Yum-O! The Family Cookbook by Rachael Ray

by Carol5 Comments
Yum-o! The Family Cookbook by Rachael Ray Description: Rachael knows that every family wants to make the best possible food choices–and get the very most out of their food-budget dollars. The recipes here feature more whole grains, use less fat, and make the most of fresh fruits and vegetables so they are as good for you as they are delish, and they’re all quintessential Rachael–fun and creative. You’ll also find notes on how to get even very young kids involved in the cooking process; great ideas for everything from breakfast to the lunchbox to dinner; wholesome snacks; and loads of new double-duty dinners that let you cook once, then eat twice or more. My thoughts: Actually, last night's dinner came from this cookbook, which made me think of it. Ray is trying to get families to eat healthy dinners together. There's no way myAmber will eat all the recipes in this book, but some of them she will. And she loves to help in the kitchen,...
Read More

Wondrous Words Wednesday

by Carol7 Comments
I ran across a few new-to-me words this week. The first three are from The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand. banquette- a long bench with an upholstered seat, esp. one along a wall, as in a restaurant. "that had a blackboard menu and banquettes that used to be church pews" confit- (I've heard this several times on cooking shows, but wasn't quite sure what it was.) meat, such as duck, that has been salted and then cooked and preserved in its own fat. gaufrette- a thin crisp fan-shaped French wafer, often served alongside a dessert "duck confit on a gaufrette" This one is from Eyewitness to Jesus by Carsten Peter Thiede and Matthew D'Ancona. tessera- one of the small pieces used in mosaic work. "those tesserae, those small pieces of the Matthean mosaic"  And then I have one that is used a lot, but when Amber asked what it meant, I couldn't quite define it. We were reading Viva Cisco by Patrick Shannon. glen- a small, narrow, secluded valley. (Yes, I should have known this...
Read More

Teaser Tuesday

by Carol5 Comments
Grab your current read. Let the book fall open to a random page. Share with us two (2) "teaser" sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12. You also need to share the title of the book that you're getting your "teaser" from...that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you've given. Please avoid spoilers! My teaser: Phillip Strauss reclined and sank into the overstuffed couch, which, by subtle design, was meant to be warm and inviting, allowing patients to open up and speak freely. Phillip had no issues with such openness. -pg. 113, "Four Letter Session," The Light, the Dark, & Ember Between by J. W. Nicklaus Teaser Tuesdays is hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Play along....
Read More

Kim Smith, Author of A Will to Love

by Carol6 Comments
  I want to thank Kim Smith for taking a page in my notebook to tell us a little about her life.   A Day in the Life of Kim Smith, Author of A Will to Love So you wanna be a writer like me? Do you have the “write stuff”? I am a very busy woman. So, come along and let’s see what my day is like. Today, June 29, 2009 Alarm went off at 5:25 am as it is set to do, but since I had a very sleepless night, I snoozed until 6 am. Up and at 'em, on the computer, checking emails, writing posts for blog tour, posting to groups for promos on the book.  6:45 off to the showers and cereal bowl 7:15 off to the day job as a network admin for a hydrostatic remanufacturing co. 8:00 working at the day job invoicing, order entry, troubleshooting order issues. 10:45 take a break go for a walk for fitness and blood sugar (type two diabetic) 11:00...
Read More

Musing Monday

by CarolNo Comments
Today’s MUSING MONDAYS post is about about library company… Who, if anyone usually accompanies you to the library? Is it somewhere you go alone? Or is it a regular outing with family or friends? Which do you prefer? Most of the time I go to the library by myself, whether it be to check out books, return them, or just sit and read for a while in peace and quiet. Usually I go once a week, but sometimes it's more, depending on my mood. I do like when Amber comes with me though, just because she always finds a stack of books to read. She may not get to them all before they need returned, but that's beside the point. And she's old enough now to go off to the kids section without me having to tag along and we can meet up when we're both done looking. I never go with any other family or friends besides Amber. It's just not that...
Read More

The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand

by Carol7 Comments
The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand Description: Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other. But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sail. As the warm weather approaches and the island mourns their loss, nothing can prepare the MacAvoy's closest friends for what will be revealed. My thoughts: To me, this book is like a soap opera. You've got love, loss, grief, the hint of a mystery, drug addicition, secrets and affairs in these pages, all set against a beautiful summer in Nantucket. You've got the present and the present. You've got the story from each living character's perspective. Each of the individuals in the story is affected by the deaths of Greg and Tess in their own way...
Read More