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.

Confession​s of a Predator Lender - Irma Fritz, Author

IRMA’S TUSCAN BEAN SOUP

(with heel of Parmesan and Hambone)

 

Wash and sort 1 lb of Great Northern white beans
Bring to boil in large pot in 6-8 cups of cold water (or soak overnight)
Boil rapidly for 2 minutes
Remove from heat and let sit for 1 hr
Return beans to boil; simmer until cooked, but still firm
 

While beans are simmering:

Chop and fry ½ lb bacon in 1 tsp olive oil in large pan until medium done

Peel, chop coarsely and add 1 carrot, 1 parsnip, 1 stalk celery and cook with bacon
Chop coarsely andadd 1 onion to bacon
Peel, mince and add 4 cloves of garlic to bacon

When vegetables are tender, but still firm:

Add ham bone with leftover ham to soup kettle (or chopped up deli ham)

Add heel of Parmigiano Reggiano
Add cooked bacon and vegetables
Add spices: 4 bay leaves, white pepper, 1 Tsp oregano (no salt needed due to cheese)
Add 1 can roasted, crushed tomatoes
Add 4 diced fresh Romano tomatoes
Add more boiling water if needed

Bring soup back to boil and then simmer gently for 1 hr to melt flavors

Remove hambone, cut off ham and add to soup
Discard heel of parmesan and bay leaves
To serve: top each bowl with chopped Italian parsley and grated Parmesan cheese
Yield: 10-12 servings

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

“During the eighteen months the Otts have had their home, they have paid only part of the interest and none of the principal. Now, that the reset date has arrived, I’m not surprised that shock and awe has set in. Their new payments will be three, maybe even four, times the amount of the monthly payments they’ve been making. I could explain to Sally that they can’t refinance a house that’s worth less than the amount they owe. I could explain to her that their house is a piece of paper, called a mortgage-backed security, that’s been sold and resold. Their home is identified by a serial number, rather than a family name Whoever owns a share of the Otts’ CDO has never seen photos of Sally, John, Haley, and J. J. And if Big Lou and Steve can’t come up with a viable solution for our bank, very soon I will be in the same position as the Otts.”    (Quote from Confessions of a Predatory Lender)

Lewis ‘Big Lou’ Goode is the CEO of Goode Mortgage Bank. This is the bank his own father created years ago. Now, the bank has branches extending throughout the U.S. But Big Lou wants his bank to grow even bigger. How? By flooding the mortgage lending market with new products, which will allow just about anyone to qualify for a mortgage. With loan products the customer can buy with no money down, without the best credit references, such as the ARM programs, they can pay just some of the interest and none of the mortgage at a lower interest. Then a few months down the road after the new homeowner has had time to build up a little nest egg, the loan will jump up to a higher interest rate. But by then they will be in better financial shape to make the higher payments. This is just one of the products Big Lou has highlighted to his newest graduating class of loan officers. And when he talks about the money they themselves will profit from these sales, greed can’t help but kick in.

Greed is exactly what Christy Palus feels as she climbs the ladder to success. As she and her best friend Megan begin to live their dreams of great cars, clothes and even a houseboat, Christy finds herself betraying, not only Megan, but anyone else who seems to get in her way. She isn’t proud of what she does to rise up the ranks, but does see it as something that must be done. When her very first buyer comes back to her for yet another Big Lou deal, in the form of a cash out loan, and her gut tells her this isn’t such a good idea for the customer, again greed steps in to remind her that the customer is really the greedy one by wanting more.

Then it happens. The housing bubble bursts. The customers can’t pay and the banks are running out of money to loan. The housing market is going down the tubes with no relief in sight. Loans were made, loans were sold, and the housing values are dropping, leaving everyone out in the cold. Will Christy herself survive? Should she survive? Is she the ‘Predatory Lender?’

