So, Baking has been working out pretty well. I have the makings for 8 gingerbread houses (3 more to go), made Christmas tree cookies with the kids' names and a whole bunch more cookies for the kids to decorate themselves. I was up late (not a thing for me) but, since I'm bucking for "mama of the year" (at least with my kid) I didn't mind and felt VERY accomplished. But I'd rather talk about books.
So what have I been reading. Well. You do often get what you pay for. I paid very little for a new title called Loose Ends by Terri Reid and got what I got was adequate. I'm actually trying to decide whether or not to give another of these novels a chance. This is a Mary O'Reilly mystery. I really hate that they have to tell you that so that you can rush out and buy more of the "fabulous series." Here's a clue. If the author and characters are good, we don't need to have it written on the front of the book. We can read (the point of a book) and can figure it out for ourselves.
Mary O'Reilly, not to be stereotyped, is a nice Irish girl with a close family, and all of her parents, grandparents, and siblings are Chicago cops. Gee, there's a stretch. Now Mary died and was brought back to life and, here's our fun, she can now see and talk to ghosts. Nice. So she uses ghosts to help her be a detective in a small town where she has to live so that she's not inundated by her new paranormal friends. There's a chief of police who is also new to this small town and he, amazingly, has a missing wife and baby who've been gone for 8 years. Never found. Oh, well, the baby was still in-utero so we don't know that he actually has a kid. Now he tells people he's married and seems to think that he is. Nice in a way, creepy in another to NOT ACKNOWLEDGE after 8 years that your wife is gone. All Mary knows about our chief is that he's a stud (of course) and tells her that he's married (doesn't mention the disappearance--I'm not really sure that these two are friends.)
Overall this book was a decent read. It was a bit stilted and seemed a bit amateurish (like I should talk.) The story also kind of just happened. There was no rhyme nor reason: it happens because the author said it did. Just like the relationships are because the author has told us that they are. She tells us that Mary is a loner. A loner who depends upon her 2 best friends, the geriatric gruesome-twosome. She is also a loner who is close to her big, Irish, cop family. Not getting the loner part, but Reid says she is....
Reid takes two mysteries and, of course, in the end, they are related. Big surprise. This was telegraphed in the initial pages of the book so I dont' think that it's a SPOILER but maybe. I was amazed after all of the "telling" that Reid does we never find out WHY the serial killer changed from killing small dark haired girls to blonds. The point was made over and over that the final child killed was different from the others and our ghost talker just "felt" that it was the same killer BUT we never get any resolution why such an anomaly.
I wanted to like this book more and am tempted to try another. At least for the price it's not breaking the bank.
Happy reading, Happy Holidays!
Friday, December 17, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 27
Thanksgiving created an opportunity to test my skills in creativity and artistry as well as timing (can one have skills creativity or is one merely creative--or am I neither...[sigh]) It was fun. Ruth and I worked together and made two turkey cakes. For those of you grossed out by the thought of a meat-cake, never fear--they were turkey-shaped cakes. And not even really turkey shaped. However, no one complained....
It was relatively simple and given more time I think it could have looked better. I took a layer cake, cut it in half and put it up on the flat side created by the cut. So, I realized this is how I can make a rainbow cake the next time Ruth wants one as well. So, now that I have the turkey 'fan' (for this is what it will be when decorated) I frost the cake in chocolate. Then I take a cupcake and use the frosting to 'glue' it on as a head (it has to be on the tray, it will NOT stick 1/2 way up (did I NEED to say this, SERIOUSLY?!!!!)
The decorating is what makes it: Using pasty bags put red, orange, and yellow hershey kiss shaped dots on the top of the crescent. On the head portion you need eyes on each side, a yellow beak, and of course, a waddle--red! Let's be real. It doesn't look exactly like a turkey, but really turkeys are ugly. The kids really enjoyed the turkey. A big thanks to Safeway bakery that inspired this cake.
