Hanna's Daughters

As a book club, we really enjoy reading books about other countries and cultures. The book for October, 2002, was Hanna’s Daughters, featuring Swedish characters and Swedish family life. Several years later I was able to travel to that area and see for myself the beautiful countryside and friendly people.( Loved talking with the taxi drivers…very informative!)

"Sweeping through one hundred years of Scandinavian history, this luminous story follows three generations of Swedish women—a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter—whose lives are linked through a century of great love and great loss. Resonating with truth and revelation, this moving novel deftly explores the often difficult but enduring ties between mothers and daughters, the sacrifices, compromises, and rewards in the relationships between men and women, and the patterns of emotion that repeat themselves through generations. If you have ever wanted to connect with the past, or rediscover family, Hanna's Daughters will strike a chord in your heart. . . "
Margie and Debbie M made delicious Swedish meatballs

• Cook Time:

  25 min

• Level:

  Easy

• Yield:

  approximately 30 meatballs, 4 to 6 servings

Times:

Prep

30 min

Inactive Prep

--

Cook

25 min

Total:

55 min

Ingredients

• 2 slices fresh white bread
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 pound ground chuck
• 3/4 pound ground pork
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds.

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

If any of you are Swedish and could give us some authentic Swedish recipes, we would be so grateful and would feature them with the next Swedish book we read. (We have already read The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo...)

Here are some of the pictures I took on my recent trip to Sweden:

                                      Visby, Sweden

                         2 shots of my favorite tree in Sweden

 

                                    Beautiful architecture

                            My friend Janet and I in the Stockholm

                                             airport

My Baltic sea adventure last year was a blessing- and coincidentally, the next blog is about a book called Blessings by Anna Quindlen...

Beach House

September 2002- the second road trip- to Sanibel Island, Florida, USA. Joanne opened her family’s beautiful home to us for our book club meeting and road trip. We read Beach House by James Patterson, so what a perfect spot for us to congregate and play! Joanne, Debbie H and Susan held a Hawaiian luau where we all dressed in our beachy best…the culmination of the evening was a surprise re-enactment of the kidnapping that took place in Beach House. Each guest was told to go in the basement to get dressed in character for a mock trial. In reality, the hostesses ambushed each one individually as they came downstairs. We were tied up and blindfolded and stuffed in the back of the van. Once all the guests were captured, we were taken on a wild ride through the neighborhood. Happy the police weren’t called!!

Barnes and Noble says about this book:

Jack Mullen is a driven student of the law. His brother Peter is a servant of the rich, parking the cars of the Hamptons' elite-and perhaps satisfying their more intimate needs as well. Then Peter's body is found on the beach. Jack knows the drowning was no accident, but someone's unlimited power and money have bought the cops, the judges, the system. Now Jack is learning a lesson in justice he never got in law school ... and his astonishing plan to beat the billionaires will have you reeling-and cheering-to the very last page.

Joanne, Debbie H and Susan kept our beach theme going with a delicious menu of rumaki (Joanne's famous appetizer that I have already given you the recipe for- hope you have tried it!!), pineapple and cream cheese spread, fruit kabobs, Bibb lettuce salad, shrimp bowtie pasta, and cheesey bread. For dessert- key lime pie.

Shrimp Bowtie Pasta

1 Tbsp garlic pulp (smash cloves of garlic)
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
3 Tbsp lemon juice
8 oz. bow tie pasta
3-4 plum tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup whipping cream (heavy cream)
3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup capers, drained
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/3-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
asparagus tips- partially cooked (optional)

Bring 2 quarts water and lemon juice to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 2 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain.
Toss together pasta and shrimp with garlic pulp, chopped tomatoes, and rest of ingredients. Serve with extra grated parmesan cheese.

The door prize was a decorated Book Club nightshirt...

We had a blast on our 4 day weekend in Sanibel- although Lisa and I almost missed the plane! Fun times for all...
Next blog will feature a book called Hanna's Daughters...

