Thursday, July 10, 2014
Stranded In Time - Kelli Sue Landon, Author
Banana Pudding
(Served at Thanksgiving in the 70's)
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 pkg. (5 oz.) instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups cold milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 container (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 bananas, sliced
1/2 of a 12 oz. box of vanilla wafers
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping. Line the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2 dish with vanilla wafers. Arrange sliced bananas evenly over wafers. Spread with pudding mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. Chill.
Stranded In Time - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds, A Book and A Dish
"You know how it started? There was a crack in that wall. I didn't discover it until I worked there for about six months. I subbed for the teacher, and I just had to use the bathroom. Normally I used the one we had in the teachers' lounge, but we had a fire drill that day. We had to stand outside longer than I thought, after getting all those kids out of the building. On our way back in, I excused myself form the class to use the bathroom. I had one of the more responsible girls watch the others, which made it fun for her. She loved playing teacher, you know. I knew it wouldn't take me long to pop in and out. And there it was. I could hear cheers.. I could eve hear a coach training them. I tried to look through the crack, but all I saw was light coming form the gymnasium floor... I kept going back to that room. I'd sneak in after school was out. Sometimes I heard nothing. Other times, there were kids shooting hoops before a practice and setting up for school plays. I was becoming obsessed. I would watch through the crack, and the only time I saw any kids was when someone was on the stage.... I made sure the place was empty before I started knocking down the wall with my hammer."
Samantha (Sam) has a paper to write for school. Her professor told the class it could be anything as long as it wasn't something that had been covered in the news. Sam decided to write her paper on her mother's family, which she actually knew very little about. She knew her mother had gone to Lotus School for just a few years and then she and her mother had moved away. Her mother had never been married to her father who had been just a one night stand. After her mother's death due to a wreck, Sam had met and gone to live with her father. She now wanted to know more about her mother and the relatives she never knew.
Sam's adventure starts when she goes to Lotus School, which is no longer in use, just to be closer to where her mother grew up. It was at the school that she discovered a little girl playing on the stage behind the wall that had a hole in it. As she stepped through the hole, she found herself in another time. Sam had just stepped back into the 1970's. Her great-grandmother was still alive, as was her grandmother and her own mother was just a child. Then she meets Suzanne.
Sam came into this past world with knowledge of what the future holds. She, along with Suzanne, can make changes and correct some of the events to happen... but will they?... should they? There is a child that will die, unless Sam and Suzanne can prevent it from happening but if they do what will it change in the future? What will any events that take place in the 1970's change in the future if they try to make changes?
This book took me just a few pages to become involved in the story but when I did, I didn't want to stop reading. As each event is to take place, I find myself wondering how this is going to affect Sam's life if she ever makes it back to her own time. And if she doesn't, what will happen when her mother grows up and gives birth to her? Will there be 2 Sams in the world or will she not be born at all? This book was a very entertaining read that I really enjoyed.
Monday, July 7, 2014
St. Louis Hustle - Claire Applewhite, Author
Sour
Cream and 7-Up Biscuits
Servings--18
4
cups biscuit mix
1 cup sour cream
6 ounces Sprite (or 7-up)
Directions:
1 cup sour cream
6 ounces Sprite (or 7-up)
Directions:
1.
Mix the sour cream into the biscuit mix, using a pastry blender or two table
knives, until mixture is crumbly. Add 7-Up all at once, stir quickly with a
large fork.
2. Turn out onto lightly floured board and quickly knead 6-8 times. Don't overmix or biscuits will be tough. Pat into a square and cut into about 18 equal pieces using a knife dipped in flour. Can also use a 2 to 3-inch biscuit cutter.
3. Preheat oven to 400° and cook biscuits for about 7 minutes or until golden.
2. Turn out onto lightly floured board and quickly knead 6-8 times. Don't overmix or biscuits will be tough. Pat into a square and cut into about 18 equal pieces using a knife dipped in flour. Can also use a 2 to 3-inch biscuit cutter.