The fun is really that Thanksgiving and my husband's birthday generally fall during the same week. I, of course, needed to make a birthday cake for him as well as a fantastic dinner. Well, do you remember my begging for a great pie crust recipe: I got one. It was from Tasty Kitchen. It came recommended from a friend on facebook. It was great. Easy to make and easy handle.
http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/desserts/sylviae28099s-perfect-pie-crust/
My husband pointed out that it tasted similar to my mother's recipe (which I like but is often difficult to handle.) I thought so too. Let me tell you, I was highly skeptical about anything with vinegar in it. Don't like the stuff. But you really couldn't taste it. Although the recipe did say to freeze it, but I just put it into the 'fridge. It kept for a number of days.
So I used the pie crust to make empanadas. Shrimp, spinach, goat cheese, tomatoes, and pine nuts. Soooooo wonderful and now, easy to make with my new crust.
The cake was a whole different matter. Having decorated two cakes and made empanadas and mashed sweet potato I really needed a simple cake solution. Luckily my husband doesn't mind experiments. Better Homes & Gardens cookbook had a great pound cake recipe. It called for lemon yogurt which I didn't have and lemon zest. I used vanilla yogurt and added chocolate chips. It was moist and tastey! Hurray!!!!
Next stop: gingerbread houses....six of them.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 26
Crush: The Final Moments
I have to say that I wrote my last blog believing that Jacobson's Crush really had no further hilarity to be shared. I wrote the blog without the true badness that the ending brought to me. How bad? Bad bad.
I don't think that there can be a spoiler. We have some real fun as the book winds down. A character introduced about 1/2 to 2/3 through the book ends up being our killer. Of course he was hitting on (successfully) our local hottie cop. What's amazing is that the FBI agent had the entire department chasing a number of others, jumping from one theory to the next with wild abandon. Two of these suspects were police themselves. She totally ignores the one cop who is acting suspiciously which is telegraphed in a heavy handed way. Can I say again that I hope that the FBI are not quite so arrogant or ineffective as Agent Vail. And how embarrassing for the FBI mentioned in the acknowledgements. Really, did you LIKE the character? Seriously?
So, Vail gets a number of people killed, only finds the killer because he tries to kill the cop that he's hitting on when she gets the call with his name given to her by a microsoft tech! (Thumbs up to Microsoft--the true hero of this tale.) Vail follows up her fiasco of a manhunt with an embarrassingly amateurish interview. Was it supposed to seem like she even knew what she was doing? AND since when do you really just send one very tired cop in to question such an important suspect. It's also funny that Napa Valley still has no idea that there was a serial killer in their midst.
So, to end this the suspect just tells our "heroine" that she just doesn't get and probably never will and he knows that this will make her crazy (which she acknowledges to herself is the truth--why not just walk away from this nut-job?), her boyfriend has disappeared, and our actual suspicious cop has been somehow secretly working with the killer because his wife and son were threatened. THE END.
So, no ACTUAL payoff at all. Except hours wasted. I wish I read faster.
I have to say that I wrote my last blog believing that Jacobson's Crush really had no further hilarity to be shared. I wrote the blog without the true badness that the ending brought to me. How bad? Bad bad.
I don't think that there can be a spoiler. We have some real fun as the book winds down. A character introduced about 1/2 to 2/3 through the book ends up being our killer. Of course he was hitting on (successfully) our local hottie cop. What's amazing is that the FBI agent had the entire department chasing a number of others, jumping from one theory to the next with wild abandon. Two of these suspects were police themselves. She totally ignores the one cop who is acting suspiciously which is telegraphed in a heavy handed way. Can I say again that I hope that the FBI are not quite so arrogant or ineffective as Agent Vail. And how embarrassing for the FBI mentioned in the acknowledgements. Really, did you LIKE the character? Seriously?
So, Vail gets a number of people killed, only finds the killer because he tries to kill the cop that he's hitting on when she gets the call with his name given to her by a microsoft tech! (Thumbs up to Microsoft--the true hero of this tale.) Vail follows up her fiasco of a manhunt with an embarrassingly amateurish interview. Was it supposed to seem like she even knew what she was doing? AND since when do you really just send one very tired cop in to question such an important suspect. It's also funny that Napa Valley still has no idea that there was a serial killer in their midst.
