Stew for 2

Daube Provençale (French Beef Stew with Red Wine)

My daughter sent me a text with this picture from pinterest.com. To suggest maybe we should come to dinner sunday as this was her plans.

I received this text while I was roaming around the grocery story.  My husband sent me to get some meat, he was getting sick of all the quinoa that I'd been making all week and threatened to leave home if he didn't get some meat....

The weather sucked...snow....bad road conditions etc. I  sure didn't want to drive 25km for a what looked like a really good stew.  So I bought a blade steak and texted back to her, "thanks, but some other time---I still didn't change my tires to winter ones yet and I was planning on staying home...but thanks for the suggestion I think I will make this for dinner tonight".

I drove home and slipped and slid around the pathway from garage to back door.  Unloaded the groceries and turned on the computer to get the recipe. Stew ...is... Stew but ...what the heck---I'll follow the recipe I figured.

Recipe from Home Made Winter, by Yvette van Boven.  Serves 8.

• 3 lb stew beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 (750-ml) bottle Cote du Rhone [I used Bordeaux and it was fine, but Yvette recommends Cote du Rhone, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, or Minervois
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 1 orange, washed well and cut into 8 wedges [I substituted grapefruit]
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into rings
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• olive oil
• 1 6-oz can tomato paste
• 3 1/2 oz. pitted black olives

1. Season meat with salt and pepper on all sides.  Place meat in a big bowl with wine, thyme, bay leaves, carrots, orange, onion, and garlic.  Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours, and preferably 24 hours
2. .Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot.  Remove the meat from the marinade and brown the pieces in the oil on all sides.  Pour the marinade over the meat and bring 
3. to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes, skimming any foam from the surface.  Lower the heat to a simmer, stir in the tomato paste, and add 4 1/2 c. water.  Cover, and let stew on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. 15 minutes before the stew is ready, add the pitted olives.  Let cook for 15 minutes on medium heat without the lid to thicken the stew.
5. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta.

Well f#@&... I didn't have any red wine.  Why would I ...no one here drinks the stuff.  I went downstairs and was hoping that mayyyyybe there was some wierd bottle of red that I'd forgotten about on the wine storage rack.   Yes I know...I've been using the rack for folding laundry lately, but there are a few bottles of weird stuff on it.  But not a single bottle of red. Hmmm..

I'm going to have to go out again...and get some red. Crap

I was already going over in my head what I was going to tell the insurance adjuster after  my car was inevitably going to get creamed at one of the 6 or 7 intersections between me and the  wine store. 

I made in there in one piece and waundered around trying to find some red wine as per the recipe. Everything that was suggested was waaaay over my price range for marinating stew overnight.  I settle on a Wolf Blass that was one sale, 

$8.99/bottle

I went back to the grocery store and got some beef stock and thyme for good measure.

After I got home in one piece I cut up all the meat and intended to make half the recipe.

Then I read the recipe again......overnight....what!!!!!

crap....

Oh..well - sorry....dear....no steak for dinner tonight
Back to the grocery store.....
I picked up a ham steak ....easy...fast...maybe the spouse will unpack his bag....

Well after I poured the wine over everything and threw it in the fridge overnight...I poured a glass of red for my husband to have a drink with his ham steak and mac and cheese.  Since I only made half the recipe, there was half a bottle of red left.  Ohh well I figured I'd make some spaghetti sauce and use up the rest of the red maybe on monday. This was saturday.

On Sunday....stew night.....by noon the sun was out, snow was melting everywhere...

My sister texted me that my mother and her were driving through and would be stopping in (they showed up thursday for a funeral of her inlaw on saturday about 300 miles north). So I texted her a pic of the supposed stew that my daughter had sent me and suggested they stop in for dinner.  Not expecting her to say yes, expecting her to have already made plans for dinner with her son, where she was expecting to spend the night. I figured we would have a nice visit and they would be on their way before dinner.

My doorbell rang around 2 and expecting some interesting stew they changed their plans and I was expected to produce dinner for 4 instead of 2.  But I was marinating dinner for 2.  Crap what to do...what to do. Well my sister drinks red wine so it was good that I had if nothing else...half a bottle of red. I also had half a head of cauliflower in the fridge...so roasted cauliflower was added.

