Friday, June 23, 2017

Trudy, Madly, Deeply - Wendy Delaney, Author


Sylvia's Funeral Tuna Casserole

1 lb egg noodles, cooked, drained shopping list
4 cans albacore tuna fish, drained shopping list
4 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup undiluted, low sodium if possible shopping list
1/2 soup can of heavy cream shopping list
1 cup frozen green peas, thawedshopping list
1-2 tsp celery seed or to taste shopping list
salt and pepper to taste
1 small bag of potato chips crushed

Combine everything with the cooked noodles except the potato chips.
Mix with a fork to separate the tuna into edible chunks
Place mixture in a large casserole dish
Cover with crushed potato chips
Bake in a 350F oven about 30 minutes
Sprinkle top with a bit of paprika if desired
Serve hot, chips will soften when cold.
Simple mix into casserole when reheating.


Trudy, Madly, Deeply - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of: Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; and A Book and a Dish

Gloria's unpainted lips pulled back into a lopsided grin. "Weren't you the one who sold me a cinnamon roll last Thursday?"

"That would be me."

"Interesting career path."


Tell me about it.'  I just prayed that path wouldn't lead to me wearing my breakfast on my shoes before the day was over.

She grabbed a form from behind the counter and slid it toward me.  "Fill this out."

Fifteen minutes later, Gloria handed me a laminated badge with the county seal that looked about as official as my library card.

"That's it?"

"That's it, hon.  She patted me on the hand.  "Try not to lose it or do anything to get the county sued."

Charmaine 'Char' Digby had just been sworn in a a deputy coroner.  Her last job, at Duke's Cafe, owned by her great-uncle Darrell Duquette, was where she served meals to most of those she would now be working with and unfortunately some that she would be investigating.

Her first 'case' turned out to be the death of a family friend who had been hospitalized for pneumonia but turned up dead due to asphyxiation.  According to one of the doctors, this was a bit unusual.  Apparently the Doctor didn't believe her death was an isolated incident.  There appeared to be several more recovering patients that died mysteriously, just before being released.  Char's task now is to find the person responsible for these deaths before another happens.

This book turned out to be one that was so different from any I've ever read.  It was an enjoyable book to curl up with at night.  It had humor and suspense, which made it even more appealing.  I followed Char through her suspicions and agreed with her, at times.  But when the true story of what was going was disclosed I was shocked.  It wasn't the 'who nor why' that I expected.  I'm now ready to go to the next chapter with Char in Book 2 'Sex,Lies, and Snickerdoodles.'






Thursday, June 22, 2017

Salads Omelets & Quiches - Arlene Lee, Author



Coconut Carrot Salad

1 cup flaked coconut
1 1/2 cup shredded raw carrots
1/4 cup seedless raisins
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Chill.  Serve on top of crisp lettuce with additional mayonnaise, if desired.  Garnish with drained canned mandarin oranges.


Salads Omelets & Quiches - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of:  Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; and A Book and A Dish

This is a truly unique cookbook.  It not only contains delicious, simple recipes but also word search puzzles using the ingredients and pages for coloring.

I've tried several of the recipes, including the one above for Coconut Carrot Salad.  I've made it with and without the ginger, testing it on some of my own food testers.  Some liked it with the ginger, some without but either way, the addition of coconut is wonderful!

There is a recipe for Broccoli Salad which is out of this world!  The biggest problem I had with it was sharing.  I actually wanted to keep all of it just for me.

The third recipe I tried was for a Spinach and Bacon Quiche.  It too was a hit with my food testers as well as myself.  Yes, I made a change.  I eliminated the crust and baked it in a casserole dish.  So delicious!

So, if you want some really simple recipes that are simply tasty, you might want to check out Salads Omelets & Quiches.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Charge of an Angel - Linda Diane Wattley, Author



Shrimp with Garlic Cream Sauce over Linguine

1 cup hot water
1 cup Original COFFEEMATE Powdered Coffee Creamer
8 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
3/4 cup Buitoni Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese (5 oz.) 
1 pkg. Buitoni Refrigerated Linguine (9 oz.) , prepared at the last minute
Directions:
WHISK together water and Coffee-mate until smooth.

BRING 6 cups water to a boil in medium saucepan. Add garlic; cook for 2 minutes. Add shrimp; cook for 2 minutes or until they turn pink. Drain. Peel and chop garlic.

HEAT oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.

WHISK in Coffee-mate mixture and cornstarch; whisk until cornstarch is dissolved. Cook, whisking occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken. Stir in parsley, cheese and shrimp. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to coat.