I’ve seen the events within this book happening all around me. I’ve known young couples who would never have qualified to buy, had the loans been given on the merit of credit, job and stability. I’ve seen them spend the money they saved with lower interest rates, even though they knew in the back of their minds that the rate would soon go up. I’ve seen the stress these financial situations have put on couples, some enough to split them up. And I’ve seen the houses being foreclosed on, due to the rise in their interest rates. But this hasn’t affected just those who have and will lose their homes. It’s affected all of us through the property values of our homes. Even in the condos where I live, there have been foreclosures with the banks selling the property way below the mortgage. With just a few foreclosures within an area, you end up with the decrease of all property around it. Although Confessions of a Predator Lender is a book of fiction, it has opened my eyes, showing me exactly how and why this has and is still happening. It all boils down to one word… Greed. This is a book filled with humor and truth and well worth reading.

'Til the Streetligh​ts Came On - Daniel J. Porter, Author

 

Meatloaf
(A Daniel J. Porter Special)

2 lbs. ground round steak

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups bread crumbs

Spice blend

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup milk

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

Spice blend:

2 tsp. dried mustard
2 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp. basil
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. onion powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix thoroughly in order given. Top with tomato sauce. Place in 9 x 5 loaf pan. Bake for 60 minutes. Serves 6.

 

 

‘Til the Streetlights Came On – Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

 

6:30 a.m.: The thud of the paper on the front porch – two hours until ‘game time.’ (It took until 8:30 for the morning commute traffic to clear our streets, which would then remain virtually car-free until 4:30 that afternoon.)

7:00 a.m.: The gurgle of your family’s coffee pot churning out its black gold – ninety minutes until game time.

7:30 a.m.: The roar of Mr. Pruschetti’s Plymouth wagon… T-Minus sixty minutes and counting.

 

Cued by this melliferous morning melee, we headed down for a bowl of frosted something-or-others and listened for a signal from which we drew further indications of what the day held in store. Our communication network was closer to the beating of tribal drums than today’s web of technology. We moved to the sounds of our world with sublime synchronicity. Noises that seemed inconsequential to others were Morse code to our awaiting ears. We simply listened to the world around us – and we knew what to do.

 

Now those were the days! If you were a kid growing up from the 1950s to the 1980s, you can very possibly relate to this. This was the time when we had no cell phones, no texting, and no computer games. This was the time when we actually ‘played.’ There were organized sports for those lucky enough to live in an area that offered them or if you family could afford to pay for you to participate but for those who couldn’t, your games were organized by those who played. Sometimes it even became the one who had the ball or bat or glove. As to where you played, a lot of times it was in the road or if you were lucky, the vacant lot. Those were the days of not only having real, honest fun but also the days of self teaching and learning lessons that would follow you through the rest of your life.

 

As Author Daniel J. Porter spreads out his childhood stories, I can’t help but think about the kids of today. As we expand more and more each day into the computer world I can’t help but feel that today’s kids are missing out on so much. Other than technology, what are today’s kids learning? Can a computer game teach them team work? Can a computer game teach them respect for others? Can a computer game teach them to share? Sadly I fell the answer to these questions have to be answered with a no. Yes there are organized sports and events that kids can participate in but the accomplishment of organizing, bring the players together, setting up the rules of fairness and most of all, making those friendships and memories that will last a lifetime can’t be found in a computer game.

 

As I read ‘Til the Streetlights Came On I took a wonderful walk down memory lane. It also made me feel sorry for the kids of today. They are missing out on so much. Maybe, just maybe, this book will help wake us up and get the kids outside where the real fun begins. It’s a book I recommend be read, especially by young parents.

Suzanne's Kitchen - An A-Z Kitchen Guide - 'Come On In' - Suzanne Rexford, Author

 

 

ESCAROLE (WEDDING) SOUP

(Suzanne's Recipe was printed in
 Citrus County Chronicle)

Meatballs:
* 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1/2 pound ground pork
* 1/2 pound ground beef
* 1 egg, beaten
* 2 teaspoons sage
* 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
* 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
* 2 cloves garlic
* Salt and pepper to taste
For the soup:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 cloves garlic
* 1 pound escarole
* 8 cups chicken broth
* 1/2 small onion
* Salt and pepper to taste

 

Mix the milk and breadcrumbs in a small bowl; let sit 5 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients for the meatballs along with the soaked breadcrumbs. Mix well with your hands. Form teaspoon-size meatballs and place them on a sheet pan.