3. Preheat oven to 400° and cook biscuits for about 7 minutes or until golden.
St. Louis Hustle - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
From the day that Angel moved into her apartment, the bills in the mail rack spilled out of the holder like garbage. Now, in a neat pile, they looked like a deck of playing cards. Nice, but not her style. Suspiciously, she opened the pantry. Rows of bottles and cans, arranged by size and shape, filled the space. She crept into the bedroom... The top drawer of the dresser, usually a wild mess of lingerie, was not neatly organized by color and design. But, the intruder made one mistake. A pair of black panties had been jammed between the drawer and the dresser. Angel wouldn't have done that. Who did, and why?... Angel works for Marvel Candy Company, along with Nick Davies. They have been having a closet affair for some time and it's become apparent that Angel wants more, but who would have gone through her apartment while she was meeting with Nick?
Elvin Suggs, Dimon "Di" Redding, Elvin's Vietnam friend Cobra Glynes and Elvin's Airedale Savannah or just "Vanna" decided to open a detective agency after they were instrumental in solving a case at the Jewel Arms Apartments where Di had lived before it burned down. Their agency The Grapevine Detective Agency has just taken on it's first client, a lady named Emily Davies. Apparently Mrs. Davies suspects her husband of having an affair with one of the women he works with. Elvin and Cobra both see this as a simple case. Follow the husband, see where he goes at night while the wife works and see who he meets. Di, on the other hand, doesn't see it quite that clearly. She has a gut feeling that Mrs. Davies isn't telling everything. So while Elvin and Cobra follow the husband Nick, Di follows the wife. Turns out, they both end up in the same place, the Coral Court Motel which is known for its by the hour rate.
This book has more turns than a mountain road! Most of the characters turn out to be totally the opposite of what they are shown to be in the beginning. And someone is killing them off, one by one. But who and why? If you want a book full of twists, you can't beat this book. The ending was nowhere near what I expected it to be.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Chick and the Homestead Chickens of Grymme Creek Hollow - David Boyette, Author
Tater Jack
(A Chick Special)
Tater Jack is similar to Latkes a Yiddish potato patty but with a slight difference. In Tater Jack you don't use any flour or corn starch
1. Take 2 medium sized unpeeled potatoes and boil them in a pan of water until done. You can nuke them in the microwave or bake them in the oven but boiling is better.
2. Mash the potatoes in a bowl, skins and all.
3. Add just enough buttermilk and mix until everything is the consistency of paste.
4. Preheat a skillet with oil for about 10 minutes on medium heat. Bacon drippings also work really well.
5. When the pan is hot, spoon out the desired size patty in the skillet and let them cook for about 10-12 minutes, flip them over and cook another 10-12 minutes. If you add cheese or onion, allow 3 minutes more for cooking. When done the Tater Jacks should have a golden brown crust. Serve up with the toppings or condiments of your choice - sour cream works great.
Many years ago a young man from the city decided to be a pioneer so he loaded up his belongings and started a homestead in Grymme Creek Hollow which, by the way, was in the Ouachita Mountains. It didin't take long for the young man to decide this wasn't for him so he packed up his personal belongings and moved back to the city. Legend has it that the chickens he left behind decided to make their own homestead out of what was left behind. These chickens became the Homestead Chickens of Grymme Creek Hollow.
The homestead chickens were divided up into family groups known as broods. In each brook there was a Mother Hen who was in charge. The roosters in the brood were not in charge.... Among some of the more influential broods of the homestead were Midhens which were a combination of killer security guards and nannies. The leader was the Superior Mother Hen - Hypatia Rosecomb. She is advised by a group of Mother Hens which make up the Council of Aunties. There were also different classes of chickens which determined their pecking order. Like most, there were the upper class chickens and there were the lowerclass which were called coopies or coop chickens.
