My Master's Degree Program is finally winding down, and I am beginning to have free time in the evenings. Unfortunately, most of this time has been spent watching Netflix (Ms. Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Doc Martin) rather than reading. I have been getting back into the swing of things, but have found myself mostly tied up with YA or middle school novels (Mr. Lemoncello's Library, Wonder, Diary of a Part-Time Indian).
Books that deal with the issues of slavery, racism and segregation are always so difficult for me to read. Ironically I read two books that addressed these topics from very different perspectives. Counted with the Stars by Connilyn Cossette and Stella by Starlight by Sharon Draper.
Counted with the Stars tells the story of a young girl that is sold into slavery after bad business choices made by her father. Kiya has some very demeaning experiences, but still doesn't face the circumstances of the Hebrews around her. How many of us have really thought about what it means to be a slave? I shudder to think of it and Connilyn does a great job of conveying the emotions of the slaves, Egyptian and Hebrew. The anger, disgust and shame! Another thing I thought about when reading this book was how it must have felt to experience the plagues. The author made me realize that the common folk must have had no idea what was going on. The rumors that must have swirled around. I hardly read biblical fiction because there is so much room for disappointment, but Connilyn Cossette did an excellent job. (A free copy of this book was provided by Bethany House Publishers.)
Stella by Starlight will be a read aloud for my fourth grade class next year. I think my students will be able to fully understand how blacks living under the yoke of racism and prejudice must have felt. It has some scary moments as life does, but is a must read.
Reading is fun! I am reminding myself of this more each day, but I realize that it is more than fun. It can open your mind and help you to imagine clearly events that have shaped your reality. I look forward to tackling more difficult times and topics through the words of these authors.
Monday, April 25, 2016
Sunday, January 10, 2016
Happy New Year!
The Christmas trees have been put away, and in my case all the goodies have been eaten. I do mean all! I seriously over indulged during the holidays and am doing my best to get back on track.
One of my favorite bloggers Bianca from Vegan Crunk started a 28 day detox using The Abundance Diet, so I decided to give it a try. I cannot follow the plan exactly the way it's set out, but have chosen a few recipes that will hopefully get me back on track. I had my first smoothie that included spinach, surprisingly I actually enjoyed it.
A few times I have ordered lunch from a delivery service---Sprout you can check it out on Facebook. For eight dollars, you can have a really delicious vegan lunch delivered to your work place. It was here that I first tasted soy curls, I was amazed and had to try at home. I couldn't find them in Nassau so resorted to Amazon and it was absolutely worth it. I love these things, the texture is amazing! I recently reordered directly from Butler's and would advise you to do the same as the price is better on this site. Sweet and Sour, Barbecue and Jerk, all are possible with Butler' Soy Curls.
Over my holiday break, I finally got a chance to visit Lil Mustard Seed Cafe on Rosetta Street. I had the mushroom burger! Best homemade burger ever! I wish they were open on weekends or later in the evenings just for me to drop by and have that burger.
So, I spent my holidays doing more than eating, I read a lot! I recently discovered The Nerdy Book Club, which has caused me to buy more books in a single time period than I ever have before. My classroom library is growing and my brain is exploding with all the great children's literature I have read.
Thanks to Bethany House Publishers, I was able to read The Midwife's Choice by Delia Parr. This is the second book in the series At Home in Trinity. This book delved into the lives of the other characters and showed how women in a community could stand together and make a difference. I love stories about midwives and stories that tell how important they were to communities, particularly in a time when women did not have many rights. This book has a serious cliffhanger, I want to find out what happens next!
Alas, my holidays are over and it's back to school and work! But wait, I can see the Easter holidays just a little ways off......
One of my favorite bloggers Bianca from Vegan Crunk started a 28 day detox using The Abundance Diet, so I decided to give it a try. I cannot follow the plan exactly the way it's set out, but have chosen a few recipes that will hopefully get me back on track. I had my first smoothie that included spinach, surprisingly I actually enjoyed it.
A few times I have ordered lunch from a delivery service---Sprout you can check it out on Facebook. For eight dollars, you can have a really delicious vegan lunch delivered to your work place. It was here that I first tasted soy curls, I was amazed and had to try at home. I couldn't find them in Nassau so resorted to Amazon and it was absolutely worth it. I love these things, the texture is amazing! I recently reordered directly from Butler's and would advise you to do the same as the price is better on this site. Sweet and Sour, Barbecue and Jerk, all are possible with Butler' Soy Curls.