Nutritional Information
Serving size: 1/4
Servings per recipe: 4
Calories530
Calories from Fat180
Total Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 11g53%
Cholesterol 180mg59%
Sodium 410mg17%
Carbohydrates 50g17%
Dietary Fiber 2g7%
Sugars 1g
Protein31g
Vitamin A8%
Vitamin C10%
Calcium20%
Iron15%

Charge of an Angel - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of: Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; and A Book and A Dish

"I will never know who I would have been if this hadn't happened to me.  That is so hard for me to live with.  I don't know the real person I was, and I never will.  How can I live with something like that?  I feel robbed - cheated.  First, my mother and my brother are taken from me.  I found out that my father is not my father, and then I find out my virginity, youth, and innocence was stolen right in front of my face.  Why me?"

Her name is Leona Marie Tillard and her life has been turned inside out.  One night she, her mother, father and two brothers went to bed as a family.  When she woke her mother was gone.  Sometime later her brother went away and Daddy will tell her nothing about where they are or why she can't see them.  Daddy was lost without her mother and needed someone to 'comfort' him.  With Leona being the only female in the house, she stepped into that position.  Then comes her Daddy's marriage to another woman who has three children of her own and her family is complete again.  So she thought.

When I ask Author Linda Wattley if this book was fact or fiction she assured me it is both.  After talking to her, we both confirmed we knew young girls who were put into a position of being sexually abused by parents, other relatives, and adults that were in their lives.  The same adults that were supposed to take care of them and lead them in the right direction chose instead to impose their own sick needs on these innocent children.  And in some instances they even included boys in their desires.

Are the children to be blamed for not telling?  No way.  The threats they receive if they tell is too fearful.  They are brainwashed to believe that what they are doing isn't wrong. Supposedly, it's all done as an act of love, a way of showing love, and proving they are loved.  If they are found out they are treated by others as being sick as well and that they should have known better, known it was wrong, refused what was being done to them.  How can you know something is wrong if someone who is supposed to take care of you and teach you right from wrong is committing the crime against you?  You simply can't.


Charge of an Angel is book one of three.  It takes you through the abuse that Leona endures, her feelings, and her ways of escaping from realty.  It will make you hurt for her and those like her.  It will make you want to really hurt the person doing this to her.  And it will have you waiting to see how life treats her as she gets out of her abusive life and goes on as a young adult.  I know I'm patiently waiting on book 2.

Saturday, June 3, 2017

Crossover Murder: Reality TV Cozy Mysteries 2 - Nikki Haverstock, Author



Strawberry Daiquiri from Captain Morgan

1.25 ounces of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
1.75 ounces of Sweet and Sour Mix
3 ounces of frozen strawberries
1 cup of ice 
Blend and garnish cup with sugar


Enjoy responsibly with a favorite book - Nikki :)

Crossover Murder:  Reality TV Cozy Mysteries 2 - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of:  Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

The plan was that we would try another live cast over the Internet of Heather welcoming Texas Shore Cowboys to the area.  Then she'd pass the microphone over to Peppin, the star of the bank and the show, who would announce the private concert the following evening at Priscilla's theater, the Fish.  Peppin would hype up the even, and we would stop the live cast.

Tomorrow, we would also do a quick live cast of the first few minutes of the convert.  Both the live casts would serve to advertise next week's episode.  One of the biggest issues with promoting the show had been a lack of commercials.  How could you advertise upcoming episodes when they weren't even filmed yet?  The best approach so far had been to have a murder on set - then the media did the advertising for you.

The cast of Savv Socialites of Fishcreek Falls, is back and Melissa finds herself solving yet another murder.  The reality show joins temporary forces with the band Texas Shore Cowboys which spices up the story as well as the action.  You'll meet Peppin who is the lead singer of the Cowboys, as well as some of the others in the band, as they come into Fishcreek Falls with their desire to party, fight and have a good time.  You'll also enjoy the sneaky antics of Heather as she does her best to discredit and destroy Melissa.

I read a lot of books and can normally come up with the 'bad guy/gal' at least half way in.  With this Author Nikki Haverstock, it seems that I know who I think it will be but the more I read the more I doubt my choice.  She will take you to the end before giving you full confirmation as to whether you are right or wrong, and that I like in a good mystery.  Oh yeah!  Bubbles is in full character throughout.  If you read Book 1 you'll remember Bubbles as being the 'gassy' dog that Melissa adopted from the shelter.  He will keep you smiling and laughing from beginning to end.

 
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