Heat 6-quart pan; add olive oil and garlic. Sauté 30 seconds (do not brown garlic and onion). Add the escarole and sauté 5 minutes until it collapses. Add the chicken broth and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
Carefully drop the meatballs into the simmering soup. Do not stir! After 2 to 3 minutes when the meatballs have held their form, carefully stir them. Let the soup simmer for 1 hour.

 

Suzanne's Kitchen - An A-Z Kitchen Guide - 'Come on In' - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

What is 'Brown Betty?' What is 'Enamelware?' What is 'Gratin?' What is 'Light Beer?' What is a 'Snow Pea?' What is 'Quinoa?' If you know the answers to these questions, see if you can answer a few more. What does 'Cooking in Liquid' mean? What does 'Cube' mean? What does 'Frizzle' mean? What does 'Mince' mean? What does 'Render' mean? Answered these all correctly? Just a few more. Do you know how to purchase 'Corn?' Do you a substitution for 'Corn Syrup?' Do you know how to store 'Limes?' Do you know what needs to be done to 'Meringue' to keep it from shrinking? Do you how to use 'Star Anise?'
 

If you answered yes to all of these you just may not need this book. I for one have to look some of these up before giving an intellegent answer. I've always heard of Brown Betty and am sure I've eaten it but never really knew what it was. I found a recipe using Quinoa but had no idea what it was, where it came from nor how to cook it. I actually have some Star Anise but had no idea what meats are complimented by this licorice smelling 'pod' that comes from an evergreen that grows in southwestern China and northern Vietnam. And when it came to a substitution for Corn Syrup, I had to look that answer up too and that is where Suzanne's Kitchen came in.
 

As soon as I picked this book up the first thing that came to my mind was a 'cooking dictionary!' How many times have I needed one of those. Sure, we can all go to the internet but that means logging in to the internet, typing in the main topic of what we're looking for and then sorting through several pages of articles/blogs written on the topic. With Suzanne's Kitchen you simply look it all up within one book. Short, simple and quick. I love this book and as much as I cook I'll never be able to store all of the cooking information within my head that you can find within this one book. This is a book that EVERY kitchen needs, whether you cook a lot or just a little. This one will be used in my kitchen.
 

Road Trip - Mari Sloan, Author

 

 

$1000 Split Second Cookies

(Mari's favorite cookie)

Sift: 2 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream: 2/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup soft margarine

1 egg

2 tsps. vanilla

 

Combine the dry mixture with the wet mixture. Roll into a large ball then divide that ball into four equal parts. Roll each part into a long roll, then flatten each roll with the heel of your hand, leaving an indentation on the top of each roll. Fill each indentation with your favorite jelly, fancy or plain according to the occasion. Be inventive! Place the flattened rolls 4" apart and 2 " away from the edge of a cookie sheet, and bake at 350 degrees until light brown. When cool, cut into strip cookies and dip in granulated sugar if you want. Enjoy a cookie loved by all of the children I have ever known and my own personal favorite.

 

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

 

"Molly was the only person who knew what really happened in the cave and Anna realized she was never going to tell. When asked, Molly met her eyes with a dark, glazed look and walked away. Not one more word was ever said about J. D. by her; not about J. D. or the man he had killed – the itinerant preacher serial killer Charlie Callahan, whose hobby had been collecting and mummifying human heads. They both disappeared. Neither came back, and the residents of Beaufort Falls didn’t care. Gone, they made a better story, and one that grew each time the wind rustled the limbs of the ancient water oaks that lined the road to Sicily." -- From Road Trip.