Over my holiday break, I finally got a chance to visit Lil Mustard Seed Cafe on Rosetta Street. I had the mushroom burger! Best homemade burger ever! I wish they were open on weekends or later in the evenings just for me to drop by and have that burger.
So, I spent my holidays doing more than eating, I read a lot! I recently discovered The Nerdy Book Club, which has caused me to buy more books in a single time period than I ever have before. My classroom library is growing and my brain is exploding with all the great children's literature I have read.
Thanks to Bethany House Publishers, I was able to read The Midwife's Choice by Delia Parr. This is the second book in the series At Home in Trinity. This book delved into the lives of the other characters and showed how women in a community could stand together and make a difference. I love stories about midwives and stories that tell how important they were to communities, particularly in a time when women did not have many rights. This book has a serious cliffhanger, I want to find out what happens next!
Alas, my holidays are over and it's back to school and work! But wait, I can see the Easter holidays just a little ways off......
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Thanksgiving and the Christmas Countdown
I have wanted to host a Thanksgiving dinner for a long time and finally had that chance this year. It's amazing the amount of work that went into planning the meal. Weeks of googling and saving recipes, choosing the right recipe and finally the preparation.
My cooking began two days in advance when I prepared the Pumpkin Pie from one of my favorite cookbook Oh She Glows. This pie was absolutely delicious topped with coconut whipped cream. I also baked cornbread for cornbread stuffing. Much time was spent researching cornbread stuffing, I just could not find a good vegan recipe, so I ended up combining a few recipes. The result was so good! My advice for Christmas is to ditch the regular stuffing and go with cornbread stuffing.
Menu
Oat Patties with Mushroom Gravy (This was contributed by a guest, but I am working on recreating these patties. Easy and Tasty!)
Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons (Salad Samurai by Terry Hope Romero)
Cornbread Stuffing (Inspired by Minimalist Baker)
Sauteed Cabbage and Carrots
Beans and Rice (Made by my MIL)
Roasted Butternut Squash (Oh She Glows)
Pumpkin Pie with Coconut Whip Topping (Oh She Glows)
Pecan Praline Cake (This was made by my very talented aunt.)
Pecan Bars (Fettle Vegan)
Dinner was lots of work, but the effort was worth it.
There is so much eating to be done over the next few days. Christmas breakfast at my aunt's home, my only contribution will be muffins that will come from one of my many favorite cookbooks, 150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes. I do plan to prepare a Stuffed Seitan Roast from my other favorite, But I Could Never Go Vegan and cookies from the website Fettle Vegan for an intimate family holiday dinner. I have to say something about this website, I recently discovered Fettle Vegan. I love everything I have ever made from this site. Please check it out!
The holidays are a time for family and good food. I plan to enjoy lots of it this season and hope you do too!
My cooking began two days in advance when I prepared the Pumpkin Pie from one of my favorite cookbook Oh She Glows. This pie was absolutely delicious topped with coconut whipped cream. I also baked cornbread for cornbread stuffing. Much time was spent researching cornbread stuffing, I just could not find a good vegan recipe, so I ended up combining a few recipes. The result was so good! My advice for Christmas is to ditch the regular stuffing and go with cornbread stuffing.
Menu
Oat Patties with Mushroom Gravy (This was contributed by a guest, but I am working on recreating these patties. Easy and Tasty!)
Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons (Salad Samurai by Terry Hope Romero)
Cornbread Stuffing (Inspired by Minimalist Baker)
Sauteed Cabbage and Carrots
Beans and Rice (Made by my MIL)
Roasted Butternut Squash (Oh She Glows)
Pumpkin Pie with Coconut Whip Topping (Oh She Glows)
Pecan Praline Cake (This was made by my very talented aunt.)
Pecan Bars (Fettle Vegan)
Dinner was lots of work, but the effort was worth it.
There is so much eating to be done over the next few days. Christmas breakfast at my aunt's home, my only contribution will be muffins that will come from one of my many favorite cookbooks, 150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes. I do plan to prepare a Stuffed Seitan Roast from my other favorite, But I Could Never Go Vegan and cookies from the website Fettle Vegan for an intimate family holiday dinner. I have to say something about this website, I recently discovered Fettle Vegan. I love everything I have ever made from this site. Please check it out!
The holidays are a time for family and good food. I plan to enjoy lots of it this season and hope you do too!
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Lots to Say!
Working on my Master's Degree and starting a new school year has pretty much depleted by brain cells which explains my absence from this blog. I had also began relying heavily on vegan convenience foods, which isn't very interesting to talk about....But I have mended my wicked ways and am back in the kitchen and have actually began buying ingredients again.