The Pinfeathers family was the smallest and poorest chickens of the coop. They were June Pinefeather, the Mother Hen; Walter Pinfeather, her rooster; and of course their chick which they named Chick. Chick was a born explorer. Nothing amused him more than running around investigating everything that made up the homestead, even if it took him to the outskirts of the upperclass. But his real trouble came when he spotted a chick younger than him being bullied by another chick. His defense of this chick, named Peq, brought the anger of the bully's mother who just happened to be Aunty Hysidia, the 2nd most powerful Aunty in the Council. Second only to the Superior Mother Hen. Her anger has her pressing charges against Chick's father Walter for what boils down to theft and treason.
I read a lot of books but this book is one that I can't say enough about. We spend our lives hearing about bullying, discrimination, politics, and everyday life in general, but after a while it just becomes words that we hear but don't listen to. As I read Chick and the Homestead Chickens I would be reminded of things happening around me. As Peq is bullied I pictured the kids on the news that attempted to kill their friend. As I read about the order of the broods, I pictured the different housing districts we have within every city. As I read about the Aunty Council, I pictured the court systems we have in effect. And as I read about the Superior Mother Hen, I pictured our presidents and their cabinets. This book, which made me laugh also made me pay attention to my own surroundings. This is a book that can be read by those of all ages and they will all learn something from it. OH YEAH! You do realize I learned this from a Chicken! Great Book!
Sunday, June 29, 2014
The Deputy - C. M. Albrecht, Author
Chef Merle Blanc's Secret Potato Salad Recipe
2 med. potatoes
1 hard-boiled egg, cut into cubes
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup sweet relish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
pepper
Seasoning salt to taste
1 hard-boiled egg, cut into cubes
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup sweet relish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
pepper
Seasoning salt to taste
Boil potatoes until tender.
Cool, peel and cut into 1" cubes.
Makes about 2 cups. Blanch onion
and celery in boiling salted water for one minute. Drain.
Fold all ingredients together and refrigerate in a covered bowl. Serves 4
You should keep these salads refrigerated and preferably
consumed the same day. If the Macaroni
Salad becomes dry and/or sticky, a few drops of milk blended in may help.
For boiling your egg, place egg in salted gently boiling
water for 14 minutes. Cool quickly in
cold water and roll around to gently crack the shell all over and peel. Cooking too long results in dark green edges
around the yolk.
But wait! There's
more! This recipe works equally well to
make a Macaroni Salad. Just substitute
two cups of cooked salad macaroni. (One
cup of uncooked macaroni should give you 2 cups cooked.) If you prefer your salad a bit more tart,
substitute Dill Relish or minced Dill Pickles for the Sweet Relish.
To add that special gourmet touch to either of the above,
you may add your choice of chopped Parsley, Olives, Capers or chopped and
blanched Red and/or Green pepper. Some
like minced cooked bacon.
The Potato Salad recipe is just one of the famous Chef Merle
Blanc's dishes. It's your creation
now. Make it the way you like! You can read more about Chef Merle Blanc in
"Deadly Reception" by C. M. Albrecht.
Bon appétit!
The Deputy - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
Just half a block from the sub-station, crossing the
railroad track, Wayne's eyes caught sight of a wiry bandy-legged little guy
walking along by the track. The man
limped slightly, and from the look of his oversize coat and unshaven face, he
was obviously down and out. As he neared
the man, he stopped and leaned out of his side window, said,
"Howdy." The little man
stopped abruptly, looked over at Wayne sitting in his cruiser and
hesitated. he looked as if he was debating
whether to stay or run. "Hi,"
the stranger said. "You're new
around here," Wayne said swerving his vehicle to a stop in front of the
man. "Just passing through,"
he said. "I been looking for
work." "What kind of work do
you do?" inquired Wayne.
"Oh...most anything.