 

After the murder of their mother, brother and the death of their father, Molly and her sister Tessie were taken in by Anna Johnson a one-time social worker. Anna adopted Tessie but Molly refused her offer to adopt her. She had always felt as though she wasn’t a real part of the family and it showed in her actions both at school and out. And when she met Charlie, who introduced himself as her uncle and told her that her real father lived in California and had sent him to fetch her, she made up her mind to leave just shy of her 18^th birthday and find out just who she really was. Then she runs into the little man at the cemetery. He’s naked, seems lost and Molly can’t help but take him under her wing naming him Al. After finding an old truck in the junk yard, getting it running, hitching up an abandoned pink trailer, the 3 head west only to find their little group growing as they go… Roger the ‘Apple-Cheeked Bandit,’ Harry who has no idea who he is, Tu the Oriental prostitute who has been paying off her family’s debts and then there is the ‘black cat.’ Each member of the group seems to be carrying their own problems but together they make up a pretty good team. That is until Tu is grabbed by gang members who have been sent to retrieve her and something makes one of the members disappear, I think it might have been the cat. Disaster seems to follow in the wake of this caravan no matter where they go. Why? Is there something unnatural about someone in the group? Who is Charlie really and why does he carry around that canvas bag? Who is Al and where did he come from? Who is looking for Tu? Who is Harry and will he get his memory back? And who let that black cat into the group?!

 

Some time back I read Mari Sloan’s book Beaufort Falls and loved it. It was one of those books that you just have to force yourself to put down. Road Trip is even better. As each character was introduced I knew there had to be a connection but couldn’t seem to guess what it might be. The connections finally started to come together but then a new character Rick was introduced and it was Rick that put the whole story together. This book has drama but with humor. It’s so well written that even if it’s farfetched, you can still picture every event and character as they unfold. Mel Brooks needs to check this one out.

The William S Club - Riley Banks, Author

Australian Meat Pies
(A Banks Special)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of oil

2 medium onion, finely chopped

2 clove garlic, minced

1 kilogram minced beef

4 tablespoons plain flour

4 teaspoons mustard (dry or jarred is fine)

½ cup of ketchup or tomato sauce

2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce (optional)

4 cups beef stock

1 teaspoon mixed herbs

8 sheets ready-rolled shortcrust pastry

8 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry

egg yolk, lightly beaten

Makes 16 individual pies or 4 family pies.

Preheat overn to moderately hot. Heat oil in a pan and cook onion and garlic over medium heat until cooked through.  Add minced beef to pan and cook through until browned. Add flour, mustard, ketchup, herbs and worcestershire. Cook for 1 minute.  Add stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and let simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the mixture has reduced and thickened. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool.

Cut the shortcrust pastry to fit the base and sides of your tin. You can use pie tins, muffin ties or other tins here. Individual pies are best but you can use this recipe to make a family size pie. Divide the cooled meat mixture between the pastry shells. Brush the edges with beaten egg yolk. Cut tops for the pie from the puff pastry using a slightly smaller bowl or plate than you did for the bottoms. Place over the top, press edges to seal and trim away excess pastry. Brush top of pastry with egg yolk. Using a sharp knife, make two small slits in top of each pie.

Place in over and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.

Serve pies hot with ketchup or tomato sauce. Can also be served with mashed potatoes or fries.

 

The William S Club - Review by Martha A Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish

 

Damon’s grandfather pulled a heavy brass key from around his neck. For as long as he could remember that key had hung there, a visual reminder of a lifetime of secrets. ‘I want to know the moment she boards the plane,’ his grandfather said. Damon nodded. Not like he had any other choice. Fresh rain pelted the double glazed windows as the key clinked in the lock, echoing across the Spartan dining room. The house had become more mausoleum than home. Behind the wooden door lay a metal door; the kind used by bank vaults. It protected a flight of stairs that led to the basement. Not that Damon Harvey had ever been down there. The basement was forbidden to all but The William S Club. As a child, Damon spent hours pondering what lay behind that door. Now he didn’t care. Let them have their secrets. As long as they left him alone.