So, to end this the suspect just tells our "heroine" that she just doesn't get and probably never will and he knows that this will make her crazy (which she acknowledges to herself is the truth--why not just walk away from this nut-job?), her boyfriend has disappeared, and our actual suspicious cop has been somehow secretly working with the killer because his wife and son were threatened. THE END.
So, no ACTUAL payoff at all. Except hours wasted. I wish I read faster.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 25
I'm sure that there's a spoiler in here somewhere!
Well, Thanksgiving is coming up. Today and tomorrow I am scheduled to bake & decorate 2 cakes and bake a pie. It should be good. However, I want to return to books. Books so bad that you HAVE to keep reading. Books so bad that you can't believe that someone actually wasted time writing them. Books that are so bad that they have more entertainment value than Danielle Steele (potentially the most over-paid human ever in the history of mankind.) Steele is merely trite, banal, etc etc etc.
Crush by Alan Jacobson: I couldn't conceive of a heroine as heartily unlikeable as Karen Vail. She is pretentious, uptight, a bad mom, a crappy significant other, supercilious, and an all-around know-it-all. It's clear to me that Jacobson hates the FBI. Otherwise why create such an unlikable heroine. The only understandable thing about this book is why is cost 0.00$. Yes, for those about to mock me for actually buying such a lousy read please note: it was free. Well, OK, it costs me a few hours of my life. I just thought that if I kept reading something good would happen, alas and alack, no.
So, first, Jacobson gives us this snobbish FBI creature as our heroine. Her boyfriend couldn't be any more lackluster. She is surrounded by people who are one dimensional at best. The murderer, I am sure that I will discover, is merely a mcguffin to write this bizarre travelogue about Napa Valley.
Seriously, are we supposed to believe that 3 Napa Valley government agencies (sheriff, police, and district attorney's office, not to mention the FBI) would give out a false cause of death on 4 murder victims to hide that there had been murders in "the valley". It was a nice touch that there was a reporter on the scene of one of the victims dump spots but HE DIDN'T TELL ANYONE or report it. Clearly an all-around nice guy. Seriously?! So as I read on what's interesting is that the lawyer of 2 of the victims didn't know that they had died when at least 3 other people thought that they had had strokes...consistency would help.
It's also interesting to read a book that will take a break from "the plot" to give a bizarre travelogue. A fascinating description of how wine is made, the beauty of the scenery, etc etc. It is not a good travelogue. I would use the word abysmal. I have to admit, having been to Vallejo, which seems little better than some of the skankier parts of Detroit, I was amused by the clever description is this burg as a delightful place. Clearly Jacobson has seen something of Vallejo that I haven't. His description of the Napa and Carneros wineries is banal and uninspired. And some weird choices. I can't believe he has much experience up there. It's like he spent a couple of months, picked out some random wineries and areas and then wrote about them without understanding the culture. I really hope that he's not native to the area. That would add an entire level of insult to the writings.
So, back to Karen Vail, intrepid heroine. If you've seen So I Married an Ax Murderer you'll understand when I say that clearly Jacobson believes, or thinks the reader believes (which is kind of insulting) that cops/feds are heroic rogues who have gruff but ultimately kind bosses who "go to bat" with the "commissioner" when they go rogue. If I were Karen Vail's boss I'd fire her. She's ineffective, has a superiority complex, and drinks on the job. She pushes her way into the investigation, brutally and aggressively, and then whines that since her vacation was interrupted it's OK that she does some wine tasting while on the job. Her boss tells her distinctly not to question a suspect and yet she does it anyways and blames it on the local cops (nice sense of responsibility.)