FORGIVE THE MOON

This month we had our first author attend our book club- Maryanne Stahl who wrote Forgive the Moon. In August of 2002 we had the time of our lives getting to share a meal and discussion with the actual author of our book selection!
EMAIL to Maryanne:
"Dear Ms Stahl,
 I just wanted you to know that I picked up your book at Barnes and
Noble a few weeks ago as I was looking for a selection for our book club. The title drew me- I am a songwriter and love words and "Forgive the Moon" piqued my interest. I loved the book and decided to make it my selection for August. I did not realize you taught writing at Kennesaw University right down the street until I finished the book. We would love to have you join us for dinner and discussion on August 20th at my home. We always do a meal based on the book so it will be crab cakes. If you can't join us, we understand , but would love to discuss the book with you.Thanks again for an enjoyable read.
                                                                        Donna"
EMAIL to Donna:
"Dear Donna,
I'm delighted Forgive the Moon "struck your eye" and delighted you have chosen it for your book club selection. Yes, I would love to join you, crab cakes sound lovely. I will be out of town for a few weeks, but August 20th suits my schedule so lets plan on it. Looking forward to meeting you all, Best, Maryanne"

'During a vacation on Long Island, Amanda Kincaid hoped to sort out the many changes in her life, including her crumbling marriage. Instead, she discovers some shocking things about the past-and meets a wonderful man. Forgive the Moon is a novel of family and forgiveness, betrayal and renewal-and the many ways the seasons of our lives can change.'

Donna and Joanne decorated with a beach theme, lots of sand and candles and tiny beach chairs.
The door prize was a beach tote bag with a beach towel, sunglasses, a book, and jewelry. Donna's friend, Monika, also made our Dinner and a Book, est 2001, chalkboard for us to write the book and author down and display with our appetizers...I will put a picture of it up later...

The menu was crab cakes, creamed corn, Lisa's famous salad (recipe in an earlier blog), and pound cake with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Donna's Crab Cakes

1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shell
1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
3 green onions, finely chopped (use all)
1/2 cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
Flour for dusting
1/2 cup peanut oil

Mix all ingredients together except flour and oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour. Panfry in hot peanut oil over medium heat until browned, for 4-5 minutes. Flip and panfry other side until golden brown. Serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

Tartar Sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped dill or sweet pickle
1 cup mayonnaise
salt, pepper, and garlic salt to taste

Combine and mix well.

                                                                  Jeanne and Joanne

Next blog will be about our second road trip( to Sanibel Island, FL). Look for it soon....

Here's the Scoop

Many of you have asked me about the ladies in my book club- ok, so here is the latest info:
Lisa- great cook, loves tennis, she and her husband own 2 restaurants in Atlanta,GA, flower arranger extraordinaire
Joanne- works full time, loves people, sweet soul, great cook also
Debbie H- works full time, great organizer, the reason our neighborhood goes to the best high school in the county
Margie- our realtor, past President of our homeowner's association, even though her husband is a fabulous cook we know she is also (several desserts she has made for book club)
Vicki- our computer expert, loves all the classic books, sensitive spirit , hope she writes a book soon
Jaye- our school teacher, loves all the kids she works with, cannot park her car on the street ( another story for another time) gentle spirit
Debbie M- insurance agent, close to her family, fabulous cook and decorator ( her table decorations for book club are inspired)
Susan- works full time, career lady, tried to get us into yoga?!?,
Roxanne- family comes first, has a reputation for changing her mind a lot (but I don't believe it), fabulous
Italian cook
Jeanne- the ultimate volunteer, has 3 children, always busy, great friend to all, her husband rivals Roxanne for the best Italian cook in the neighborhood
Donna- that's me, piano teacher, wife of the most wonderful husband in the world,
mother of 3 children, 2 stepchildren, 7 grandchildren, loves to scrapbook and blog

As a group we have many children and several grandchildren, so we know a lot about life...
We share a bond of 10 years together- not many people can claim that...going through happy times, sad times, loss of loved ones, new babies...experiencing life with friendships that have been built over time.
I would like to encourage any of you readers to pull together a group of friends, read a book, cook a meal and enlarge your world.

GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING

This is a must-read for you all- loved this book!
Also made into a movie- have not seen it...so can't recommend it....
"The unknown subject of a Vermeer masterpiece is the basis for this remarkably evocative novel. The illiterate young Griet, held captive by the strict social order of 17th-century Delft, becomes a maid in the household of Johannes Vermeer to help support her family. She knows her role well: tend the laundry, keep up with the housework, and make sure Vermeer's six children stay out of the way. Griet even thinks she can handle Vermeer's shrewd mother-in-law, his bitter, neglected wife, and the family's jealous servant. But what no one suspects is that Griet's quiet manner, uncanny perception, and fascination with her master's paintings will draw her inexorably into the painter's private world. And as Griet witnesses the creative process of a great master, her long-suppressed passion becomes the catalyst for a scandal that irrevocably changes her life."
Johannes, Jan or Johan Vermeer (Dutch pronunciation: [vərˈmɪər]; baptized in Delft on 31 October 1632 as Joannis, and buried in the same city under the name Jan on 15 December 1675) was a Dutch painter who specialized in exquisite, domestic interior scenes of middle class life. Vermeer was a moderately successful provincial genre painter in his lifetime. He seems never to have been particularly wealthy, leaving his wife and children in debt at his death, perhaps because he produced relatively few paintings.^[3]
Vermeer worked slowly and with great care, using bright colours and sometimes expensive pigments, with a preference for cornflower blue and yellow. He is particularly renowned for his masterly treatment and use of light in his work.<sup>[4]

