Olivia's Gift - Nancy Carabio Belanger, Author

 

Grandma's Lime Gelatin Surprise
(Feeds a crowd!)

 

1 large or 2 small packages lime gelatine
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple pieces not drained (You need
  1 cup of liquid here.  You may have to add water to make
  1 cup of liquid)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup ginger ale
2 cups boiling water

 

Mix 2 cups boiling water with gelatin and dissolve completely.  Add softened cream cheese to ginger ale and mix well.  Add mixture to gelatine.  Add undrained pineapple and juice (1 cup), mix well.  Refrigerate until firm.

 

 

Olivia’s Gift – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

 

“He set before me a book of nature; I understood how all the flowers He has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not take away from the perfume of the little violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wildflowers. And so it is in this world of souls, Jesus’ garden. He willed to create great souls comparable to lilies and roses, but He has created smaller ones and these must be content to be daisies or violets destined to give joy to God’s glances when He looks down at His feet. Perfection consists in doing His will, in being what He wills us to be.” - St. Therese

 

Olivia Thomas has loved and cherished her books of her favorite saint St. Therese of Lisieux for a long time now. She follows St. Therese’s ‘little ways’ in everything she does, or at least she tries. But things are about to change for Olivia when her family are invited to spend a whole month at her Aunt and Uncle’s house on the beach. The house is beyond beauty, in Olivia and her friend Hayley’s eyes as they see it, the ocean and the kids that reside around it. The surrounding houses as well as the people inside those houses all have one thing in common – money, and lots of it. That is except for Olivia and her family. In fact, her family may have to really start ‘pinching pennies’ due to her dad being laid off and not really sure when he’ll be called back to work. But for now, they will enjoy a full month of living in a beautiful home by the ocean.

 

Like St. Therese, Olivia strives to do what’s right. She treats people the way she would like to be treated, shares with everyone and never lies. She’s even started a project of saving her money to sponsor a young girl’s family in Guatemala. But that is all about to change as Olivia and Hayley meet their next door neighbors Brooke and Brandon. Two kids whose family has given them everything they could ever dream of – but love, attention, discipline, rules. They basically do as they please, not caring who nor what is hurt in the process. And meeting these two has put Olivia into a position of shame. Shame that her own family has no money but does have rules that in order to fit in Olivia must lie about owning her Aunt and Uncles home, traveling around the world and being a ‘little rich girl’ that goes to a private school. She must also use the money she has saved for her project to buy things she doesn’t really need just to fit in. But we all know that sooner or later our lies and actions catch up with us. So what does Olivia do to mend her ways? That’s a question you’ll have to find out by reading Olivia’s Gift.

 

Olivia’s Gift is a book that EVERY young girl needs to read. The positions Olivia and Hayley find themselves in are positions I feel sure they can all relate to. I know I could and I’ve been grown for a long time. These situations never change from generation to generation. They are always there and hopefully Olivia’s Gift is a book that will help young girls understand the ‘whys’ as well as the’ what to dos’ when faced with the decisions Olivia had to face. I highly recommend that every parent with a daughter of reading age present her with a copy of Olivia’s Gift. I also recommend that the parents read it too so they can be there to help their daughter through this hurdle in their life.

Willowtree - Mike Bove, Author

Eggplant Caprese
 (mentioned in Willowtree)

1 med. eggplant (serves 2)
1 med-large tomato, diced
Fresh Basil, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil

I do not measure these ingredients. More or less depends on your taste. I like a handful of basil and two cloves of garlic.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash and cut eggplant in half, lengthwise.  Cut out eggplant leaving a "boat" with walls about 1/4".  Dice the removed eggplant.  Heat oil in a skillet.  Add eggplant.  Heat on Med. for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Lower heat and add garlic.  Cook for 3 minutes.  Mix tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, cheese and eggplant in a bowl.  Put into "boats".  Sprinkle with more cheese on top.  Bake 12-15 minutes to melt cheese.