This is a woman who leaves her teen aged son behind and then is "frantic" when the killer is supposedly after him. Where does this stupid tangent come from. And "show, don't tell" to quote a favorite English teacher of mine. So we don't really hear/know anything about the son to begin with and then there is a frantic few pages of worrying and getting the entire Fairfax county police out (including the cop who is now guarding her son that she had a "run in" with--cause she's a bad-ass who runs roughshod over other humans because they're just not as smart as her.) Then, bye-bye son. I'm sure we'll get a vague reference to him again.
Jacobson isn't a storyteller, he's a drunk trying to spin a tale with details that are totally irrelevant. Why do we need to know about the wineries? Does it move the story forward? Why the information on Vallejo? Why go there at all? Why do we need to know that she doesn't like this cop guarding her son (who ironically doesn't seem to remember her.) There is so much "stuff" that doesn't move the story forward at all. Did the ready really care that Karen enjoyed her Opus One more than whatever else? And WHY would the killer drink a Cakebread Cabernet when they are known for their fabulous whites. At least get it right.
So, recommend it? If you don't want to spend any money and are desperate, sure, why not. if you have to pay even $1.98, I don't think so.
Happy reading. Hopefully my apple pie (put together while our electric was out) will be fabulous. A friend just had a baby and I thought, hey, why not add another baking chore to the weekend. Naw....a gift of love.
Well, Thanksgiving is coming up. Today and tomorrow I am scheduled to bake & decorate 2 cakes and bake a pie. It should be good. However, I want to return to books. Books so bad that you HAVE to keep reading. Books so bad that you can't believe that someone actually wasted time writing them. Books that are so bad that they have more entertainment value than Danielle Steele (potentially the most over-paid human ever in the history of mankind.) Steele is merely trite, banal, etc etc etc.
Crush by Alan Jacobson: I couldn't conceive of a heroine as heartily unlikeable as Karen Vail. She is pretentious, uptight, a bad mom, a crappy significant other, supercilious, and an all-around know-it-all. It's clear to me that Jacobson hates the FBI. Otherwise why create such an unlikable heroine. The only understandable thing about this book is why is cost 0.00$. Yes, for those about to mock me for actually buying such a lousy read please note: it was free. Well, OK, it costs me a few hours of my life. I just thought that if I kept reading something good would happen, alas and alack, no.
So, first, Jacobson gives us this snobbish FBI creature as our heroine. Her boyfriend couldn't be any more lackluster. She is surrounded by people who are one dimensional at best. The murderer, I am sure that I will discover, is merely a mcguffin to write this bizarre travelogue about Napa Valley.
Seriously, are we supposed to believe that 3 Napa Valley government agencies (sheriff, police, and district attorney's office, not to mention the FBI) would give out a false cause of death on 4 murder victims to hide that there had been murders in "the valley". It was a nice touch that there was a reporter on the scene of one of the victims dump spots but HE DIDN'T TELL ANYONE or report it. Clearly an all-around nice guy. Seriously?! So as I read on what's interesting is that the lawyer of 2 of the victims didn't know that they had died when at least 3 other people thought that they had had strokes...consistency would help.
It's also interesting to read a book that will take a break from "the plot" to give a bizarre travelogue. A fascinating description of how wine is made, the beauty of the scenery, etc etc. It is not a good travelogue. I would use the word abysmal. I have to admit, having been to Vallejo, which seems little better than some of the skankier parts of Detroit, I was amused by the clever description is this burg as a delightful place. Clearly Jacobson has seen something of Vallejo that I haven't. His description of the Napa and Carneros wineries is banal and uninspired. And some weird choices. I can't believe he has much experience up there. It's like he spent a couple of months, picked out some random wineries and areas and then wrote about them without understanding the culture. I really hope that he's not native to the area. That would add an entire level of insult to the writings.
So, back to Karen Vail, intrepid heroine. If you've seen So I Married an Ax Murderer you'll understand when I say that clearly Jacobson believes, or thinks the reader believes (which is kind of insulting) that cops/feds are heroic rogues who have gruff but ultimately kind bosses who "go to bat" with the "commissioner" when they go rogue. If I were Karen Vail's boss I'd fire her. She's ineffective, has a superiority complex, and drinks on the job. She pushes her way into the investigation, brutally and aggressively, and then whines that since her vacation was interrupted it's OK that she does some wine tasting while on the job. Her boss tells her distinctly not to question a suspect and yet she does it anyways and blames it on the local cops (nice sense of responsibility.)