I quickly browned stuff, added three more carrots to the mix and managed to follow the recipe except for the add water stage, I added beef stock.  Since i was using my magic pot (cast iron thing) after cooking on top of the stove for 1/2 an hour I didn't think it was going to cook in time so I threw the whole thing into the oven with the cauliflower roasting away on the other oven rack.  Added some green salad and ....VOILA!!!

DINNER WAS SERVED











So I sorta followed the recipe, except the time.  After boiling, skimming etc....I got tired of all the stirring and threw the whole mess into the oven.  I should have added a little more stock cause when I opened the lid before serving...it was a little dry.  Next time I will add a little more hot stock just before serving.

It was good stuff.....To bad there was no leftovers except this for picking over before washing up.  I was expecting it to be toooo wineyyyy. But the addition of the beef stock probably worked to dilute the wineynous of it all.  I will definately make this again. In fact maybe tomorrow - if I get another blade steak today.

Cleaning up

before

after

Now I can get some stuff done.

It's a snow day

....what happened to Fall, all this snow, and it's not even Halloweens yet. Grrr


I could definitely do without this.  Just because we had a wonderful summer for a change, doesn't mean we have to start winter so early. I still have flowers in the planters...that are all probably dead now, thanks for that!
But the good news..if there is any. I can wear my really big over the top (over the knee) boots now. I've missed my skinny jeans that i wore with the boots.  AND THEY STILL FIT. That alone is good news.
My husband even polished and shined them up yesterday.  That's probably why it snowed today.  I think he gets off on the smell of shoe polish.  Polishing shoes, ironing, cleaning the kitchen counter and cleaning bathrooms. Oh and the car always looks better after he's cleaned it.  That's his specialty.  I don't know how he does it, the cleaning the counter thing.  After I clean, it never looks like his cleaning.  I really love coming home to a clean kitchen counter.  I usually leave the house ...well it's not nice....
...must be the virgo in him
...my son shares the same birthday as my husband and he only grew into his virgonous after he had kids. Cause he liked living in a clean house, but didn't ever participate in getting it in that shape.  It's amusing to see the son shining up his hard wood floors after the kids have ridden the ride-it toys all over it. And his counters look just like mine. My son freaks out during the whole evening whenever he has a large group of guests over for family dinners.  Specially if there are many toddlers and kids there too.  I really enjoy it...serves him right as far as I'm concerned. If something lands on the floor I can just see the steam come out of his ears and the look that his head is going to blow-up.  HAHAHA it's fun, I live for it. Xmas's at his house with about 30+ people is a nightmare for him.

Well i've been off Facebook since September 26th or so...and you know....I didn't think I could do it. Well I've actually gone on it, ....just to see the pic's the family has posted. So that I can copy them over to my "send to wal-mart" to print a picture file. But i haven't posted ANYTHING,.... NOTHING.  And I think I'm better for it, really.

I was wasting all day yesterday reading a bunch of blogs I keep track of and I came up on a recipe I just had to try.

Well, when you see a recipe for "Emergency Soup" or "Soupe d'urgence" ....what would you do - but make it. I had most of the ingredients. No fresh ginger, but roasted ginger spice sub'd just fine.

 2 1/2 large Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into medium sized chunks

5 carrots, sliced 

1 big onion, diced

3 large garlic cloves, same

1/2 Tablespoon diced fresh ginger (or cuilière à soupe instead of T in France)

Spices:

cumin, cayenne powder, cinammon, ancho chile powder, cajun spices, heck I even put a pinch of Smokehouse Maple in there, to taste

1 Liter chicken broth

and I used the russian garlic mush that was leftover from thanksgiving (there sure is alot of it left and only a little is used at a time cause it's so potent) 

I used roasted ginger, cumin, sirarche, ancho chile powder, saigon cinnamon, pumpkin spice and some lea and perrins. But after I tasted it, I ground up some nutmeg over the bowl. And that's what it was missing.

It was damn gooooood. I thought it was too thick, but really it wasn't.  Oh yeah I used a GINORMOUS yam instead of sweet potatoes, If anything....next time I will use more yam and less carrot. But it was very good.