Despite my lack of productivity in the kitchen I have continued expanding my cookbook collection. I think this cookbook has been used more than any other I have ever bought, 150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury. This cookbook has changed my life! I whip up a batch of muffins twice a week now, all of the recipes are easy and worth the time spent in the kitchen. Most of the recipes use vegan yogurt which can be found at Solomon's Fresh Market. I mostly use Almond Dream's Vanilla Yogurt which is afford-ably priced and not overly sweet. My favorites are the Chocolate Chip Muffin and Banana Walnut.
I don't usually buy Kindle versions of cookbooks, but had heard so many good things about Dreena Burton's Plant Powered Families that I decided to give it a try and wanted immediate gratification. I have also been having a BIG problem with trying to pack healthy, appealing lunches for my first grader. I hoped that this cookbook would help. So far I have tried about three recipes from this book and was pleased, my favorite has been the chickpea burgers. My entire family absolutely loved them which was a win for me. My only peeve is that all of the baking recipes are gluten free, but overall this is a good book for families trying to feed vegan kids.
Even though I am now a reforming junk foodie, I am happy to see the the wide variety of foods being carried in my local store. I recently found Earth Balance Cheddar Puffs, Popcorn and other items. YAY! I also have to recommend So Delicious Cashew Milk Ice Cream. This is the best vegan ice cream you will ever eat, I promise. These items are pricey, but worth the occasional splurge.
I was led to begin a clean up process in the diet of my family after watching OMG! a documentary about Genetically Modified Foods. I was inspired to start buying organic, until I picked up a pound of organic chickpeas being sold for nine dollars. Nope! Had to purchase the non-organic brand for one dollar and ninety-nine cents. I am trying to use the clean fifteen and dirty dozen resource while shopping. I guess I can aim for something close to perfection.
Unfortunately, my reading has been limited, but I was determined to carve out time to finish this latest book by Lynn Austin. The third book in The Restoration Chronicles, On This Foundation tells the story of Nehemiah who leaves Persia and travels to Jerusalem to lead the building of the wall. The story is familiar, so I think everyone knows how it will end. Yet, Lynn Austin does an excellent job of building suspense and intrigue. Halfway through the book, I read the book of Nehemiah just to check the facts and confirm what I was reading. Lynn Austin is a gifted writer who makes biblical history come to life. I hope this series never ends!
Happy Reading and Eating!
Despite my lack of productivity in the kitchen I have continued expanding my cookbook collection. I think this cookbook has been used more than any other I have ever bought, 150 Best Vegan Muffin Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury. This cookbook has changed my life! I whip up a batch of muffins twice a week now, all of the recipes are easy and worth the time spent in the kitchen. Most of the recipes use vegan yogurt which can be found at Solomon's Fresh Market. I mostly use Almond Dream's Vanilla Yogurt which is afford-ably priced and not overly sweet. My favorites are the Chocolate Chip Muffin and Banana Walnut.
I don't usually buy Kindle versions of cookbooks, but had heard so many good things about Dreena Burton's Plant Powered Families that I decided to give it a try and wanted immediate gratification. I have also been having a BIG problem with trying to pack healthy, appealing lunches for my first grader. I hoped that this cookbook would help. So far I have tried about three recipes from this book and was pleased, my favorite has been the chickpea burgers. My entire family absolutely loved them which was a win for me. My only peeve is that all of the baking recipes are gluten free, but overall this is a good book for families trying to feed vegan kids.
Even though I am now a reforming junk foodie, I am happy to see the the wide variety of foods being carried in my local store. I recently found Earth Balance Cheddar Puffs, Popcorn and other items. YAY! I also have to recommend So Delicious Cashew Milk Ice Cream. This is the best vegan ice cream you will ever eat, I promise. These items are pricey, but worth the occasional splurge.
I was led to begin a clean up process in the diet of my family after watching OMG! a documentary about Genetically Modified Foods. I was inspired to start buying organic, until I picked up a pound of organic chickpeas being sold for nine dollars. Nope! Had to purchase the non-organic brand for one dollar and ninety-nine cents. I am trying to use the clean fifteen and dirty dozen resource while shopping. I guess I can aim for something close to perfection.