This is a woman who leaves her teen aged son behind and then is "frantic" when the killer is supposedly after him. Where does this stupid tangent come from. And "show, don't tell" to quote a favorite English teacher of mine. So we don't really hear/know anything about the son to begin with and then there is a frantic few pages of worrying and getting the entire Fairfax county police out (including the cop who is now guarding her son that she had a "run in" with--cause she's a bad-ass who runs roughshod over other humans because they're just not as smart as her.) Then, bye-bye son. I'm sure we'll get a vague reference to him again.
Jacobson isn't a storyteller, he's a drunk trying to spin a tale with details that are totally irrelevant. Why do we need to know about the wineries? Does it move the story forward? Why the information on Vallejo? Why go there at all? Why do we need to know that she doesn't like this cop guarding her son (who ironically doesn't seem to remember her.) There is so much "stuff" that doesn't move the story forward at all. Did the ready really care that Karen enjoyed her Opus One more than whatever else? And WHY would the killer drink a Cakebread Cabernet when they are known for their fabulous whites. At least get it right.
So, recommend it? If you don't want to spend any money and are desperate, sure, why not. if you have to pay even $1.98, I don't think so.
Happy reading. Hopefully my apple pie (put together while our electric was out) will be fabulous. A friend just had a baby and I thought, hey, why not add another baking chore to the weekend. Naw....a gift of love.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 24
I just finished reading The Last Apprentice: Rise of the Huntress. Actually, I didn't read it, I listened to it. It's one of the series that I've only listened to.
Side note: If you are used to listening to an author and switch to an acutual book you may be surprised at how different the narrative seems. I listened to all of the Harry Potter series (yes, loved 'em) prior to actually reading one of the books. Wow, what a difference. The narrator, Jim Dale, is so extraordinary and talented at giving the characters a true voice I couldn't compete with that in my own head. And I've always read JD Robb but had the chance to listen to one of her books from audible and almost hated it. Again, the narrator made the difference. She had this horrible, faux Irish accent for the heroines hottie of a super-wealthy and smart husband. Made him sound stupid. Certainly not foreign and sexy...Oh well, you lose a few.
Back to Rise of the Huntress:
The Last Apprentice series is by Joseph Delaney. It was a recommendation from audible.com when I typed in Harry Potter. The books are a bit dark and gruesome and clearly written for a tween/teen audience. That wouldn't stop me from reading it and overall I've enjoyed the series.
The series is about a boy of about 11 who is the 7th son of a 7th son. His mother's "gift to the county." As one might surmise he is apprenticed to a Spook, Mr. Gregory (also the 7th son of a 7th son.) A spook, in Delaney's world, is a man who keeps the county safe from boggarts, and witches, and other things that go bump in the night. A spook can sense evil and see ghosts and other paranormal stuff. It is considered the norm in Tom's world that these things exist.
This is Delaney's 7th(?) outing with Tom, the Spook, and Alice (the former witch-in-training who didn't really want to be a witch at all.) I enjoyed it even more than some of the earlier books and may go back to rereead them. Tom, Mr. Gregory, and Alice are forced to flee the county with other refugees due to a war "they" are losing. Homes & fields have been burned and things are so bad that even the witches have fled. Including several witches that Gregory had penned up in his garden. As this is a later outing you need to read earlier books to understand WHY it's ok to have witches in pits in your garden. So they end up on an island and the inevitable fight between good and evil ensues.