I cooked the onions down to almost mush before adding the potato and I used organic sunflower seed oil not olive oil. And of coarse I used my MAGIC POT (a dutch oven cast iron thing).  That's a must, and an Imersion blender.

You should try it. 

If I had any of that compressed coconut stuff, that would have been a nice addition as a garnish. But I didn't have any of that.  I really should get some

Quinoa Burger

Quinoa Burger

Yesterday...I made the zucchini feta dill thing, and noticed this quinoa burger.  So this morning I decided to give the quinoa burger patty / fritter a try.  

First I cooked the quinoa in veg broth, some butter and purple garlic mush ( that I still have leftover from thanksgiving). Then I added the other ingredients as per the recipe

2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see note below for cooking instructions)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated (OR 1 cup shredded zucchini, squeezed dry)

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 green onions, including white parts

1 /2 teaspoon Splenda or sugar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Except...I changed a few things. I had no cottage cheese so I sub'd about 1/4 cup sour cream...why?

I really don't know why....It was at the bottom of the containers and looked like the cottage cream containers, so I threw it in.  Why not

I didn't have any green onions, so I used half a diced onion. And since I already  cooked quinoa originally with a dollop of garlic mush. I didn't add any garlic powder. And I used 1/3 cup of flour...only because I read the comments from the original blog and the batter seemed a little "loose" so I added a little bit more flour. and 1/3 cup of flour is easier to measure that 3 tbsp, and I'm lazy.

and I used a medium zucchini and I didn't squeeze the liquid out because I didn't have a clean tea towel handy, and that's another reason I added a little bit more flour.

I used organic sunflower oil, because I ran out of grape seed oil the day before. And I don't like to waste my good real honest to goodness Olive Oil that has the required stamp of approval that is not a "product of Italy" , but rather comes from Spain and is actual real Olive Oil.... that said

At first I used an ice cream scoop to add the mixture to a frying pan, but noticed that the patty/fritter just wasn't "setting up" nice.  Kinda floppy and I had to use two spatulas to turn the thing over. It was a hassle, so the following batches I used a cookie scoop instead, and these patty/fritter co-operated much better, and were all round crunchier and cooked right through, and the smaller ones were better cold later also. 

So there you have it, my breakfast and lunch today Quinoa burger/fritter. 

The really sad part of the whole two days of breakfast, is the diminishing supply of tomatoes that are in the box under the window.  There are just dribs and drabs remaining.  I am going to have to start buying them soon.  Ughhhh not looking forward to it. I don't like having to wait til august next year for a tomato.

*oh yeah, I added about 1/2 cup crumbled feta, (just because I was too lazy to open the new package of cheddar cheese and the hunk that I had in the bag wasn't enough), also a shot of sirarche hot sauce and a couple shots of lea and perrins. .....I think that's it

I'm hungry...what to eat-what to eat...

Zucchini Fritters with feta and dill

Makes about 16 large fritters or 25 small ones

4 zucchini (about 1 1/2 lb/750 g)
5 or 6 scallions, white and light green parts only, finely chopped (save the dark green tops for the tomato salad)
9 oz (250 g) feta cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons dried dill
1 cup (120 g) flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs, beaten
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil
Greek or natural yogurt, to serve (optional)

Coarsely grate the zucchini using a box grater, food processor or mandoline slicer. Transfer to a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain in the sink for about 30 minutes to get rid of the excess water.

Put the chopped scallions in a bowl and crumble in the feta. Add the dill and flour and season well with salt and pepper. Gradually add the beaten egg and mix thoroughly before adding in the drained zucchini.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and drop heaped spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan (an ice cream scoop works well here), flattening them with the back of a spoon. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden, then transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel. Serve with dollop of Greek or natural yogurt, either hot from the pan or at room temperature.

It was damn good....though I only made half, but I did use two eggs. And I didn't salt and drain the zuc

I dumped the zucchini into a dish towel and squeezed the shit   liquid out of it into the sink. Much easier, even if you do the whole recipe, the dish towel tecnique can be done in batches. Also I used grape seed oil not Olive oil. And what's with the "save the green tops of scallions" ...I used all of it

I specially liked this cause 1. I had all the ingredients, 2. I had all the ingredients, and 3. I had all the ingredients.