 

What began as a derogative term to explain the tight, inner circle of firstborn Harvey men became a badge of honor worn by each consecutive William Sydney Harvey including Damon’s older brother, BJ – Bill Junior – older by a whole minute and a half. But The William S Club were not without their secrets, the biggest one hidden in the basement. Only one brave man had discovered that secret; Paul Baker, a former employee of Harvey Enterprises. And Paul paid the ultimate price for his discovery – he lost his wife, his daughter and his freedom, spending twenty years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Now out of prison, Paul is determined to find his daughter, Victoria, and prove his innocence. But finding Victoria will be harder than he thinks. She changed her name and fled Australia the first chance she got, distancing herself from her father’s criminal past and her mother’s apparent suicide. Paul has no idea his daughter is being used as bait to draw him out or that Victoria, or Charlotte Burke as she is now known, is a guest on the Harvey’s wine and dine press trip. There is only one way Paul can save his daughter’s life – retrieve the documents his wife hid. But first, he must find them.

 

When I agreed to read The William S Club I didn’t realize that one of its tags was erotic, which isn’t my cup of tea and since I don’t read other reviews nor comments before reading a book I’ve found myself reading something that just doesn’t fit my suspenseful mind. Well, The William S Club is a book that can claim the tag of erotic but I have to say from the very beginning the suspense grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. I was so hooked that I decided I could live through the erotica which actually came a little later in the book. I found myself reading every page in the hope of finding out just what the Harvey men were hiding. What was so precious that they not only killed outsiders for but family members too. It took me to within the last few pages to find my answer and I was completely surprised. I had ventured many guesses but none were correct. Their secret was something so different that I would have never been able to come up with it on my own. This is a true suspense novel with some erotic sex along the way.

 

 

Time Out - Mary Allen Sochet, Author

 

 

Latkes in honor of Moishe.

 

Ingredients:

1 pound potatoes

• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil

Accompaniments: sour cream and applesauce

Preheat oven to 250°F.

Peel potatoes and coarsely grate by hand, transferring to a large bowl of cold water as grated. Soak potatoes 1 to 2 minutes after last batch is added to water, then drain well in a colander.

Spread grated potatoes and onion on a kitchen towel and roll up jelly-roll style. Twist towel tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Transfer potato mixture to a bowl and stir in egg and salt.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 4 latkes, spoon 2 tablespoons potato mixture per latke into skillet, spreading into 3-inch rounds with a fork. Reduce heat to moderate and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes. Turn latkes over and cook until undersides are browned, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. Add more oil to skillet as needed. Keep latkes warm on a wire rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven.

Cooks' notes:·Latkes may be made up to 8 hours ahead. Reheat on a rack set over a baking sheet in a 350°F oven, about 5 minutes.
·Grating the potatoes, soaking them briefly in water, and then squeezing out the liquid (as we've done here) keeps the batter from turning brown too quickly.

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

I never thought
it would turn out this way.
Growing old,
fat, wrinkled, gray.
Going to funerals
way more than weddings.
Watching our friends’ children die.
 

When we were kids
back in the North Country,
we would twirl our way
up Broad Street,
heading home
from the movies
and Confession
on Saturday afternoons.
 

Everything seemed
so easy, so clear
The movies ended happy every after,
The priest gave
short penances.
Three Hail Marys
One Our Father.
A piece of cake
 

As I read Time Out I couldn’t help but relate to many of the memories Author Mary Allen Sochet brought to my own mind. She talked about her life with Marvin, with his ability to never be on time, how he stood up for his rights and the rights of others, and how this standing up even landed him in jail at the age of 75. You see, Marvin was a ‘baby boomer’ that grew up during the times of flower children, hippies and the Viet Nam War. Through her writing I can picture the protests, changes in time, the changes in values and the changes in ourselves as we grow old. I can see these because I too am a ‘baby boomer’ that lived through these times. Some were happy, some were sad and some were simply bad.
 

Time Out is a series of poem ‘stories’ that trace the author’s life from the beginning to the end with her beloved husband Marvin. In Time Out, Mary Sochet expresses her own way of coping with the ups and down of life and the death of a loved one. It’s one of the most touching books I’ve read in some time.

One Rainy Summer - B. J. Robinson, Author

 

Squirrel, Rabbit, Shrimp, Sausage, Chicken Jambalaya
From the Kitchen of B. J. Robinson.