Despite my flippant choice of words I do like this sereies. I'm not sure why. But what's really funny is that Alice isn't our heroine. SPOILER ALERT. Alice, as per usual, has to rescue Tom, Mr Gregory, and everyone else and then gets referred to as "girl" and despised as a witch. OK, maybe not despised as a witch, we are clear that she is NOT a witch. Still What is Gregory's problem?! Seriously, this chick has done his bidding and helped save his and Tom's lives through any number of adventures and what thanks does she get? Zip. Nothing. He even wants to leave her behind in the final push to rid the island of its monster. Tom always acknowledges Alice's help and support and he does always stand up for her to Gregory.
I guess I'm kind of curious as to the motivation of the author in not having ANY relenting of the initial hard-feelings that he had against Alice in book 1. I mean, seriously, what does this kid have to do. Kill her own mother?
Anyway, a fun outing. It is a book for younger readers, but still a bit of fun for adults. I wish someone else would read this series so that I could find out if I'm just over thinking it.
Happy Reading!
PS: heading into baking season. YIPPEE! I spent the afternoon with a friend and 2 3-year-olds cutting out pumpkin & ghost cookies. It's the best mess ever.
Side note: If you are used to listening to an author and switch to an acutual book you may be surprised at how different the narrative seems. I listened to all of the Harry Potter series (yes, loved 'em) prior to actually reading one of the books. Wow, what a difference. The narrator, Jim Dale, is so extraordinary and talented at giving the characters a true voice I couldn't compete with that in my own head. And I've always read JD Robb but had the chance to listen to one of her books from audible and almost hated it. Again, the narrator made the difference. She had this horrible, faux Irish accent for the heroines hottie of a super-wealthy and smart husband. Made him sound stupid. Certainly not foreign and sexy...Oh well, you lose a few.
Back to Rise of the Huntress:
The Last Apprentice series is by Joseph Delaney. It was a recommendation from audible.com when I typed in Harry Potter. The books are a bit dark and gruesome and clearly written for a tween/teen audience. That wouldn't stop me from reading it and overall I've enjoyed the series.
The series is about a boy of about 11 who is the 7th son of a 7th son. His mother's "gift to the county." As one might surmise he is apprenticed to a Spook, Mr. Gregory (also the 7th son of a 7th son.) A spook, in Delaney's world, is a man who keeps the county safe from boggarts, and witches, and other things that go bump in the night. A spook can sense evil and see ghosts and other paranormal stuff. It is considered the norm in Tom's world that these things exist.
This is Delaney's 7th(?) outing with Tom, the Spook, and Alice (the former witch-in-training who didn't really want to be a witch at all.) I enjoyed it even more than some of the earlier books and may go back to rereead them. Tom, Mr. Gregory, and Alice are forced to flee the county with other refugees due to a war "they" are losing. Homes & fields have been burned and things are so bad that even the witches have fled. Including several witches that Gregory had penned up in his garden. As this is a later outing you need to read earlier books to understand WHY it's ok to have witches in pits in your garden. So they end up on an island and the inevitable fight between good and evil ensues.
Despite my flippant choice of words I do like this sereies. I'm not sure why. But what's really funny is that Alice isn't our heroine. SPOILER ALERT. Alice, as per usual, has to rescue Tom, Mr Gregory, and everyone else and then gets referred to as "girl" and despised as a witch. OK, maybe not despised as a witch, we are clear that she is NOT a witch. Still What is Gregory's problem?! Seriously, this chick has done his bidding and helped save his and Tom's lives through any number of adventures and what thanks does she get? Zip. Nothing. He even wants to leave her behind in the final push to rid the island of its monster. Tom always acknowledges Alice's help and support and he does always stand up for her to Gregory.
I guess I'm kind of curious as to the motivation of the author in not having ANY relenting of the initial hard-feelings that he had against Alice in book 1. I mean, seriously, what does this kid have to do. Kill her own mother?
Anyway, a fun outing. It is a book for younger readers, but still a bit of fun for adults. I wish someone else would read this series so that I could find out if I'm just over thinking it.
Happy Reading!