Next time I will add some parmesan cheese or something a little sharper with the feta, (one can never have tooooo much cheese added) and maybe a shot of sriracha.  The yogurt I had on hand was greek with honey, It added a nice flavour.

Next time I will flatten them a little more as they fry up as well.
One of these days I might even level the damn stove.....It drives me.... in-f#cking-sane....whenever I have to pan fry.

They taste good cold too, would make a nice snack in the car on the way to somewhere---hungry.

I am...

Writing prompt

Five minutes...

I am...a grandmother - if I knew then..how wonderful this would be, I might have had more kids myself.
I am ...a good cook, it amazes me how I can throw things together and they are actually edible and there have been many times that there wasn't very much to throw together in the first place.
I am...lazy
I am... available always for my kids with time, $$$ and advise hahaha
I am...a varosious (bad spelling) reader...I should live in a library or book store, cause I actually hate buying the books, just reading them...
I am....annoying, apparently I talk toooooo loudly, but I blame that on once being a hockey mom of a goalie with a lousy crappy team.
I am...out of time

...the summer that was - I will miss thee

waterpark dance

waterpark friday's
spent a remarkable amount of time at waterparks this year

didn't expect him to sit in his water source

....water fight

'tis the season

Apple Crisp....yum
For dessert first, before dinner
then as snack around 10pm

 For breakfast

Good thing I made two.
....maybe for lunch today

Waiting for the next season

Sooo long...Sad to see you go
Too Bad I don't have a bigger composter. Its a shame, but it's going in the dumpster out back. Horrors!!! But there it is.
I spent the day cleaning up the back yard...such as it is for a back yard - in this complex. But I gotta say the kiddy pool of the g'kids came in handy to drag through the garage, then into the dumpster. I have to dig up a couple things seeing as how I will probably be somewhere else next summer.  My daughter has been given the task of finding a 4 bdrm with a 2bdrm walk out basement somewhere in the city. Hopefully with a wish list to give any real estate agent nightmares.  Currently she's paying waaaay to much for daycare for one kid full time and 1 in kindergarten before and after school care.  Her daycare is a mortgage payment. So we have agreed to live together and give up our lives for 2 yrs max for both to be out of daycare and kindergarten.
Wish List
must have......
4 bdrm (will settle for 3 upstairs + playroom or family room upstairs)
2 bdrm dwm with bar or potentional for 2nd kitchen reno and walkin closet or plotential for at least one)
walk in pantry
walk out basement (will not settle, must have someplace for bamboo hanging chair)
outdooor bbg area
two ovens (wouldn't that be ultimate, 2 ovens up and one down yay), could be asking too much...
open plan so things could be moved around for large family dinners with addition of collapsable tables
2+car garage and street parking for guests
access to back yard with either lane or bike bath
fenced
either large enough back yard for climbing swing thing, tramp, play house, garden....bonus if already included
should be in neighborhood with walk-ability to shops, library, hardware store, pharmacy with canada post, tim hortons, (( have these now, and will really really miss them), bike paths. (I love my neighborhood), rec center etc. Good selection of take-out would be nice (lazy). Did I mention I love my neighborhood, I can walk to any service or shop. It's all right here. costco and walmart are both just a short drive like 10 min away. I'm so spoiled. It's like I live in a small town---in the big-bad-city. And I'm 10 min away from the airport. Most of the neighborhood works for one airline or another or the airport. I actually got some nice pic's of kate and will leaving the royal tour, coarse I had to zoom it in, but still.... And I never hear the planes. Just miss the flight path. i see them, but I rarely actually hear them.  I hope she finds someplace in my neighborhood. Would't that be great?
NO CARPET  ON MAIN FLOOR
Gas fireplace...or two
walking distance to primary school, cause I really hate driving if I don't have to.
Close to transit would be good, cause i hate to pay for parking downtown, would so much rather take the train

I don't know....this might be asking too much
...My husband - would prob think he's died and gone to heaven if he could buy a golf cart to park somewhere on the property...to drive his clubs around.....maybe even to play a round once-in-awhile.