Willowtree – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

 

Friday, September 24. Exactly three weeks ago Keely and I found a dead body near the golf course. How did that discovery affect my life? It became one-major third of my life. My wife, Genevive, and my golf game, were the other two thirds. I tried to keep them in order, Genny first. These damn murders kept intruding into my consciousness. I didn’t know how the police measured their progress in solving the cases. It seemed I found out information as fast as they did, not fast enough. I was sure the three deaths were related. And the La Banda, and jimsonweed connected them. I had to get over this obsession. I was more resolved than ever to do what I could to put these cases to rest. I wished to get back to my life with two major halves, not thirds.

 

In the town of Willowtree, a man was killed. It appeared he had fallen off a cliff. Did he fall by accident or was he murdered? Years later Bruce and his dog Keely find another body. It too had fallen off a cliff, or had it been pushed? Within days another body is found. This one has been stabbed leaving no doubt that his death was murder. The connection between these three deaths – the La Banda club that had been formed when all of its members were still in school and a plant called jimsonweed, better known by the Indians as ‘loco weed.’

 

Bruce is a retired postman. He tired of the working world and retired with the aspect of doing his favorite pastime – playing golf. He and his friend Ben, who was also the brother of the first man to take a plunge over the cliff, spent most of their days trying to outdo each other on the course and thoroughly enjoying this new aspect in his life. That was until he found the body of the second cliff jumper. That is also when Bruce took up a new profession. He became an amateur detective decided to help speed up the progress of the police as they tried to solve the deaths of what soon became three murders.

 

This is one of the most light-hearted suspense/murder mysteries I’ve read in a long time. The camaraderie between Bruce, Ben and Bruce’s wife Genny is priceless. And the ending – well I’ll just say that I didn’t see that coming. I hope this will be just the first of many more books to come from Author Mike Bove and his team of Bruce, Ben and Genny.

Dimensions In Time - Lawrence Johnson, Sr.

 

Shrimp Salad

(less fat – less carbs.)

 

2 1/2 cups Elbow macaroni (low carb.)

2 tablespoons Dijonniase mustard

2 Eggs (large) boiled

2 stalks Celery (diced)

2 pounds Shrimp

3 tablespoons Lemon juice

4 tablespoons Mayonnaise (low fat)

½ teaspoon Salt

½ teaspoon Pepper (white)

1 teaspoon Onion powder

1 teaspoon Garlic powder

 

Cook macaroni, drain and let cool. Cook shrimp, peel, devein and cut into half's or thirds depending on size. In a large mixing bowl combine macaroni, oil, shrimp, celery, eggs and stir.

Add Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and Helmann's Dijonnaise then stir again.

Add remaining ingredients stir. This dish may be served warm or chilled.

Original recipe by Larry Johnson – The Budget Gourmet

 

Dimensions In Time - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

 

'Aunt Judy gave him a smile as she walked over to the old desk near the window. She reached into the bottom drawer of the battered oak desk and pulled out a cigar box and tattered dog-eared copy of the novel Journey to the Center of the Earth. The elderly woman handed the book and cigar box to her nephew.'

 

Uncle Joe was Eddie's favorite. Most people considered him a bit 'odd' but Eddie could never get enough of his stories about flying horses, dragons and elves. He would be surely missed by Eddie but at least he had something to remember him by, his cigar box and book, or at least that's what he thought until later that night, when he actually opened the box and found it contained an old map and a silver ring with a sapphire stone in the center. His mind raced and his heart beat faster than normal. "A treasure hunt. What was Uncle Joe trying to tell me?" Eddie asked himself.

 

Well, being like his Uncle, Eddie knew there was only one way to find out. Take the map and find the 'treasure.' The trip would take him to the Amazon and since Eddie's brother Michael was getting married soon, this would be the perfect trip for the two of them to make before he took on the life of a 'married man.' What he didn't expect to find when arriving at the spot described on the map was a second Stonehenge, flying horses and little people. He also never expected to be given the chance to change the outcome of one of the greatest disasters of his time and save hundreds of lives.

