Books I read in 2008 (in order read)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant*
Shopaholic and Baby by Sophie Kinsella
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Raise the Titanic by Clive Cussler
The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun
Death by Chick Lit by Lynn Harris
French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guilano* (a diet book, but so much more!)
The Last Days of Dogtown by Anita Diamant
The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket & Brett Helquist
The Reptile Room (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket & Brett Helquist
The Wide Window (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket & Brett Helquist
Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
The Miserable Mill (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket & Brett Helquist
The Austere Academy (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket & Brett Helquist
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen*
Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
The Ersatz Elevator (A Series of Unfortunate Events) by Lemony Snicket & Brett Helquist
First to Die (Women's Murder Club) by James Patterson
Twilight by Stephenie Myer
New Moon by Stephenie Myer
Eclipse by Stephenie Myer
Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Myer* (I’m giving this a star, but only if you read ALL FOUR)
The Christmas Box by Richard Paul Evans
All the books I read were good, and I would especially recommend titles with stars by them. Although, I enjoyed all the books I finished… I started quite a few more, but if I didn’t finish it, it obviously didn’t make the list.
I’m in a reading slump and need inspiration… please leave me a comment and let me know what books to read in 2009!
Tasty Tuesday - Brownie Trifle
This is pure decadence.
We'll be having this deliciousness for New Year's, so I'll try to post a picture... this desert is all about pretty layers, and being delightful to the eyes as well as the tummy. It looks like you worked oh-so-hard, but in fact, it was a cinch. The trifle dish is a must, but if you don't have one, you can find them for less than $10.
Brownie Trifle
1 batch of Bombshell Brownies (or you can cheat and use a packaged brownie, I won't tell)
1 (8 oz.) tub of cool whip
8 (1.4 oz.) Heath bars, crushed
1 package instant Chocolate Fudge Pudding
2c. milk
Crumble the brownies. Combine the milk and pudding, beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes. (Don't chill.)
Layer in a trifle dish, in this order: 1/2 brownies, 1/2 pudding, 1/2 heath bars, 1/2 cool whip. Repeat.
Garnish with some pretty chocolate curls or a few spare heath bar bits and brownies. Chill for 8 hours before serving.
We'll be having this deliciousness for New Year's, so I'll try to post a picture... this desert is all about pretty layers, and being delightful to the eyes as well as the tummy. It looks like you worked oh-so-hard, but in fact, it was a cinch. The trifle dish is a must, but if you don't have one, you can find them for less than $10.
Brownie Trifle
1 batch of Bombshell Brownies (or you can cheat and use a packaged brownie, I won't tell)
1 (8 oz.) tub of cool whip
8 (1.4 oz.) Heath bars, crushed
1 package instant Chocolate Fudge Pudding
2c. milk
Crumble the brownies. Combine the milk and pudding, beat with a wire whisk for 2 minutes. (Don't chill.)
Layer in a trifle dish, in this order: 1/2 brownies, 1/2 pudding, 1/2 heath bars, 1/2 cool whip. Repeat.
Garnish with some pretty chocolate curls or a few spare heath bar bits and brownies. Chill for 8 hours before serving.
Tasty Tuesday - Easy Lasagna
This is my current favorite lasagna recipe. It's super easy because you use the no-boil noodles, and you make a simple white sauce instead of having to mess with attempting to spread ricotta cheese and driving yourself crazy. It's a great make ahead, and also incredibly versatile. I love to make it with ground beef/turkey and spinach - but you can make it to your own tastes.
Easy Lasagna
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey (or cooked chicken, Italian sausage, seafood, andouille, etc.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
26 to 28 ounces (about 3 cups) pasta sauce
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons red wine (optional)
1 cup chicken stock
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons white wine (optional)
12 ounces (3 cups) freshly grated mozzarella
6 to 8 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 cups cooked, well-drained broccoli, spinach, peas, or other vegetables (optional)
1 cup (about 4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan
Heat oven to 400. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Thoroughly cook the ground beef, garlic, and herbs in a large skillet, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat. Drain the fat off the meat. Stir in pasta sauce and bring to a simmer for about 2 minutes. Season to taste and add the red wine, if using. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add cream cheese, turn heat to low, and whisk until smooth, about 6 minutes. Season to taste and add the white wine, if using.
Spoon half the meat sauce into the pan as evenly as possible. Sprinkle 1 cup grated mozzarella over the meat mixture. Top with 3 or 4 lasagna noodles. If using vegetables, toss them evenly over the noodles.Pour the cream-cheese sauce over the noodles and cover with another cup of grated mozzarella. Arrange 3 or 4 lasagna noodles over the cheese, then spoon remaining meat mixture over noodles as evenly as possible. Top with the rest of the mozzarella and the grated parmesan.