Turkey day...yum

Yesterday I paid my library fine like a good girl, and then they let me take all the reserves that had accumulated on the shelf with my name (and my husbands, cause I cheat so that I can reserve twice as many). $34.25 fine....yikes, that's what happens when you loose track of things and thanksgiving family arrive, all that cleaning, rejigging of beds, and futons and did I mention cleaning, cleaning and more cleaning. Not to mention digging out all those big roasters, mixing bowls, pots, and serving platers that one never uses. But thanksgiving was a good time. 20 adults and 8 kids. Since I REFUSE to make turkey anymore, I roped my mother into making the turkey and stuffing, since she was staying with me, and since she always moooops  around if she doesn't get to do something, not to mention all the "why are you doing it that way's" and "why are you adding THAT's". I figured I would boss her around instead for a change. It worked our rather well.
My step daughter decided to make this interesting thing with stuffed beet leaves. Hmmm I thought I had enough on my garden still, She kept asking me" are you sure I don't have to bring any?" Cause she works at a market garden and has them available ...but no, I insisted I had plenty.

That was on a tuesday, by wednesday we had a frost....and half of the beet greens were toast.  Hmmm, what to do. So on Friday I happened by the farmers market and low and behold....beet greens. But very pricey $5.95 a bunch. The leaves were huge, but there were only 4 beets in the bunch. And she said she needed lots.

As it happened my mother was coming into town friday night, and she had beet greens packed up and ready for the 7 hr trip. I figured - I've got lots between my mothers and mine, there's got to be enough.

Well....not so much - This dish needs alot of greens. So Sunday morning I was running around chasing beet greens at every store in my neighborhood. I finally found 3 bunches for $1.95 each. Much better price.

The stuffed beet greens were very good, I even had some stuffing left over that didn't make it into the dish, I added a couple eggs, mixed it all up and made patties for a snack on monday. Damn good.

My house we cooked the turkey, stuffing, beet greens thing, roasted the beets, sliced and buttered them, peeled the potatoes prepping them for steaming, drank wine, had to make lunch in the middle of all this for 7 adults. Pesto spaghetti and broad breans, Then my mother man handled the turkey apart into chunks - out came all the stuffing, lined the bottom of the roaster with celery stalks and onion rings, placed the boneless turkey parts on top of the mess then poured a container of vegetable stock over the whole thing, then foil wrapped it all up, after draining all the drippings first of coarse. Oh yeah my g'son was celebrating his 2nd birthday as well so there was also a cupcake birthday cake with a Thomas Train theme (ordered and paid for) to transport to my daughters.

It's a good thing I have a van, cause it was full
Turkey---check
Stuffing--check
freshing made cranberry sauce--check
prepped potatoes--check
beetgreens thing--check
roasted beets-check
brussel sprouts--check (wow were they ever good, bacon, whole hazelnuts & maple syrup)
drippings--check
cake--check
booze--double check
platters--check
5 adults--check
cell phones, charges, cameras --check, check and check
The only thing that I didn't have to transport were the apps, the salmon destined for the barbeque, yams and desert. No wonder we were all exhausted at my house, we did most of the cooking. How did that happen? Thank goodness for the really super big bbq to keep everything warm just before the salmon went on it.

Everything was very good. Specially the brussel sprouts that nobody likes, but cleaned up this year. And the Beet top thing, was weird looking but was the first thing to be polished off. There was hardly any leftovers. A little bit of turkey, handful of beets, and a little hunk of salmon, enough gravy for a meal of hot turkey sandwichs for dinner tuesday. It was the stuffing that was really good though. Yum, and only after I insisted my mother (who never eats the stuff) added a few things that she generally never does. Even she ate it even though i almost had to arm wrestle her to add the garlic from the press.