 

 

I've read several of Author Lawrence Johnson's books and this short story e-book will take you on a journey through time that only he can do. It's a great quick read for those who love a little adventure in your life, like I do.

A Teacher Grows in Brooklyn - Albert Mazza, Author

 

Bagel Dip
(Perfect Recipe for a man from NY)

Mix together:

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 5 ozs corned beef (thinly sliced deli, chopped
• 1/4 cup onion (chopped)1 Tbsp fresh parsley (minced)
• 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
• 2 tsps prepared horseradish (optional)

Cut up 4 bagels into bite-size pieces for dipping.

A Teacher Grows in Brooklyn – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
 

‘At the village we were greeted by our hosts and tribe members. My girls were again paired with one family and I was to be hosted that night by Susan. Her home was a block building with “outside plumbing.” A hand pump brought rain water into a small kitchenette. There were two rooms in the building. Susan was young, pretty, and blonde. She was given a guard at night to discourage the tribe’s young men. The Kalenjin were more advanced than the Luo, but the Peace Corps did not want any incidents with their volunteers. My new host, Edward, was slightly older than I was. He had fourteen children ranging in age from five to twenty-three years. His family occupied more than four buildings: sleeping quarters for the younger children, a larger building with a bedroom for him and his wife, and a living/dining room with a television set. I hardly saw his wife, who spoke only Swahili. Much of her time was taken up shopping and cooking in a typical cooking hut that had a chimney and an overworked fireplace that seemed to turn out food twenty-four hours a day. Edward told me that all his children will go to college. His eldest son was already married and a teacher. He was very proud to be a grandfather. Edward was also proud that he was a wealthy man with a healthy wife, many children, and a very productive tea plantation.’
 

Al Mazza grew up in Brooklyn and later went into the field of education serving many roles but with his most important one, in my opinion, as a creator of a student exchange program. He and his students traveled throughout the world learning the cultures as well as some of the languages, but most importantly earning the friendship of those within their travels. The experiences learned by teacher and students are priceless and could never be learned, taught nor ‘felt’ without this program. Teacher and student traveled to Japan where they took a trip to Mt. Fuji on the “Bullet Train.” They visited Belfort, which is famous for the Statue of Liberty design. They viewed the beauty of the Pyramids at Giza. And these were just a few of the trips allowed over the years for those students lucky enough to qualify for the exchange program. During their stay in the different countries, the students actually lived with their host family and attended the schools. In exchange, students from the host countries were treated to the same experiences within the United States.
 

What I can really express about my feelings while reading A Teacher Grows in Brooklyn is that I envy those who were treated to these experiences. The knowledge and memories can be nothing but grand. I would have loved to be a part of this program but since I wasn’t I do appreciate being able to read the memories and stories shared with us by Albert Mazza.

Never Say Neigh - Noah Vail with Mary I. Farr, Authors

 

Homemade Horseradish

(A Noah special)

Ingredients:

8-10-inch long piece of horseradish root

2 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp white vinegar

Pinch salt

1 Remove the leaves from the root and rinse the dirt off of the root.

2 Use a vegetable peeler to peel the surface skin off of the tuber. Chop into pieces.

3 Put into a food processor. Add a couple tablespoons of water. Process until well ground. Be careful to keep fumes and any juice far from your eyes. Keep at arm’s length away, and work in a well ventilated room.

Strain out some of the water if the mixture is too liquid-y. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to the mixture. Pulse to combine.

Note that the vinegar will stabilize the level of hotness of the ground horseradish, so do not wait too long to add it to the mixture

4 Using a rubber spatula, carefully transfer the grated horseradish to a jar. It will keep for 3 to 4 weeks in the refrigerator.

 

Never Say Neigh - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh,Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

 

It takes a long time to train a human. None of this “get them broke in thirty days and into competition by age two” philosophy works with two-legged partners. It takes time and creativity on a horse’s part to get past all those self-assured human ways. In fact, most humans don’t know the difference between a horse problem and a horse lesson. Typically, they think training setbacks begin and end with the horse, though I beg to differ. I once heard a fellow blame his horse’s poor performance on the fact that the horse grew faster on one end than on the other. Now, this revelation caused quite a hoot in the horse community. We never did figure out which end grew faster, the rump or the withers. The gelding looked pretty even on both ends.

