Book Recommendations - Fall 2010

One of the great things about no longer working in the corporate world is that I've found time to read, read, read.  I don't even mind sitting in the car line at school - I always have my latest book with me.  I've also rediscovered the library.  I put recommendations on my Hold list and the library emails me when my book is available.  Love it!

A friend recommended this author so I picked up his latest book - "The Rembrandt Affair".  It is the story of a Rembrandt painting's journey through various owners over the course of 400 years.  It was a good book.  A good friend once said "a new author recommendation is the best gift".  I have to agree.

Another friend got me started watching "Castle" on tv last spring.  To my surprise, I saw these two books at our local bookstore this Fall.  They're written as if the actor/writer on the show is the author of these books.  They're cop stories - much like the show.  They're good and well-written.  I'd read them in order. 

Our new book club chose this book for November's meeting.  Really interesting.  Fiction.  In 1907 a well-to-do businessman puts an ad in the paper for a "reliable wife" to move to a remote town in Wisconsin.  The plot that unfolds had me reading as quickly as possible, stealing 5 minutes here and there.  Beautifully written. 

A friend loaned me this book and I really, really enjoyed it even though I don't normally read non-fiction.  I'm anxious to take an architectural tour of Chicago now.  It's the story of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and how it came together.  That alone was interesting.  Interspersed is the story of the serial killer who used the World's Fair to lure his victims.  It was hard to believe that either side of this story was true, and that made it even more fascinating to me.  I hear that it's going to be a movie one day with Leonard di Caprio.  I'm hoping he plays one of the good guys.

I'm just about finished with this book that a server at a local restaurant recommended to a group of friends one night.  She had just finished it and couldn't stop talking about it.  I jotted it down on my napkin. 

Again, non-fiction, and about murder - I've gone a little dark lately!  An elite group of 82 international police, forensic psychologists, FBI, etc. have created a "cuisine and crime" club.  They meet quarterly in Philadelphia where they socialize and try to solve true cold cases.  Again, the fact that's it's a true tale makes me even more fascinated.

And I'll leave you with one that I DID NOT finish.  Our book club chose this for the October meeting.  I tried, I really did.  It's just not my thing.

So, that's what I'm reading this Fall.  I've got a list of books in the "queue", but I'm always looking for good recommendations!

So, what are you reading?

{See previous recommendations here and here}

Mama's Christmas Cake

We are having a slew of people over for dinner tonight so of course I'm blogging.  Hey, it relaxes me.  We're having David's US staff over plus their spouses and kids.  The dinner is being catered but I'm doing the desserts.  So I decided to make my Mama's famous Christmas cake.

I made it for the first time last year for my Cooking Club and it got rave reviews.  Then I took it to three parties last season.  Everyone loved it and I've YET to mess it up.  While it looks a little daunting, it's quite easy to make.

Once you make the cake itself (see full recipe below), you invert the cake onto confectioner's sugar-powdered kitchen towels.

Then you peel off the wax paper 

And roll the cakes up to cool. 

Once cool you unroll the cake and spread cherries and whipped cream and roll the cake back up.

Place it on a platter 

And spread with homemade whipped cream. 

And garnish with holly from the front yard.  What would have been great was if I had remembered to reserve a few cherries to garnish the top of the cake with.  I forgot this year.  Oh well!  I think it still looks pretty and I'm sure it'll taste great!

Merry Christmas!

Mama's Christmas Cake

1 c sifted all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3 eggs

1 Tbsp frozen oj concentrate

3/4 c sugar

21 oz can cherry pie filling, drained

2 Tbsp water

1/2 c confectioner's sugar

2 c heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

Grease a 15x10x1 inch jelly roll pan. Line bottom with wax paper; grease wax paper. Preheat oven to 375.  Sift flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

Beat eggs with mixer until thick. Beat in sugar. Continue to beat on high speed until very thick and creamy. Turn mixer to low. Beat in orange juice concentrate and water. Add flour mixture until batter is smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 12 minutes. Invert cake onto clean towel that has been dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Peel off wax paper. Trim ¼ inch from all sides of cake. Roll up cake and towel together. Cool completely.

Put cherry pie filling in a sieve and drain off juice. Beat cream until stiff. Add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla.

Unroll cake. Spread half the cream on the cake and most of the cherries. Roll cake back up. Place roll, seam side down, on serving plate. Top with remaining cream and garnish with remaining cherries. Decorate with holly leaves.

Christmas Artwork

There are so many great Christmas projects out there that it's hard to settle on just a few to try this year!  I decided to try out two EASY art projects for the little entryway between the foyer and the kitchen.

First up was subway art from Jennifer, Jamie, and Jodie over at eighteen25.  They had this beautiful download that I had printed and then just framed in a Target frame.  Love it!

And then I made my version of this cute ornament frame from Cha Cha's blog Sit, Relax, and Read that I saw last year.

I took a $1 Goodwill frame and dismantled it.  I painted the wooden portion of the frame with Deep Ocean Blue and covered it with some Extreme Glitter (Folk Art brand acrylic paints) that I had on hand.  Then I tied ribbon to (very) inexpensive Wal-Mart ornaments and taped them to the back of the frame.  Total cost - $3.

I'm really happy with the way this turned out.  I might make a larger version of this next year.

Merry Christmas!

Snow!

The boys are thrilled with the 3+ inches falling today!

Christmas Cookies 2010 - Coconut Bars and Gingersnaps

I added to our Christmas cookie stash in the freezer today by trying out two new recipes.

First up were Gingersnaps from Sarah at Short Stop.  They are really delicious!

Instead of typing out the recipe, I'll ask you to visit Sarah at her blog.  I will tell you that I didn't roll the cookies in sugar before cooking them and they're yummy nonetheless.

The next recipe is from Mississippi Magazine.  They are called Coconut Bars and may be my favorite so far.

Coconut Bars

1 stick margarine, melted

1/3 c oil

1 c sugar

1 c light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 c shredded coconut

1 1/2 c oats

1 c flour

1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray a 9x13 inch pan with Pam.  Cream margarine, oil, and 2 sugars together in a mixer.  Add eggs and blend well.  Add vanilla.  Stir in coconut, oats, flour, and salt.  Beat well.  Pour batter into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.  Cool and cut into bars or shapes.

Brennan's Christmas Letter

Without prompting from us, Brennan again wrote his letter to Santa and put it in an envelope for me to mail.  Simply addressed to The North Pole.  He said either I knew the whole address and could add it onto the envelope when I put the stamp on, or I could just take it to the post office and they could look up the address.  He apparently needs a secretary.

Thomas doesn't see the need to write a letter since without telling Santa he always gets things he likes.