Unfortunately, my reading has been limited, but I was determined to carve out time to finish this latest book by Lynn Austin. The third book in The Restoration Chronicles, On This Foundation tells the story of Nehemiah who leaves Persia and travels to Jerusalem to lead the building of the wall. The story is familiar, so I think everyone knows how it will end. Yet, Lynn Austin does an excellent job of building suspense and intrigue. Halfway through the book, I read the book of Nehemiah just to check the facts and confirm what I was reading. Lynn Austin is a gifted writer who makes biblical history come to life. I hope this series never ends!
Happy Reading and Eating!
Sunday, July 19, 2015
A little of this and a little of that!
Summer!
Waking up late, going to bed late, cooking, eating, reading! All things I like to do during the summer. Unfortunately, pursuing my Master's Degree has but a little damper on my usual summer activities. But, I will not be dismayed I will find time to sleep in late, watch my favorite television shows, cook, eat and of course read.
I cannot resist a new cookbook and Facebook ensures that I know about every cookbook that is published. I had heard about Miyoko Schinner, because of her vegan cheese line. Unfortunately, living in paradise means that I may never taste these delicacies. But, if I have the inclination I can make them at home using her recipes. Yet, I have no interest in making cheese, considering I don't really like the stuff. Thankfully, this cookbook has so much more. My Auntie Esther makes pecan rolls that will make you scream... I have tried to recreate this recipe many times with so many failures. Schinner's Basic Yeasted Sweet Pastry Dough is the closest I have ever got. It results in fluffy, sweet dough! If this is the only thing I ever make from this book, it was well worth it.
Did I ever mention that I am obsessed with midwives? Well reading about them at least. I stumbled across a book on my Kindle called The Reluctant Midwife. This is not a christian book, but it is a good read. All the trials and tribulations faced by a very reluctant midwife during the Great Depression, while dragging along a catatonic doctor. Great read!
I received a free copy of the book The Midwife's Tale by Delia Parr. This book was less about a midwife and more about a town that is served by a midwife. Trinity, Pennslyvania is an interesting place with all kinds of characters that will make you love this town. Martha Cade faces an interesting dilemma, a doctor who threatens her position in the town, along with a mystery. Martha is an engaging character who has an interest in so many lives all over Trinity. If you love midwives and small towns, you will enjoy this book.
This month I traveled to San Antonio for a conference. During this time my church voted on an issue connected to women being ordained. Unfortunately, in the end the vote went the other way and women will not be ordained. Perhaps, this is why I found Refining Fire by Tracie Peterson so interesting. The story itself was not so engaging and I do not like books that leave you hanging which this book does. Yet, the story did make me think as Abrianna Cunningham, wrestled with the position of women in ministry. I thoroughly enjoyed her spirited arguments and determination to serve.
San Antonio! The highlight of this trip was my first ever visit to Whole Foods. YAY! I got to try Beyond Meat's Chik'n Strips and CHAO cheese. I love that place, and cannot wait to go back.
Another month left for my semi-vacation. Hopefully, I will be doing lots of cooking, eating and reading!
Waking up late, going to bed late, cooking, eating, reading! All things I like to do during the summer. Unfortunately, pursuing my Master's Degree has but a little damper on my usual summer activities. But, I will not be dismayed I will find time to sleep in late, watch my favorite television shows, cook, eat and of course read.
I cannot resist a new cookbook and Facebook ensures that I know about every cookbook that is published. I had heard about Miyoko Schinner, because of her vegan cheese line. Unfortunately, living in paradise means that I may never taste these delicacies. But, if I have the inclination I can make them at home using her recipes. Yet, I have no interest in making cheese, considering I don't really like the stuff. Thankfully, this cookbook has so much more. My Auntie Esther makes pecan rolls that will make you scream... I have tried to recreate this recipe many times with so many failures. Schinner's Basic Yeasted Sweet Pastry Dough is the closest I have ever got. It results in fluffy, sweet dough! If this is the only thing I ever make from this book, it was well worth it.
Did I ever mention that I am obsessed with midwives? Well reading about them at least. I stumbled across a book on my Kindle called The Reluctant Midwife. This is not a christian book, but it is a good read. All the trials and tribulations faced by a very reluctant midwife during the Great Depression, while dragging along a catatonic doctor. Great read!
I received a free copy of the book The Midwife's Tale by Delia Parr. This book was less about a midwife and more about a town that is served by a midwife. Trinity, Pennslyvania is an interesting place with all kinds of characters that will make you love this town. Martha Cade faces an interesting dilemma, a doctor who threatens her position in the town, along with a mystery. Martha is an engaging character who has an interest in so many lives all over Trinity. If you love midwives and small towns, you will enjoy this book.