"My name's Deputy Terwilliger, but most folks call me Wayne. "I'm Ray Stark from Montana," the
man said. "Well, what I was
thinking, Ray, is that I'm tied up here in town so much of the time. You know, a sheriff's always on duty, and my
wife, Janie, she's alone out there at the farm all day with all those chores to
take care of. I was just thinking, I
can't offer much in the way of money, but we do have a spare room. I've been using it for storage, but we could
clear it out and make up a little room for you there and my Janie's a good
cook." Wayne said to him. "As
to wages, I just need maybe enough to keep me in a few things." replied Ray.
The two men shook hands as Wayne said, "Come on. We'll get in the cruiser and I'll take you
out there. It isn't far."
This was the hiring of Ray by Deputy Terwilliger to help his
wife Janie with the chores around their farm.
Ray couldn't believe his luck in finding a job and by a Deputy
to boot. This was going to make his life
so much easier... so he thought. What he
was unaware of was that the Deputy had other 'chores' in mind for Ray and they
weren't exactly up to Ray's liking.
What the Deputy lacked in morals he made up for in his
bravery. When the bank in Franklin was
robbed, he showed no fear in going after the robbers. He had a loving wife at home, Sandy in town,
a job that made him proud and the 'respect' of those around him. So when he read about a bus load of convicts
escaping after killing the driver, he came up with a plan and Ray fit in
perfectly. A plan that would give him
the freedom to do and have everything he wanted, and deserved.
This book kept me on the edge. I was able to come up with Ray's fit into the
story but I had no idea as to how he would handle what had been planned for him
to do for Wayne. The ending was a bit of
a surprise for me. Loved this book as
much as I've loved all books I've read by this Author.
Sunday, June 22, 2014
The Dark Before Dawn - Laurie Stevens, Author
Chocolaty
Caramel Pecan Bars
(In honor of the book series, which is dark and
deals with mental issues!)
(In honor of the book series, which is dark and
deals with mental issues!)
Crust
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 cup all purpose or unbleached flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 cup all purpose or unbleached flour
Filling
24 vanilla caramels (unwrapped)
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 cups pecan halves (or pieces)
24 vanilla caramels (unwrapped)
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 cups pecan halves (or pieces)
Topping
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet
2 Tbsp. whipping cream
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet
2 Tbsp. whipping cream
Heat
oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8 or 9 inch
square pan with parchment paper. If you
don't have parchment paper, grease the pan.
In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter and 1 Tbsp. whipping
cream until well blended. Add flour and
mix until crumbly. With floured hands,
press evenly into pan. Bake 15 to 20
minutes or until firm to the touch.
Meanwhile,
in a medium saucepan combine caramels and 1/3 cup whipping cream. Cook over low heat until caramels are melted
and mixture is smooth, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat. Add pecans and
stir well to coat. Immediately spoon
over baked crust, spreading carefully to cover but not rip the crust.
In
a small saucepan over low heat, melt 1 Tbsp. butter and chocolate chips,
stirring constantly until melted. Stir
in 2 Tbsp. whipping cream. Drizzle over
filling. Refrigerate 1 hr. or until the
filling is firm. Cut into bars. (You can also toss the topping ingredients in
a microwavable cup, heat and stir until it's smooth enough to drizzle.)
The
Dark Before Dawn - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat;
Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
Dr.
B sniffed and repositioned his glasses atop his nose. "This last case you were on - you
assaulted a grandmother."...
"Grandma had a twelve-gauge shotgun lying on a table in plain view
from the front door. Her drug-pushing
grandson lives with the old lady and was a known gang-banger. Grandma was very agitated with me. Now, what am I supposed to think?" ...
Dr. B chose his words carefully.
"But did you think first, Gabe?
When you pushed her, she fell and broke her hip. She's an eighty-year old"... "In a separate case two weeks ago,"
Dr. B said, "you nearly throttled a fifteen-year-old boy."... "Then let's talk about the young man who
was shot at that Halloween party you responded to when you were in
uniform."