One rabbit or four to six squirrels
Two cups long-grain white rice
One onion
Two bay leaves
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt to taste or salt substitute
½ tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp. Kitchen Bouquet
Tony Chachere's to taste
1 clove garlic
1 bell pepper
One large pot

Brown or sauté meat in a small amount of oil. Wash rice and add two cups with four cups of water. Dice onion and garlic and add. Add other seasonings to taste. Add others or delete ones you may not like. This is a catch-all recipe for a one-pot meal and types of meat may be substituted. You can combine smoked sausage and chicken or use only smoke sausage or only chicken. Sausage and shrimp or shrimp only is delicious. I think you could use this recipe with most any meat and be happy with the outcome. The recipe is flexible and adds variety to meals with meat of choice. You may also add a small amount of barbecue sauce or tomato sauce if you like it. Basically any seasoning you like may be used for seasoning to taste.

When my four children were young, I cooked many huge pots of jambalaya. It's so easy cooking everything in one pot. Cover with a lid and let simmer until all the water cooks out of the rice. I usually cook it on medium for a few minutes and when most of the water has cooked out, I turn the burner to two and finally to off and let the last small amount of water cook out while the burner is turned off. I have to be honest. I am a cook who doesn't really measure when I cook jambalaya. I use a sprinkle of that and a pinch of this, but I tried to estimate for your benefit. You can use boneless skinless chicken, but I used a whole fryer when I cooked it with chicken. Have fun. Be creative. Make it your own recipe. Surprise your famly with a new one-pot meal that is quick and easy to prepare. I cooked it on the stovetop, but you could probably use a crock pot or an oven casserole with some experimenting. I use long-grain white rice, but you could substitute brown rice. Now, I'm hungry for some good ole Louisiana jambalaya.

 

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

Quietly, I dragged a chair over the soft beige carpet, took my seat, and pulled aside the curtain. Granny stood at the bottom of the ladder with a man a full head taller, and the two of them headed for the woods on the side of the house. He held her hand, pulled her along after him, and focused a flashlight on the wooded trail that led to the canal. Granny, don’t you know you’re too old to be sneaking out windows and climbing ladders? What in the world’s going on? Granny was a grown woman. Why was she sneaking around with this mystery man? What was going on? Why was my honest, respectful, Bible-reading granny slipping out her bedroom window in the middle of the night like some teenager breaking curfew? I was determined to find out, so I jumped back into my bed and grabbed the heavy volume of Walden. No time to waste. Something was going on, and I knew this book and Granny’s journals held the answer. I made up my mind that this was one puzzle I’d stick with and solve.

After her father's death, Hope and her mother went to live with her Granny in the beautiful Sunshine State of Florida. She loved it. Her best friend Matthew lived next door and the two of them spent hours in the woods, swamp and along the canals and lake. So when she spotted Granny sneaking out one night she knew it would be her job, with Matthew’s help, to find out the secrets that Granny had been keeping. Her first clue was found inside her Granny’s volume of Walden where she had hidden a picture of herself and a handsome man from earlier years and written notations within the margins of the pages. Her biggest clue came when she and Matthew were out searching for the man Granny had slipped out with. After finding him she discovered him to be the same man in the picture hidden in the book. So, who is he and why must they slip around to see each other. Who are they hiding from?

Hope ends up opening up more doors than she ever expected when she learns the true identity of Granny’s special friend Sandy. She also finds that the person Granny is apparently hiding Sandy from is Hope’s own mother. Now she has to find out why.

One Rainy Summer is a book of true love and God’s way of making everything turn out just the way it was supposed to. If you don’t believe in ‘things happening for a reason’ this book just might make you believe. The trust in God that Hope, Matthew, Granny and Sandy have for bringing happiness and love to everyone is written in a beautiful way. And as the story unfolded I couldn’t help but feel the love of the characters as well as the love God bestowed on each of them. A truly beautiful book.

B. J. Robinson makes her home in the Sunshine State, Florida, where she lives with her husband and pets. She's blessed with children and grandchildren, and Jesus is her best friend. Visit BJ Robinson at http://barbarajrobinson.blogspot.com and check out her available books through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sony, Kobo, and Christianbooks.com.