 

So, can Noah train his human owner and talk her into helping him write a book? He has everything it takes to become a good author. He’s a good listener when the other horses talk. Unlike humans, he knows what they want and need. With ‘Madam’s’ help he will surely have a best seller out in no time.

 

Noah was once a racer who just couldn’t quite make the speed. Madam bought him and took him home to his new home at Evergreen Farm. The accommodations left a lot to be desired at first but before long he was given a nice, spacious room that will end up being sufficient to double as his ‘office.’ That is as soon as he convinces Madam to co-author with him on the book that is sure to open the eyes of every horse lover out there. Who knows, he might even make friends with the other 4 legged animals running around like they own the place… the cat, dog, cows, other horses… and add a few of their comments and stories just in case someone other than a horse lover wants to buy his book. He might even fall in love with that pretty filly rooming across from him and write about her. All-in-all life is going to be just great in his new home with his new owner. If he can just get her trained!

 

Meet the next 'Mr. Ed.'  You can’t help but laugh as you read Noah’s comments and feelings about anything from dressage to jumping to cattle horses. And his conversations with the other animals such as the mouse will have you smiling and even laughing out loud. This is a very light hearted book that is enjoyable for adults as well as being the perfect book to read a chapter or so to the kids before lights out.

License to Lie - Terry Ambrose, Author

CHOCOLATE-DRIZZLED TRAIL MIX (A Terry Ambrose Favorite)   3 cups nuts (peanuts, almonds & pecans)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup coconut flakes 1 cup raisins 1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries 1 cup chocolate chips

1.  Mix together the nuts, sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, raisins and cranberries or cherries.
2.  Spread the mixture on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.
3.  Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave.  Pour the chocolate over the baking sheet in ribbons.  Stir to coat everything.
4.  Let the chocolate cool, then break the mix into pieces and pack it in individual containers.
Serves 12

License to Lie – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

 

“You lied about not knowing what Richard was upset about. Did it have something to do with Roxy?” The color drained from Tommy’s face. He grabbed the towel he’d hung over his shoulder and began to wipe the bar. “I-I can’t.” “Richard Tanner may be in some sort of trouble. If you know something, tell me. I won’t tell Roxy. This is in confidence between you and me. You don’t have time to think about it Tommy, she’ll be back in a minute.” Tommy let out a deep breath. “Richard never said exactly what he was upset about, just that Roxy lied to him about something.” “That’s it? Come on, there has to be more.” Skip glanced in the direction of the restrooms, no Roxy yet. Tommy grimaced and crossed his arms over his chest. “Don’t lock up on me, Tommy. We don’t have time for niceties.” “Okay, okay. It has something to do with Roxy’s business. She’s got him totally screwed up. He kept saying something about a scam.”

 

And boy was it ever a scam. One to the tune of almost five million dollars that Roxy Tanner had swindled from some of her rich ‘investors’ with no intentions of investing nor giving back to them. If there was to be an investment, it was to be in her own future sitting on a beach somewhere in a country where she couldn’t be found. But now her father was missing and she needed help finding him. That’s when she spotted Skip Cosgrove on TV after he had found a missing child and returned him to his parents. This just might be the person to help her find her dad. But this theory changed when those responsible for his disappearance demanded five million dollars ransom for his return.

 

The last person Roxy had trusted was a man that she met when she was 8 years old. She tried to sell him a fake Rolex and it landed her in more trouble than any child that age should face. Now she was faced with actually needing someone to trust. Maybe Skip would be that person. But how does an con artist trust a criminologist that sometimes works as a consultant for the police. How would he react if he found out what she had done and was planning to do? If he got that close she would have to make dismiss him before he turned her in and she ended up spending the rest of her good years in prison instead of on the beach. But boy was Skip hard to get rid of and hard to forget. Skip also found that Roxy was hard to forget, too.