Los
Angeles County Sheriff's Detective Gabriel McRay has seen and even created his
share of problems. Enough so that he has
been sent to the department's psychiatrist Dr. Berkowitz, better known as Dr.
B. Gabe's problems are showing through
his temper but Dr. B feels it goes a lot deeper than that. He feels Gabe's problems stem from a deeply suppressed
past. Gabe is not only suffering from
his temper but also blackouts which leave him not knowing where he has been nor
what he has done. And to top it all off,
someone has gone on a murdering spree that always ends with a message being
left for Gabe with the 1st one reading "We are one."
As
Gabe's memory starts to surface he finds himself wondering if he could possibly
be the killer. Is this what he does when
he blacks out? Turns out that Gabe isn't
the only one with these same thoughts.
Some of his fellow officers are having the same thought. As the murders and notes continue with each
becoming more and more morbid the suspicion reaches the point that the department
has decided put a watch on him.
This
book isn't for the weak. It's graphic
and nothing is held back but it's also one of the best books I've read in some
time. I had a very hard time putting it
down after reading the Prologue. I could
see it being a great story for Criminal Minds.
Now I'm looking forward to reading the next in the series Deep into Dusk.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Murder in Paradise - Larry K. and Lorna Collins, Authors
Larry's
Hawaiian Pineapple Boats
(The big trick is to cut the pineapple as shown in the photo)
(The big trick is to cut the pineapple as shown in the photo)
Cut
off most of the top, leaving only a few inches of green. Quarter the entire pineapple lengthwise. Cut under the core in a straight line, and
then along the outer edge of the fruit. (Larry usually has to do one side at a
time.) Cut the fruit crosswise in about
1" sections, leaving the pieces intact in the shell. Push alternate sections to each side as
shown.
Now
for the fun part! Garnish each section
with either a maraschino cherry or a mandarin orange slice (or both) on a
toothpick. When all slices have been
garnished, insert toothpick and sprinkle coconut over the whole thing.
This
is a finger food and perfect for an appetizer or dessert. (Warning:
if the pineapple is especially juicy, it can become stick - but SO
good!)
Murder
in Paradise - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think
With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
"But
you're retired," she objected several times during the discussion. "You're not getting into any dangerous
work, are you?" "No," I
insisted. "I'm just helping
Detective Duke with investigative procedures, evidence gathering protocol, that
kind of thing. Police in Hawaii don't
get many high-profile cases, and Duke wants me to train their people in some of
the NYPD procedures." I didn't tell
her I would be the special investigator... There are two kinds of police
officers' wives: one wants to know everything, usually keeping a radio scanner
on all day; the other doesn't want to know anything. Gerry was the second.
Agape
Jones retired from the NYPD after taking a bullet in the thigh. Looking for a quieter life, he and his wife
Gerry moved to Hawaii but that quiet was disrupted when he and the other
members of an outrigger canoe racing team found a body floating about a mile
from the shore. The body turned out to
be the son of State Senator Thomas Fowler.
Due
to his knowledge of police work, Detective Duke recommended Agape to the
Senator as the person to hire to investigate his son's death. His biggest problem was convincing Gerry that
this was nothing more than an advisory position and he would be in no danger at
all.
Murder
in Paradise has taken me back to Hawaii in my reads. The Authors have made me not only feel a part
of the scenery but also an investigator.
I tossed around the suspects trying to decide who would benefit and
how. I suspected the girl friend,
brother and even the Senator himself.
Then there was the mystery blond.
Could she have committed this murder and if so why? And what about the surf board makers? Could they be involved and if so why? The list kept going on and in the end... I
have to admit I was a bit surprised.
This is yet another light read mystery that takes you on a trip across
the ocean.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Legacy of the Tropics - Mary Deal, Author
GOAT FRICASSEE
Puerto Rican
Style
(A Mary Deal Special)
(A Mary Deal Special)
SOFRITO
(Sauce):
In
a BLENDER:
10-15
Garlic cloves
A
bunch of Cilantro
4-5
sweet Pimientos (also known as
Hungarian
or Cuban peppers. They
are
sweet peppers.) If pimentos
aren’t
available, use Green Bell
Peppers
20-30
Small sweet peppers
Liquefy
all the ABOVE ingredients.