Lazy is my middle name

So ...last night there was a frost warning.
I could have done many things....but I chose to do the easiest available thing.
On tuesday we had a snow warning, so on tuesday I threw the g'kids plastic circle form swimming pool thing over the herbs, and lids of three plastic storage tubs were leaned against the beets that are planted against the garage.  For some reason I didn't think to drape a plastic sheet up against the same garage to protect the scarlet runners...duhhhhh
So Tuesday's snow warning actually materialized, hahaha if you can call it a snow warning. I figured when I peeked under the swimming pool and saw all my basil stilll healthy and the beets and the uncovered beans still standing up.  I thought, "cool" whew that was close. And promptly forgot (or didn't head the actual frost warning the next night). So this morning I had places to go, things to do ....and as I uncovered stuff to water them, I noticed the "death of all living things"...and cried a little tear for all the lost basil that was destined for pesto.  (and I had many plants that were just amazing covered with leaves, large leaf or leaf lettuce variety). I  knew I should have picked it, ohhhhh the pain. The heart...stopping....pain of no fresh pesto for the freezer or jars. Curses to the lazy.

Isn't that just the most heart breaking thing to have to look at? I didn't even bother to look at the lettuce leaf variety, it would have killed me for sure. This is just one plant. There are six others that look worse.

My only salvation is that the tarragon and italian parsley, dill and mint survived. And are currently soaking in the sink waiting to go through the salad spinner and then the oven on real low for drying.  But why ohhhh why just the basil. Everything else in the bunch survived.

I promised beet tops to my step daughter for some beet top-stuffed-with-guinoa-concoction for her contribution for ths'giving dinner this weekend. And the tops, even though they were covered - didn't survive either.

So I called my mother....cause she plants both. And lives in B.C., and is coming this way for thanksgiving. But she had frost tooooo. But because she isn't "lazy" and she is "on-the-ball" when it comes to frost warnings. She ripped out all the basil plants and they are currently all over her house in vases (why didn't I think of that......stupid, stupid...lazy) and she threw plastic and blankets over the beets...hmmm apparently plastic isn't so great as a cover for frost...who knew. 

So crisis averted and now there will be beet tops and lots of basil for this weekend.  I don't really know why she even plants basil. She always turns her nose up as pesto. I think she just plants the multiple varieties just to bug the crap out of me and my sister, cause she ALWAYS has a bumper crop and supplies us with bags and bags and bags of leaves. Cause she can plant ANYTHING and it grows with profusion. 

But alas....my scarlet runners beans didn't make it either....

Every year I plant them up against the garage on an old trellis, that I have no idea what it was ever used for originally, but scarlet runners seem to like it there up against the garage.  There isn't much sunlight, but the garage wall prob incubates the heat somewhat.  I planted only one envelope of them, cause at the time - they just were too pricey for what you got. Thinking back on that day, I'm somewhat stupid, and cheap, cause they just produced and produced and produced.  Towards the end of the season I would get a handful everyday and within three days there was enough for a meal for two bean lovers to enjoy. But just before the....end. I was watching a Lydia Bastianich segment on pvr and she was cooking a linguine and pesto and bean dish that I thought....hmm "i have spaghettinni (hate linguine) and I have pesto and a handful of beans. So off to the kitchen I went and we both slurped up the dish and couldn't wait for the next offering of beans.......
well so much for that.
Well my break is over...I have relatives coming.  So I am cleaning, scrubbing, rearranging stuff. And I even toke the paint I bought eons ago - to touch up that stupid ass wall - to home depot to get them to shake the shit out of it. Thanks god the actual dinner isn't at my house.  Just the turkey and stuffing and beet top thing willl be cooked and transported.  But It seems I have the most available room for actual BODIES and their luggage and their spouses and boyfriends and my mother. I hope everyone brings enough booze for the prep.
Oh dear....I should start the cranberries .........to get that out of the way

HAPPY THANKSGIVING...ONE AND ALL

Library books

These are currently the library books hanging around different parts of the house.

*Would it kill you to stop doing that? : a modern guide to manners

Alford, Henry

Funny, read it in about 4 hours though.  I gave it to someone to read, I hope he eventually returns it to the library.  