This month I traveled to San Antonio for a conference. During this time my church voted on an issue connected to women being ordained. Unfortunately, in the end the vote went the other way and women will not be ordained. Perhaps, this is why I found Refining Fire by Tracie Peterson so interesting. The story itself was not so engaging and I do not like books that leave you hanging which this book does. Yet, the story did make me think as Abrianna Cunningham, wrestled with the position of women in ministry. I thoroughly enjoyed her spirited arguments and determination to serve.
San Antonio! The highlight of this trip was my first ever visit to Whole Foods. YAY! I got to try Beyond Meat's Chik'n Strips and CHAO cheese. I love that place, and cannot wait to go back.
Another month left for my semi-vacation. Hopefully, I will be doing lots of cooking, eating and reading!
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Too Many Books, Too Little Time
I had decided to stop buying cookbooks... but then I thought, "Can a person ever have too many cookbooks?" Well, maybe they can, especially if they are overflowing and spilling off the shelf.
Nonetheless, I have an addiction to good fiction and cookbooks. Can't resist either one!
I recently got a chance to read Until the Harvest by Sarah Loudin Thomas. This is her second novel and is a continuation (sort of) of her first, Miracle in Dry Season. That book told the story of Perla who always had her food multiply (in a five loaves, two fish kind of way). Until the Harvest tells the story of her son, Henry who I must say was the most annoying human in the world or in this book. The other main character is Margaret who has an awful mother, but saintly sister Mayfair. Mayfair is gifted like Perla is, though in a different way. The story explores the impact of Mayfair's gift, Henry's bad decisions and their effect on everyone and even Perla's past. I don' know if I will read another book by Sarah Loudin Thomas, I don't really like her style of writing. I wanted the story to end and didn't feel any connections with the characters. I may decide to try this author again though, because I can't really resist a book. A free copy of this book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for this very honest review.
I just picked up my copy of "Infuse." Now this was a weird choice, since I do not drink alcohol and look weirdly at people that have stuff floating in their water. But I decided to give this a try because... I love Mason Jars. I have a ton of them that I never use, and this provides me with the perfect excuse. Infuse has recipes for oils, spirits and water. This weekend I will be trying the Jalapeno-Spiked Grapefruit Water, sounds weird I know, but I cannot wait! A review of this book will be coming up shortly.
Vegan with a Vengeance was my first vegan cookbook, and despite the fact that I love Isa Chandra, I did not love that book. So why did I buy the ten year anniversary edition? Because I have a problem... could not resist. I plan to try out a few of the new recipes in it as soon as I get a chance. The pizza dough recipe in that book is the best ever!
Finally, when a person realizes that a cookbook is not a good fit, the best thing to do is to find it a new home. Last week I found new homes for Vegan Taco and Salsa and Moles. Under no circumstances should you leave a cookbook languishing on your shelf. Give it to someone who will love and cherish it!
Now, there are not many opportunities to visit a fully vegan restaurant in Nassau, but I must give a shout out to Eat Right Delights. This is a new vegan take-out located at the intersection of Wulff Road and Market Street. The food is affordable and good. Please give it a try!
Nonetheless, I have an addiction to good fiction and cookbooks. Can't resist either one!
I recently got a chance to read Until the Harvest by Sarah Loudin Thomas. This is her second novel and is a continuation (sort of) of her first, Miracle in Dry Season. That book told the story of Perla who always had her food multiply (in a five loaves, two fish kind of way). Until the Harvest tells the story of her son, Henry who I must say was the most annoying human in the world or in this book. The other main character is Margaret who has an awful mother, but saintly sister Mayfair. Mayfair is gifted like Perla is, though in a different way. The story explores the impact of Mayfair's gift, Henry's bad decisions and their effect on everyone and even Perla's past. I don' know if I will read another book by Sarah Loudin Thomas, I don't really like her style of writing. I wanted the story to end and didn't feel any connections with the characters. I may decide to try this author again though, because I can't really resist a book. A free copy of this book was provided by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for this very honest review.
I just picked up my copy of "Infuse." Now this was a weird choice, since I do not drink alcohol and look weirdly at people that have stuff floating in their water. But I decided to give this a try because... I love Mason Jars. I have a ton of them that I never use, and this provides me with the perfect excuse. Infuse has recipes for oils, spirits and water. This weekend I will be trying the Jalapeno-Spiked Grapefruit Water, sounds weird I know, but I cannot wait! A review of this book will be coming up shortly.
