 We have a great piece of Ham ( it was in the freezer)  which we did  in the Crock Pot with some brown sugar and orange juice.  It is such an easy way to do ham and it comes out so good.   The meat just falls off the bone.  It is very tender.  We had green beans and potato salad ( it was a hot day) and there is another easy dinner with not a lot of work.
  Bob also stuck in some cloves which gave it a really nice flavor.  And we had enough leftover to make ham salad for sandwiches, and also western scrambled eggs. So if you have a ham  you have the basis for quite a few meals.  In the winter or fall, I would also make lentil or split pea soup with the ham bone.

Personalized Wedding Gift

  I am sewing a personalized wedding pillow for my second cousin's June wedding.I love making these pillows because I think it is a nice keepsake  and reminder.  I am hoping that the couples whom I have made them for will use them as a memento & reminder of their wedding day.
  I like to make them in either the colors of  couples master bedroom or living room. Sometimes I just make them in the bridal couples color theme for the wedding.

  I 'll take a photo o and show you  the pillow after the wedding- don't want to spoil the surprise  for the cute couple getting married.   This would also make a great  anniversary gift.!!

Pressure Cooker-Product Review

  We just received a new Power Pressure XL- yes we caved after seeing the  Seen on TV video of all the delicious easy food coming out of this machine.  We were watching QVC and decided to go ahead and order.

  It came quickly and was packed  very well.  The only thing I would change would be to have a bigger cookbook with more recipes in it.

 We made a roast pork loin  ( 4 pound) that was done in 40 minutes- also made a gravy  that was smooth and tasty.   Next time I do this roast l I would maybe do it for a few more minutes.  I am searching the Internet and looking at all kinds of pressure cook books to get more ideas for my next meal done in the Power Pressure XL.

Book Review- First Frost

   First Frost ( Allen, Sarah Addison, St. Martins Press, 2014)   a novel, show cases the Waverly Women from North Carolina, and they are a creative and unique family. Each member of the family has unique  and fascinating gifts.

   Claire is a caterer and candy maker. Sydney is a hair dresser, wants another baby.  Bay , 15 years old( Sydney's daughter) has already decided what boy she needs to be with- although the boy in question seems totally unreachable).Mariah ( Clarie' s daughter) is young and her gift is not yet evident. Then there is the mysterious stranger.

   They are all waiting for the First Frost. That's when their apple  shade tree blossoms and falls down  and everything that was wrong so far every year straightens itself out.

  This is an exciting and warm story that will keep you on the edge of your seat . And when its finished you will be wishing that there was more to read.

Book review- Firecomb Manor

     Firecomb Manor ( Riordain, Harper Collins, 2015) pairs two characters : Alice ( 1933) and Elizabeth ( 1898) as they await the birth of Alice's first and Elizabeth second child.  Alice becomes pregnant by a married man  - her parents send her away  in shame,  Elizabeth struggles with her demanding , always angry husband  with his need to have a male heir. Elizabeth has been unable to hold on to many pregnancy's

    The novel begins with Alice in London , just 22 and finding her self pregnant. Her mother send her to Firecomb manor to an old  friend  who is the maid /caretaker of the place.  This is where she begins to read the diary of Elizabeth as it outlines her daily life.

    The chapters go between Elizabeth and Alice, as we learn about each of them. Alice learns about Elizabeth and feel a definite kinship with her  The ending appears to be  natural conclusion although endearing and  exciting, Alice decided what she will do with her life   providing us with a nicely wrapped package ending,

Recipe- Lasagna Cupcakes

   We saw this recipe and had to try it!  We did a few adaptations  .  Our ravioli were from the dollar store and they were great. We got two packages.

 Lasagna Cupcakes
  24 round ravioli
   tomato sauce
   chopped spinach - ( we used Kale)
  Parmesan cheese

Step 1- Cook the ravioli in salted water for  just a couple minutes less than the specified time on the package.Drain well

Step 2- Spray  a 12 cup muffin tin with spray

 Step 3 - layer the lasagna- first a ravioli then some sauce and cheese, some kale, then another ravioli, sauce and grated cheeses.

Step 4- place in a preheated 350 oven for about 20 minutes until everything looks melted and yummy.

Cool a few minutes before serving with some extra sauce and a green salad.

 Since there are only two of us - we froze  4 of these to have at a later date.   ( I  took the extras for a lunch on day)

Book Review- Living Well, Spending Less

    According to Ruth Soukup , an unorganized life and budget leads to a stressful life . I would agree with her on both points. Through very easy reading, Living Well, Spending Less, Ruth  helps  us to work on becoming  more organized in your day to day  living.

  Ruth began as a blogger( Living Well Spending .com) I started reading her blog a while back  and found she has some great ideas  and types on organizing . I also love her site because it is so easy to find what you are looking for!

   Back to the book- for each secret  there is a chapter in which Ruth shares her story and then  offers a challenge to complete,  I also like the inspirations quotes she has shared.  She gives many references to other useful books and resources to help you in your quest to have a more organized and frugal life.  I would recommend this to all who are looking for some tips  on a less stressful life.

Easy Recipe- Leftover Casserole

     We had dribs and drabs of several meals , so Bob  made a leftover casserole  . He called paella casserole because he put in:
 Yellow Rice,
 a little bit leftover of canned shrimp
 a little bit of chopped ham
 one can chopped tomatoes
 He also added a partial can of yellow corn

 We stuck in the oven, and during the last 10 minutes we put some shredded Cheddar cheese,  It was quite tasty!  We baked it for 30 minutes at 350, served with applesauce. 

Decorating for Easter

 Last year we had some decorations we put up.  This year , with our new living room arrangement, we have several more places to decorate.  Our 'dining area' looks so great with the table in front of the window and our Easter placemats . Check it out to see how good it looks!

  Then in the kitchen   with our new table ( from Christmas tree shop)  we have another set of placemats that also look very springy and great for Easter!  All of these placemats we got several years ago when they were on sale for $1.00 each so they are really very budget friendly!

Cook Book Review- Sheet Pan Dinners

    This cookbook, Sheet Pan Dinners ( Gilbert , 2014) provides excellent ideas for an easy way to get dinner on the table with not a lot of cleanup.  Molly Gilbert , who began as a blogger of Dunkandcrumble.com has an easy going style. Her recipes are divided into chapters with like entrees. I want to try them all!

   The recipes are short with mostly just a few ingredients that you may already have on hand, or can easily get. Nothing to exotic or fancy or expensive.  I really like the fish and chicken recipes because that is what we mostly eat.  Soy Mustard Salmon & Broccoli and Honey Orange Shrimp with Bok Choy are fabulous!
Pepperoni French Bread pizza ( and our own variations) are a regular Friday night staple at our house.

  The sides section is also great because it helps you come up with some new and different side dishes. They are easy to prepare , throw in the oven, and easy to clean up.

  Any way I think this is a great book.  And a wonderful shower gift. get this book, a sheet pan, make  pot holders and you are good to go!