Capers
Salad
Olives
1
14 oz. Can Tomato Sauce
Salt
Potatoes,
quartered
For
2 Pounds of Meat:
(Goat
meat should be washed with or soaked in lime juice before cooking to remove the
wild odor.)
In
a thick bottom pot, pour olive oil to cover the bottom. Heat and add 4-5
tablespoons of the Sofrito. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Add
capers and salad olives in quantities you desire. Add 1 can of tomato sauce.
Salt to taste.
Add
the meat. Cook until half tender. Add potatoes. Cook until the stew starts to
thicken and potatoes and meat are well done. Serve with rice.
If
four pounds of meat are cooked, double the recipe.
Refrigerate
or freeze any remaining SOFRITO for future use.
Legacy of the Tropics - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of
Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
Promises:
“Why don't you sleep in our house, Mama,” Pablo asked. “So we can
be a family, like my friend Jose next door. His mama and papi live together. A
renter lives in their cottage.”
Pablo, son of Rico Rey and soon to be step-son of Ciara Malloy,
doesn't quite understand why the two people he loves most in the whole world
aren't married and living together. Neither Pablo nor Ciara knows the secret
that Rico holds that keeps them apart. Rico has promised that soon, they will
be a complete family but first he has promised to take them on a vacation that
will have them sailing the seas near their home east of Puerto Rico. All goes
well, until a sudden freak storm blows in, sinking their ketch and leaving them
struggling for their lives.
Adrift:
“People die at Ke'e Beach, Lillian,” he said. “Why do you keep
going back there?” She forced herself to remain quiet a moment longer than
usual to quell an urge to put Glen in his place. “Careless people,” she said,
enunciating each word, “die at all beaches.”
Lillian Avery is an underwater photographer who has made her home
on the island of Kauai in Hawaii. She has her goal set to take pictures of
every fish living in the beautiful waters around her island but became
distracted by the docile green sea turtles that seemed to take a liking to her,
nipping at her bathing suit. Her friend Glen tags along with her and all goes
well until a vicious rip current pulls them both well out to sea till losing
sight of land. Will Glen’s neuroses and actual fear of water cause their
drowning deaths as he loses control of his emotions?
Reunion:
“Hurricane season's almost over,” Ciara said. Rain pelted down
outside the window. “Most likely that storm south of us will die out, don't you
think?”
“All the others have this year,” Lilly said. “But every storm is
different.”
This tropical storm had more to offer than either could foresee.
Ciara and Lillian had lived next door to each other years earlier
in Puerto Rico but had never met. Ciara had always wanted to meet the lady next
door who took much sought-after underwater pictures. Lilly had always wanted to
meet the lady next door who wrote darling children books. It never came to be
until some years later when Ciara moved to Hawaii with her grandson and bought
the house next door to Lilly. Even though the two ladies had never met, they
found they had a lot of history to share as they caught each other up on their
lives.
Life in the tropics seems to be going great until the hurricane
hits their island. Will these two ladies, who have lived through so much
already, be able to ride out yet another storm in their lives? Or will this be
the end of a friendship or even their lives which seem to have come full cycle?
Will Lilly finally learn Rico’s secret that even Ciara has kept hidden all
these years?
This book has taken me to Puerto Rico and Hawaii, two places I've
never been but now feel like I've been there many times. It has taken me under
the waters watching not only the fish but the beautiful sea turtles. It has
taken me through two storms that I hope and pray I'll never have to live
through in real life. Even though I've experienced all of these through
reading, it still feels like it has all been real. A great book that gives you
three stories, or novellas, that combine to make one incredible adventure for
these ladies, a true Legacy of the Tropics.
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