Bake until brown and bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes. (You'll need the longer cooking time if you have made and chilled the lasagna in advance.) Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes or it will be too gloppy to cut well.
Easy Lasagna
1 pound ground beef or ground turkey (or cooked chicken, Italian sausage, seafood, andouille, etc.)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
26 to 28 ounces (about 3 cups) pasta sauce
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons red wine (optional)
1 cup chicken stock
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons white wine (optional)
12 ounces (3 cups) freshly grated mozzarella
6 to 8 no-boil lasagna noodles
2 cups cooked, well-drained broccoli, spinach, peas, or other vegetables (optional)
1 cup (about 4 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan
Heat oven to 400. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan. Thoroughly cook the ground beef, garlic, and herbs in a large skillet, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat. Drain the fat off the meat. Stir in pasta sauce and bring to a simmer for about 2 minutes. Season to taste and add the red wine, if using. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add cream cheese, turn heat to low, and whisk until smooth, about 6 minutes. Season to taste and add the white wine, if using.
Spoon half the meat sauce into the pan as evenly as possible. Sprinkle 1 cup grated mozzarella over the meat mixture. Top with 3 or 4 lasagna noodles. If using vegetables, toss them evenly over the noodles.Pour the cream-cheese sauce over the noodles and cover with another cup of grated mozzarella. Arrange 3 or 4 lasagna noodles over the cheese, then spoon remaining meat mixture over noodles as evenly as possible. Top with the rest of the mozzarella and the grated parmesan.
Bake until brown and bubbling, 35 to 45 minutes. (You'll need the longer cooking time if you have made and chilled the lasagna in advance.) Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes or it will be too gloppy to cut well.
Nifty Tricks a Bug Can Do
BabyBug is getting so big these days… she’s hardly a baby anymore. She is full of fun tricks and nifty talents. She can “moo” for a cow (which sounds like “yum”), “neigh” for a horse (which is a bit like a screechy giggle), and “bow-wow” for a doggie (which actually sounds a lot like bow-wow).
She also has lots of signs. She signs for more, eat, milk, hurt, please, thank you. She is excellent at saying the word “no” – which sounds like “na-na.” And if you say, “How old are you?” She proudly holds up her index finger to tell you she’s one. Of course, she then expects you to applaud.
Last Saturday night she had a hard time getting to sleep, so very out of the ordinary, J and I let her stay up late and watch a Christmas movie with us. We were all happily cuddled up on the couch; me laying on J, Bug laying on me with her sleepy little head laying on my chest, and part of a gingerbread man gripped tightly in her hand.
She looked up at us with those sleepy eyes and gave us a half grin around her paci and then laid her head back down. I was struck by how big she was getting, and I said to J, “How old does she look?”
Bug lazily picked her head back up, looked at us like, how many times do I have to tell you? And she raised her little index finger.
Yes, she’s one.
She also has lots of signs. She signs for more, eat, milk, hurt, please, thank you. She is excellent at saying the word “no” – which sounds like “na-na.” And if you say, “How old are you?” She proudly holds up her index finger to tell you she’s one. Of course, she then expects you to applaud.
Last Saturday night she had a hard time getting to sleep, so very out of the ordinary, J and I let her stay up late and watch a Christmas movie with us. We were all happily cuddled up on the couch; me laying on J, Bug laying on me with her sleepy little head laying on my chest, and part of a gingerbread man gripped tightly in her hand.
She looked up at us with those sleepy eyes and gave us a half grin around her paci and then laid her head back down. I was struck by how big she was getting, and I said to J, “How old does she look?”
Bug lazily picked her head back up, looked at us like, how many times do I have to tell you? And she raised her little index finger.
Yes, she’s one.
Book Club and Christmas, What a Fine Pair You Make
This here is the FIRST ANNUAL BOOK CLUB PHOTO. Unfortunately, there are quite a few missing, but December is probably a lousy time to take a group photo because of all the hub-bub of the season.We had this meeting last Tuesday night, and in honor of the season we sported beautiful holiday sweaters. (See photo.) The winner of the sweater contest was Karla, because she went all out and crimped her hair. Go Karla!
We also had a riveting white elephant gift exchange, where I won a really cute bag and a book that I can't talk about on the Internet.
Tasty Tuesday - Gingerbread!
Look what we made!
Cari, Cristi and I spent a good part of Saturday building and decorating gingerbread houses. Thanks to Cristi - letting us destroy her home - and her awesome cake decorating skills, they turned out AWESOME!
Cari, Cristi and I spent a good part of Saturday building and decorating gingerbread houses. Thanks to Cristi - letting us destroy her home - and her awesome cake decorating skills, they turned out AWESOME! And with my leftover gingerbread, I made gingerbread men... which are MissBug's favorite-thing-on-earth right now.