 

The adventure, excitement and speed of this story kept me on the edge. I wanted Roxy to find her dad, alive and to give the money back to those she scammed but when the money ended up being transferred from her account to the kidnappers I actually felt sorry for her. She would either have to find a way to recover the money or go to jail for sure. There was no running away with enough stashed away to hide forever. I also felt sorry for Skip who by then had fallen hard for Roxy. He knew in his heart that if she did recover the money she would run so with both of them between a rock and a hard place they end up….. Sorry but you’ll have to read the book to see how they ended up. I can promise you that in doing so you’ll go down a road with more curves than straight stretches. This was a good one!

Ghost Hunting Diary - Volume I - T. M. Simmons, Author

 

 

Cucumber-Tomato Side Salad

(I learned to make this years and years ago from one of my aunts. I've seen and tasted various other versions at gatherings or on buffets, but none are prepared like this simple one I make or taste like it. It always goes over very well at our own family gatherings. In fact, when we plan a get-together, one of the first questions I get asked from one son and a few others is: Are you going to make your cucumber-tomato dish?  T. M. Simmons)
 
Ingredients:
Two nice, red, ripe tomatoes
Three-four nice, firm cucumbers
One large yellow onion
One cup cider-apple vinegar
One tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup sugar (or sweetener to taste)

In an adequate-size bowl or jar, mix vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar and stir briskly. Taste it to see if it is too tart or sweet for your taste, and adjust, if necessary. We like it pretty tart. Set aside.

In a large flat bowl or plastic storage dish, with lid, slice the tomatoes into thin slices.

Peel and slice the cucumbers into slices about 1/8" thick.
Peel and slice the onion into thin slices. Separate the individual layers of onion and add to tomatoes and cucumbers.
Toss the tomatoes, cucumbers and onions together.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables and cover with lid.
Place in refrigerator at least two hours before you want to serve them.
Approximately every half-hour, stir the contents to make sure the vinegar gets distributed over everything.

Enjoy!

 

Ghost Hunting Diary – Volume I – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

 

The Green Room is haunted by a Confederate soldier, but for some reason, he only appears in the summer.  He had been wounded in the Civil War and found his way to The Myrtles, where he died from his wounds.  There are tales of people seeing six red-coated British soldiers carrying a coffin out by the pond.  A lady in white walks around the grounds, and both guests and townspeople have reported seeing her.  The most famous story about The Myrtles, though, is the story of Cloe, the black slave.  Clark Woodruff owned the plantation in the early 1800’s.  By 1982, he and his wife had three children, two girls and a boy.  There was a portrait of Woodruff in the game room, and stories say that people have actually seen tears flowing down it.  In those days the southern plantations were worked by slaves, and at times, the masters took mistresses from the workers.  One of Woodruff’s mistresses was Cloe.  Proud and protective of her status, since it kept her in the house and out of the fields picking cotton and other crops, Cloe intended to maintain her position.  Thus, she tended to eavesdrop in order to store up any information that might assist her.  When caught Woodruff ordered Cloe’s ear cut off and banished her from his bed.

 

Author T. M. Simmons doesn’t just write paranormal stories; she lives them too.  The ghosts above are just some that she and her Aunt Belle encountered while visiting The Myrtles in St. Francisville, Louisiana, just outside of Baton Rouge.  In her Ghost Hunting Diary Volume I, she gives us a look at what is involved in ‘cleansing’ a room and sometimes even a whole house.  But I think the story that got to me the most was when she and other members of the North Texas Paranormal Research Society visited Goshen Cemetery, just out from Eustance, Texas on of all times of the year, Halloween. 

 

There have been times in my own life that I’ve felt there were ‘others’ among us but have always brushed this feeling off to excuses such as ‘I’m alone,’ ‘Its Dark,’ or ‘That was just the wind.’  After reading Ghost Hunting Diary Volume I, I’ve just about decided that there is a lot more to these encounters than we realize.  I have a feeling that by the time I get to her 4^th Ghost Hunting Diary, I’ll be a true believer.