Debbie H tells me that the Girl With A Pearl Earring looks like my daughter, Lindsay. I would have to agree...
Debbie M and Margie treated us to a delicious meal of grilled salmon, roasted asparagus, and a neighborhood favorite recipe of horseradish carrots.
Debbie covered her tables in brown paper splattered with paint. Napkins were tied with raffia with an artist paintbrush attached. A framed print of Girl With A Pearl Earring was hung in the study for us to enjoy. And the door prize was a bronze bucket containing a pair of pearl earrings and a print of the Vermeer painting.

Debbie's Roasted Asparagus
2 pounds fresh asparagus
olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Break off tough ends of asparagus. Place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and toss to coat asparagus completely.
Spread in single layer and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and return to oven for few minutes till melted.

Horseradish Carrots (This recipe is a favorite neighborhood recipe, from a friend we lost several years ago, Cheri Enfinger)
1 pound carrots, cut into julienne strips
      Cover with water and cook until crisp tender. Drain and save liquid.
1/2 cup liquid
2 Tbsp grated onion
1-2 Tbsp prepared horseradish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine in saucepan and heat until creamy. Pour over carrots in shallow baking dish and top with 1/4 cup buttered bread crumbs and a dash of paprika and dried parsley flakes. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
(This can be made ahead 1 day and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking)</sup>

Dinner and a Book Club (minus Debbie M)

Look for my next blog covering our August 2002 selection-Forgive The Moon. This was our first time having the actual author come and join us for dinner and discussion! What fun we had! I felt like Oprah...

WHITE OLEANDER

·        " IN EVERY CONCEIVABLE MANNER, THE FAMILY IS A LINK TO OUR PAST AND A BRIDGE TO OUR FUTURE" (ALEX HALEY)

           Definition of white oleander-OLEANDER is an evergreen shrub cultivated for its showy flowers and handsome foliage. It belongs to the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. In warm regions it grows outdoors all year.

·         The book- White Oleandar by Janet Fitch, was not really about a shrub, but about a dysfunctional family. This seems to be the topic of many of the books we read-don’t know why???

·         I told you many books we pick are later made into movies, and this is one of them, although the book is way better than the movie (trust me on that!)

"When a woman murders a former lover and is imprisoned for life, her daughter must navigate a new reality — that of a series of foster homes, each its own universe, each with its own limits and dangers."

Lisa and Lois served up a fine meal of beef filets ( the only time I ever get these is at book club! Thanks girls!), Lisa's garlic mashed potatoes and her famous salad...

Lisa's Garlic Mashed Potatoes

4-6 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/3 cup milk
2-4 Tbsp butter (I like more, you may want less)
Sour cream
Salt and Pepper
Roasted garlic*

Make roasted garlic ahead. Take 1 head garlic, cut off top so cloves are visible, put on a square of foil, drizzle with olive oil, salt to taste and seal foil bundle. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. When cooled, squeeze to remove roasted cloves to add to potatoes.
Boil potatoes in salted water 25-30 minutes til tender. Drain and put back in pot. Combine milk and butter and microwave til butter is melted. Add to potatoes, plus add the roasted garlic you made earlier. Mash by hand or with mixer- salt and pepper to taste. Add sour cream to the desired consistency. Check seasonings. Yummy!

The door prize was a plant, sunglasses, and a scarf.


Because of the dual nature of the oleander plant – being both beautiful and poisonous, toxic and healing – it is not surprising that it is the emblem of caution. Beautiful and poisonous perfectly describes the mother in this book- hence the title.

Our next book ( for July 2002) is Girl With A Pearl Earring (and guess what our door prize was...)

THE NANNY DIARIES

As I stated before, my daughter has worked as a nanny, but THE NANNY DIARIES by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus takes that profession to a whole other level…here is an excerpt from the book (a note from the employer)

“Nanny,

You should probably give Grayer his dinner in his room. Actually, I might need to bring my dinner guests through when I give the tour. So it’s probably best for you both to take your plates into the bathroom while you eat.”

Outrageous, funny, and true- a great combination. This book was also made into a movie- I told you our book club can pick the books.