Gingerbread Recipe
1 cup butter, margarine or shortening
1 cup butter, margarine or shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
5 cups flour
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup water
In a large mixing bowl beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat until fluffy - at least three minutes. Add molasses and beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add to the batter a little at a time, mixing in each addition. You will have to use your hands to work in the last additions.
Divide dough into thirds and shape into balls. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for several hours.
If you're going to make a large house, there are helpful directions for the rest of the recipe here. Otherwise, just roll out to about 3/16 inch thickness and cut out cookies, just like sugar cookie dough.
Christmas at the Zoo
Sunday night, J's parent's took us to Christmas at the Zoo. It was lots of fun. The lights were beautiful... and of course, my photography skills can not do it justice. So, bear with me...
The highlight of the evening was the dolphin show, which BabyBug was very interested in. She wanted to join in the fun and jump in the tank. 
I also really enjoyed when she saw a reindeer and "neighed" at it. The man told us that reindeer actually grunt, but it's not a very pretty sound. So we decided neighing would be just fine.
The highlight of the evening was the dolphin show, which BabyBug was very interested in. She wanted to join in the fun and jump in the tank. 
I also really enjoyed when she saw a reindeer and "neighed" at it. The man told us that reindeer actually grunt, but it's not a very pretty sound. So we decided neighing would be just fine.
Sarah's First Birthday
Happy FIRST Birthday Miss Sarah!
Last week we went to Bug's little friend, Sarah's, first birthday party. It was full of all the fun things that you expect from a first birthday...
Last week we went to Bug's little friend, Sarah's, first birthday party. It was full of all the fun things that you expect from a first birthday... Opening presents with her Mommy.
Eating yummy cake.
Playing with friends and toys.
Eating yummy cake.
Playing with friends and toys.
Tasty Tuesday - Tomato Basil Soup
Yes. I make my own tomato soup. Because it is SO MUCH BETTER than that stuff you get out of a can. And it's really quite easy.
It's very much a tasting game, though. So bare with the recipe. I modeled this one after the one you get at Paradise Bakery, so it's not exactly health food. You could make it a lot healthier, but I probably wouldn't eat it.
Tomato Basil Soup
2 (28oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2T. olive oil
1 quart chicken broth
1c. half and half or heavy cream
1/4c. butter
1T. sugar (give or take)
As much fresh basil as you can get your hands on
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a stock pot. Saute onions and garlic in pan until very soft. Add tomatoes and chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. (By using the crushed tomatoes you don't have to blend it and you get a semi-smooth soup. But, if you want a super creamy soup without any chunks at all, at this point you need to take it off the stove and blend it to smooth.)
Stir in the half and half (or cream), butter, and basil. Stir frequently and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, and all the butter has melted.
Now taste. This all depends on your tomatoes. If it's bitter or too acidic, add the sugar. Start with just a teaspoon, and work up to the tablespoon. At the same time, season with salt and pepper to balance the flavors.
Viola! Now, make yourself some grilled cheese to go with it. But not that icky American cheese. Use the good stuff.
It's very much a tasting game, though. So bare with the recipe. I modeled this one after the one you get at Paradise Bakery, so it's not exactly health food. You could make it a lot healthier, but I probably wouldn't eat it.
Tomato Basil Soup
2 (28oz.) cans crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2T. olive oil
1 quart chicken broth
1c. half and half or heavy cream
1/4c. butter
1T. sugar (give or take)
As much fresh basil as you can get your hands on
salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil in a stock pot. Saute onions and garlic in pan until very soft. Add tomatoes and chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. (By using the crushed tomatoes you don't have to blend it and you get a semi-smooth soup. But, if you want a super creamy soup without any chunks at all, at this point you need to take it off the stove and blend it to smooth.)
Stir in the half and half (or cream), butter, and basil. Stir frequently and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, and all the butter has melted.
Now taste. This all depends on your tomatoes. If it's bitter or too acidic, add the sugar. Start with just a teaspoon, and work up to the tablespoon. At the same time, season with salt and pepper to balance the flavors.
Viola! Now, make yourself some grilled cheese to go with it. But not that icky American cheese. Use the good stuff.
Happy Thanksgiving 08!
Favorite Thanksgiving Moments:
Papaw busted out the circa 1980's? 90s? - who cares, it's huge - camcorder. :)
Papaw busted out the circa 1980's? 90s? - who cares, it's huge - camcorder. :)
Bug was, of course, center of attention. (As if she would have it any other way.) And asserted her dominance whenever possible.
Again, with the male bonding. She was taken with her cousin Trent, who was just as taken with her.We had two wonderful Thanksgivings. One with each side of the family. They were long and easy days, with lots of good food and great company. I have made so many pumpkin rolls now that I never want to see one again, but other than that, it was one of the best Thanksgivings yet!
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