PS: heading into baking season. YIPPEE! I spent the afternoon with a friend and 2 3-year-olds cutting out pumpkin & ghost cookies. It's the best mess ever.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 23
I love to bake. My daughter asked me the other day if we could bake cookies, "it's been a long time." I think that it's time. However, I haven't baked any lately. What I have been baking is pies. I'd like a better pie crust. It's time to experiment again. I made an apple pie the other day. It's great now that I have the concept of the thinly sliced apples down to a science. Who knew that following directions was all it took.
I like pecan pie but am too cheap to buy pecans. Why not use walnuts. So I guess it's walnut pie. Maybe I'll find a new pie crust recipe and try it.
Just as a follow-up. The apple pie was very well received AND I found some pecans in the freezer, so don't worry the south will not fall again in shame of my walnut pie.
I like my mother's recipe, but it's not rich enough. I like the butter recipe that I have but it generally falls apart and I find myself patching it (and, frankly, I often get a bit sick it's sooooo rich--who knew butter could be a negative?!!!!)
Well, I ended up buying refrigerator pie crust and everyone loved it. My grandmother may have had a point about not making home made anything. My mother tells this story of how my grandmother (her mother-in-law) would make home made noodles every Sunday for the family. I forget what she made them to go with, but my mother would rave about these noodles. One Sunday my grandmother didn't have the time and used a bag of store bought noodles. Mom said that you could tell right away that they were just from the store but no one else noticed. As a matter-of-fact all of grandma's kids went on and on about how fantastic the noodles were that week. She never made home made noodles again.
Of course, I cook for myself. If you don't like it I care, in the sense that I would like to be a good hostess, but I'm not losing sleep over it. Really. I know what I like and I know it's good. And all the more for me. Can I find any other cliché? So I will continue my quest for the perfect pie crust.
So, if you have a pie crust recipe that you're willing to share, please drop it into the comments. I could really use some help.
Happy Baking! Time for more cookies.
I like pecan pie but am too cheap to buy pecans. Why not use walnuts. So I guess it's walnut pie. Maybe I'll find a new pie crust recipe and try it.
Just as a follow-up. The apple pie was very well received AND I found some pecans in the freezer, so don't worry the south will not fall again in shame of my walnut pie.
I like my mother's recipe, but it's not rich enough. I like the butter recipe that I have but it generally falls apart and I find myself patching it (and, frankly, I often get a bit sick it's sooooo rich--who knew butter could be a negative?!!!!)
Well, I ended up buying refrigerator pie crust and everyone loved it. My grandmother may have had a point about not making home made anything. My mother tells this story of how my grandmother (her mother-in-law) would make home made noodles every Sunday for the family. I forget what she made them to go with, but my mother would rave about these noodles. One Sunday my grandmother didn't have the time and used a bag of store bought noodles. Mom said that you could tell right away that they were just from the store but no one else noticed. As a matter-of-fact all of grandma's kids went on and on about how fantastic the noodles were that week. She never made home made noodles again.
Of course, I cook for myself. If you don't like it I care, in the sense that I would like to be a good hostess, but I'm not losing sleep over it. Really. I know what I like and I know it's good. And all the more for me. Can I find any other cliché? So I will continue my quest for the perfect pie crust.
So, if you have a pie crust recipe that you're willing to share, please drop it into the comments. I could really use some help.
Happy Baking! Time for more cookies.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Book & Baking Blog Entry 22
I have a friend who is very well-read. She reads literature with an occasional foray into pop-fiction (I still can't believe that she read and enjoyed The DaVinci Code.) I will say in all honesty that our book tastes are not similar. For example, I read almost exclusively pop-fiction but wouldn't be caught dead reading The DaVinci Code. OK, I read the beginning, but how many times does the author have to explain that the curator is renowned. Clearly he has nothing but contempt for the unwashed masses that he believes will buy his novel. Enough about that. So, on my friend's recommendation I picked up Case Histories by Kate Atkinson.
I love a novel where you really don't like anyone. I think it's fun to have a novel where everyone is a stereo-type. However, it is novel. I, for the most part, did enjoy this novel. I would recommend it for those who enjoy literature and want something a bit different. I think for mystery fans it might be a tougher sell.