Synopsis from Barnes and Noble:
"Wanted:
One young woman to take care of four-year-old boy. Must be cheerful, enthusiastic and selfless—bordering on masochistic. Must relish sixteen-hour shifts with a deliberately nap-deprived preschooler. Must love getting thrown up on, literally and figuratively, by everyone in his family. Must enjoy the delicious anticipation of ridiculously erratic pay. Mostly, must love being treated like fungus found growing out of employers Hermès bag. Those who take it personally need not apply.
Who wouldn’t want this job? Struggling to graduate from NYU and afford her microscopic studio apartment, Nanny takes a position caring for the only son of the wealthy X family. She rapidly learns the insane amount of juggling involved to ensure that a Park Avenue wife who doesn’t work, cook, clean, or raise her own child has a smooth day.
When the Xs marriage begins to disintegrate, Nanny ends up involved way beyond the bounds of human decency or good taste. Her tenure with the X family becomes a nearly impossible mission to maintain the mental health of their four-year-old, her own integrity and, most importantly, her sense of humor. Over nine tense months, Mrs. X and Nanny perform the age-old dance of decorum and power as they test the limits of modern-day servitude. "

Jeanne and Donna served up a wonderful menu of filet, lobster newburg, salad with lemon basil vinaigrette, twice baked potatoes, steamed green beans with almonds, and for dessert- Godiva Chocolate ice cream.

Decorations were everything New York, lists and more lists, lavender linen water, shopping bags
Door prize was fine champagne in a New York bag...

Jeanne's Lemon Basil Viniagrette
    
(Served over a bed of your choice of mixed greens)

 

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoons prepared mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut in half and grilled, for garnish

Combine lemon juice, zest, mayonnaise, honey, salt, pepper, basil and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Can be made 1 hour in advance and refrigerated.

Donna's Godiva Chocolate Ice Cream
Go to your local grocer, buy it, and serve it. Easy peasy...

May 2002 book club was WHITE OLEANDER- if you don't know, it is a plant...tell you more about this selection next time...

FOUNDING BROTHERS

Some books are harder to get through than others- I would put our April 2002 selection in that category. Here is the synopsis from Barnes and Noble website:

In this landmark work of history, the National Book Award—winning author of American Sphinx explores how a group of greatly gifted but deeply flawed individuals–Hamilton, Burr, Jefferson, Franklin, Washington, Adams, and Madison–confronted the overwhelming challenges before them to set the course for our nation.

The United States was more a fragile hope than a reality in 1790. During the decade that followed, the Founding Fathers–re-examined here as Founding Brothers–combined the ideals of the Declaration of Independence with the content of the Constitution to create the practical workings of our government. Through an analysis of six fascinating episodes–Hamilton and Burr’s deadly duel, Washington’s precedent-setting Farewell Address, Adams’ administration and political partnership with his wife, the debate about where to place the capital, Franklin’s attempt to force Congress to confront the issue of slavery and Madison’s attempts to block him, and Jefferson and Adams’ famous correspondence–Founding Brothers brings to life the vital issues and personalities from the most important decade in our nation’s history.

If you love history, get this book. If you don’t love history, you should….

Alisa and Vicki prepared an all- American meal for us- grilled shrimp, corn on the cob, salad, rolls, and apple crisp for dessert. The appetizer was cheese cubes with American flag toothpicks stuck in them- clever!

The door prize for this month was a red/white/blue canvas bag with picnic products and 4^th of July decorations…

Grilled Shrimp

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium yellow onion, small diced

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1/4 cup minced fresh basil

1 tsp dry mustard

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16-20 per pound), peeled and deveined, with tails left on

Combine the garlic, onion, parsley, basil, mustards, salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and allow them to marinate for no more than 1 hour. (Lemon juice will "cook" the shrimp if left too long).

Brush the grill rack with oil, preheat grill. Either skewer the shrimp or put them on grill individually. Grill for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Absolutely easy and delicious!

All American Apple Crisp

6 McIntosh (or other) apples, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces

The juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, or ground nutmeg

2 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/2 cup flour or fine graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 stick butter, softened

1 pint vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a 9x12 inch baking dish, combine apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. In a small bowl, mix flour or graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and butter together using the times of a fork and your fingers, working until small even crumbles form. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over apples, and bake 15-20 minutes until they are just tender and topping golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream and sing America the Beautiful...

                                                               Jeanne and Roxanne

Next blog will be The Nanny Diaries (May 2002) and since my daughter worked as a nanny I cannot believe the stories in this book. But, of course, they were in New York, not the good ole South....