Vegan with a Vengeance was my first vegan cookbook, and despite the fact that I love Isa Chandra, I did not love that book. So why did I buy the ten year anniversary edition? Because I have a problem... could not resist. I plan to try out a few of the new recipes in it as soon as I get a chance. The pizza dough recipe in that book is the best ever!
Finally, when a person realizes that a cookbook is not a good fit, the best thing to do is to find it a new home. Last week I found new homes for Vegan Taco and Salsa and Moles. Under no circumstances should you leave a cookbook languishing on your shelf. Give it to someone who will love and cherish it!
Now, there are not many opportunities to visit a fully vegan restaurant in Nassau, but I must give a shout out to Eat Right Delights. This is a new vegan take-out located at the intersection of Wulff Road and Market Street. The food is affordable and good. Please give it a try!
Monday, May 11, 2015
A Much Needed Break!
Finally!!! I finally have a much needed break from school---one month. A whole month to relax, read and try complicated vegan dishes.
It all began with Finding Me by Kathryn Cushman. I have read a few of Cushman's books and enjoy her style of writing and the way she deals with difficult issues. Finding Me is about a young woman, Kelli, who is mourning the death of her father. His death leads to Kelli uncovering secrets kept by her father for a very long time. Secrets that reveal who she is, hence the name, finding me. The premise was a good one, but after a while I was like, "Just tell everyone who you are, Hurry up!" It moved kind of slowly, but was worth it in the end. I also recommend Cushman's book-Chasing Hope. That was a perfect book! (Bethany House provided a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.)
Last week, I saw one of my students reading a thick book and had to examine it closely. After reading the first few pages of the book I was hooked. I went home and loaded it onto my Kindle and spent the entire night reading. The Mysterious Benedict Society! Its a book written for kids, but I could not put it down, Adventure, puzzles, suspense and character development, all in a book for 10 year old kids. If you have kids or love to read get this book. I have even read book 2 in the series, blew my mind!
Now on to the next best part of my break, trying new recipes. I recently received a copy of the book Salsas and Moles. When I think of Salsa one thing comes to mind-tomatoes. This book goes way beyond that! There are classic salsas, chunky salsas and hot salsas. I immediately turned to Salsas for Tacos. I love tacos, and will grasp any opportunity to make them better. There is the basic guacamole and Pico De Gallo which were most familiar to me. Then there were recipes for Spicy Slaw and Taco Stand Onions. The book makes suggestions for use of salsas and I would recommend topping some Gardein Fishless Fillets with the Spicy Slaw. Avocados and mangoes will be here in a few short weeks and I can't wait to use them to try other recipes in Salsas and Moles. (A free copy of this book was provided by Blogging for Books in exchange for my review),
An entire month to savor good books and good food!
It all began with Finding Me by Kathryn Cushman. I have read a few of Cushman's books and enjoy her style of writing and the way she deals with difficult issues. Finding Me is about a young woman, Kelli, who is mourning the death of her father. His death leads to Kelli uncovering secrets kept by her father for a very long time. Secrets that reveal who she is, hence the name, finding me. The premise was a good one, but after a while I was like, "Just tell everyone who you are, Hurry up!" It moved kind of slowly, but was worth it in the end. I also recommend Cushman's book-Chasing Hope. That was a perfect book! (Bethany House provided a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.)
Last week, I saw one of my students reading a thick book and had to examine it closely. After reading the first few pages of the book I was hooked. I went home and loaded it onto my Kindle and spent the entire night reading. The Mysterious Benedict Society! Its a book written for kids, but I could not put it down, Adventure, puzzles, suspense and character development, all in a book for 10 year old kids. If you have kids or love to read get this book. I have even read book 2 in the series, blew my mind!
Now on to the next best part of my break, trying new recipes. I recently received a copy of the book Salsas and Moles. When I think of Salsa one thing comes to mind-tomatoes. This book goes way beyond that! There are classic salsas, chunky salsas and hot salsas. I immediately turned to Salsas for Tacos. I love tacos, and will grasp any opportunity to make them better. There is the basic guacamole and Pico De Gallo which were most familiar to me. Then there were recipes for Spicy Slaw and Taco Stand Onions. The book makes suggestions for use of salsas and I would recommend topping some Gardein Fishless Fillets with the Spicy Slaw. Avocados and mangoes will be here in a few short weeks and I can't wait to use them to try other recipes in Salsas and Moles. (A free copy of this book was provided by Blogging for Books in exchange for my review),
An entire month to savor good books and good food!
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