The non-formulaic format was both refreshing and confounding. It's nice that Atkinson writes in a different style. I have no idea if she regularly begins chapters in the middle of a thought. The desire to surprise her reader can be befuddling and annoying at times. I like a good surprise. I like a good mystery. In general I don't want to try to have to figure out where, when, and why I am in a novel. Atkinson consistently works to surprise and really, she doesn't.
As I said I did enjoy the novel over-all. I did think that it got bogged down in too many stories and the attempt to bring them all together. And yet, leaving us hanging with some. I like my mysteries wrapped up and with an ending. I don't mind one story trailing into another. But there were a lot of stories that had, really, nothing to do with each other trailing around randomly, working to find each other. Seriously. And, yes, we can all guess who we're supposed to think that Lily Ann is. And we can guess what happens to Michelle. The rest of the stories were wrapped up with a bow. Why not those?
So, here's the kicker. I am SURE that I've read this before. Yet, I can't lay my hands on it, nor did I remember it prior to opening the book. But it was so familiar. How stupid is that?! Seriously. So through the entirety of the book my tiny brain worked hard to remember where and when I had read this. Yet, I had no recollection of specific parts. Namely, our hero and his daughter. Except the scene where he (OOOOOHHHH, SPOILER) finds out that his ex-wife is taking the brat to Australia with her new husband. Wow, could the ex-wife have been much more of a caricature? Gee, she left him for no reason, forced him to give up his child, took all the money and the good stuff and left nothing but his one treasure from his murdered sister...
Ooops. Yes, I did like it. Did it drag in places, most definitely. Would I read it again? I'd say no, except clearly I've read it twice already so who knows how many more times that I can forget it. Oddly, I would say that it is unique enough in premise that it should be unforgettable. Oh well. Never say never.
Happy Reading.
Now, if only I had a lovely Copenhagen pastry...yum.
I love a novel where you really don't like anyone. I think it's fun to have a novel where everyone is a stereo-type. However, it is novel. I, for the most part, did enjoy this novel. I would recommend it for those who enjoy literature and want something a bit different. I think for mystery fans it might be a tougher sell.
The non-formulaic format was both refreshing and confounding. It's nice that Atkinson writes in a different style. I have no idea if she regularly begins chapters in the middle of a thought. The desire to surprise her reader can be befuddling and annoying at times. I like a good surprise. I like a good mystery. In general I don't want to try to have to figure out where, when, and why I am in a novel. Atkinson consistently works to surprise and really, she doesn't.
As I said I did enjoy the novel over-all. I did think that it got bogged down in too many stories and the attempt to bring them all together. And yet, leaving us hanging with some. I like my mysteries wrapped up and with an ending. I don't mind one story trailing into another. But there were a lot of stories that had, really, nothing to do with each other trailing around randomly, working to find each other. Seriously. And, yes, we can all guess who we're supposed to think that Lily Ann is. And we can guess what happens to Michelle. The rest of the stories were wrapped up with a bow. Why not those?
So, here's the kicker. I am SURE that I've read this before. Yet, I can't lay my hands on it, nor did I remember it prior to opening the book. But it was so familiar. How stupid is that?! Seriously. So through the entirety of the book my tiny brain worked hard to remember where and when I had read this. Yet, I had no recollection of specific parts. Namely, our hero and his daughter. Except the scene where he (OOOOOHHHH, SPOILER) finds out that his ex-wife is taking the brat to Australia with her new husband. Wow, could the ex-wife have been much more of a caricature? Gee, she left him for no reason, forced him to give up his child, took all the money and the good stuff and left nothing but his one treasure from his murdered sister...
Ooops. Yes, I did like it. Did it drag in places, most definitely. Would I read it again? I'd say no, except clearly I've read it twice already so who knows how many more times that I can forget it. Oddly, I would say that it is unique enough in premise that it should be unforgettable. Oh well. Never say never.
Happy Reading.
Now, if only I had a lovely Copenhagen pastry...yum.
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