*The busy mom's cookbook : 100 recipes for quick, delicious, home-cooked meals

Lofaso, Antonia

Gave this one to my daughter to take a look at

*On a cold road : tales of adventure in Canadian rock

Bidini, Dave

*In the flesh : twenty writers explore the body

Page, Kathy

*Forty words for sorrow : [Detectives John Cardinal & Lise Delorme mystery]

Blunt, Giles

*Fresh & easy : what to cook and how to cook it

Hornby, Jane

Sitting in the return pile....kinda lame

*Season to taste : how I lost my sense of smell and found my way

Birnbaum, Molly

*A conspiracy of friends : [a Corduroy Mansions novel]

McCall Smith, Alexander

Love, loooove anything by this author!!!!! I get a little bit of joy everytime I spot a new one @ library "new and notable" shelf, although this isn't that new I think (and hope) it's one that I missed when it first came out.

*Everybody has everything : [a novel]

Onstad, Katrina

*How to cook like a man : a memoir of cookbook obsession

Duane, Daniel

*The beggar's opera

Blair, Peggy J

*The Tuscan Sun cookbook : recipes from our Italian kitchen

Mayes, Frances

*A sunless sea : a William Monk novel

Perry, Anne

I read everything by Anne Perry

*The book club cookbook : recipes and food for thought from your book club's favorite books and authors

Gelman, Judy

I loooove this book, Unfortunately It has added to my reservation list, and now I want to join a bookclub

*American grown : the story of the White House kitchen garden and gardens across America

Obama, Michelle

*The pleasures of cooking for one

Jones, Judith

This is the second time I've taken this book out, I thought I needed a refresher for some inspiration

*Chocolate obsession : confections and treats to create and savor

Recchiuti, Michael

*Eat the city : a tale of the fishers, trappers, hunters, foragers, slaughterers, butchers, farmers, poultry minders, sugar refiners, cane cutters, beekeepers, winemakers, and brewers who built New York

Shulman, Robin

*Home made : the ultimate DIY cookbook featuring over 200 from-scratch recipes

Boven, Yvette van

*Fear and loathing on the campaign trail '72

Thompson, Hunter S

*I'd like to apologize to every teacher I ever had : my year as a rookie teacher at Northeast High

Danza, Tony

*Locavore : from farmer's fields to rooftop gardens : how Canadians are changing the way we eat

Elton, Sarah

The book that changed the way I shop, and I lent it out to other people, again I hope they return it to a branch of the library, but I fear i will be paying overdues for this book, and I probably will buy it if I spot it at a book store or costco.

*Revenge of the land : a century of greed, tragedy, and murder on a Sasktchewan farm

Siggins, Maggie

*Buried in a book : [a novel idea mystery]

Arlington, Judy

*Day of honey : a memoir of food, love, and war

Ciezadlo, Annia

Loooved this book, tried some of the recipes. Have become adicted to the potatoes,onion and egg dish. I've added grated cheese, gr onions and bacon and sour cream as a topping to it. But I have to make it at least once a week. Also one of my obsessions is the diaspora of nationalities and the food they crave. Think the author is a little nuts for wanting to live where she does, but who among us isn't a little nuts. Great book, everyone should read it. Another book on my TO BUY LIST, cause I'm always searching through it for something. I've already renewed it twice, only one more renewal to go before overdues start adding up.

*Crow's landing : a novel

Smith, B. J

*SEAsoned : a chef's journey with her captain

Allman, Victoria

*The illustrated encyclopedia of warfare : from ancient Egypt to Iraq

David, Sau

Got this for my husband to read

*The jewels of paradise : [a novel]

Leon, Donna

*Ten dollar dinners : 140 recipes and tips to elevate simple, fresh meals any night of the week

Arabian, Melissa d

I don't think this one will be very promising

*The unfinished work of Elizabeth D. : a novel

Bernier, Nichole

Facebook....less

I decided a couple days ago to shut facebook down for a month starting October 1st.
It's probably going to be harder than that month I quit drinking wine. (Just to make sure that I wasn't an alcoholic...and the only thing I discovered was that my colesteral level went up that month...so it's back on the bottle since).

There's too much advertising lately, I don't know what happened to it...maybe it's the "facebook has to show profit" crap.  After all, all those facebookers that have all been paid in shares over the years can sell their shares in November I believe. If I've read the business section correctly (and I really don't do that very often) , so the advertising seems to have been ratcheted up.  And some people post stupid crap, me included. So I'm giving it a rest and actually talking to people for the month, well maybe more texting will be done, but I'm going to give actually "talking" a try.