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD

Even though this year (2010) is the year TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is celebrating its’ 50^th birthday, we paid homage to the book in March of 2002. Vicki would love for our book club to pick more classics, so she started off with this one for her first choice. Not only did we read the book, but she had us come to dinner and discussion in our jammies or sweats and had the movie (with Gregory Peck) for us to watch as well! Fun evening…

"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."

A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice—but the weight of history will only tolerate so much.
One of the best-loved classics of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has earned many dis-tinctions since its original publication in 1960. It has won the Pulitzer Prize, been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, and been made into an enormously popular movie. It was also named the best novel of the twentieth century by librarians across the country (Library Journal).

Atticus Finch (one of the main characters in the book) said

·         “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view... Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.”

This is what we try to do at our book club meetings- discuss issues,  listen to each other’s point of view, agree to disagree, and still remain friends… the only way a discussion group filled with eleven women of different backgrounds can last for the ten years we have been reading and sharing meals together.

Vicki and Alisa came up with a wonderful "Southern" menu- Pot roast, turnip greens, sweet potato casserole, and cornbread.

Vicki said "since I am a Yankee from the north, I learned all of my southern cooking from Johnnie, my mother-in-law."

Johnnie's Pot Roast

Shoulder Roast (size depends on # you are cooking for, I usually get 4-5 pounds)

1 whole white onion

Carrots (peeled and cut into chunks)

Potatoes (optional), peeled and quartered

(She always cooks this in the large Corningware deep dish casserole with lid)

Turn the oven up high (450 degrees).

Salt and pepper the roast well and place in casserole dish in 1-2 inches of water.

Cut up onion and place in the dish with the roast. (Peel the onion first, yall!)

Seal the casserole dish tightly with aluminum foil; place the lid to the casserole dish over the foil.

Bake for 30 minutes; turn the roast over and bake, covered, for another 30 minutes.

Turn the oven down to 325 degrees and bake for another 2-3 hours. Add carrots and potatoes during the last hour.

The secret is the high heat at the beginning, sealing the dish to keep in the moisture and turning the roast. The roast is always so tender and melts in your mouth!

Johnnie's Turnip Greens

Buy 2-3 bunches fresh turnip greens (can also add in mustard or collard greens if desired or available)

Rinse and wash the greens well- this takes a while but you want them free of sand and grit !

Place in a large pot of water with some fatback, ham hock, or bacon to help season the greens. ( I would also add some salt and pepper at this time)

Gently bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for several hours until greens are fork tender. Stir occasionally while they are simmering, but gently.

Now, from this southern girl, I would definitely serve these with vinegar or pepper sauce!!

                                     

It is always fun to go back and read the classics the teachers MADE you read in school, but now you can really enjoy them for pleasure!! Next blog begins our second year as a book club with Alisa's choice of Founding Brothers...a deep, intellectual read compared to some of our lighter choices...

SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS

Grab your tissues before you read this - our first real tear-jerker: Suzanne’s Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson (This is the same man that wrote all the Alex Cross novels that have been made into movies like Along Came A Spider and Kiss The Girls). This book is a huge departure from his usual writing, I guess he wanted to prove he has a sensitive side...

Nicholas is a baby boy, Suzanne is his mother, and that is all I will say...a sweet read.

Lois and Lisa served us a lovely meal of beef filets, baked potatoes, Lisa's salad, and rolls.

Lois's Filets with Mustard Sauce

4 slices of beef filet, at least 1 inch thick
salt and freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Season steaks generously with salt and pepper. Heat butter and olive oil in a heavy fry pan. Saute steaks on each side until done to your liking (3-6 minutes on each side, for rare to well done , but please don't cook these beautiful filets well done!!)
Spread 1 tsp Dijon mustard on top of each steak, sprinkle with brown sugar. Transfer steaks to a warm casserole and glaze under a preheated broiler until golden brown..spoon off excess fat from fry pan and pour over steaks. Serve immediately.

Lisa's Famous Salad (as told to me)

Romaine lettuce
Anything else you have and want to put in such as tomatoes, olives, pine nuts, avocado, feta cheese or any other type of cheese you have
Lots of garlic salt and freshly ground pepper on top
Add olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste (Lisa says 3/4 oil to 1/4 vinegar)
Toss and serve.
WARNING: I have tried to make this salad several times and it never is as good as Lisa's. Maybe I would whisk the oil and vinegar together before adding to salad...

                                                                Debbie H and Margie
The door prize was a picnic basket, a journal, and a copy of Robert Frost poetry.

Next book is a classic- TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD-we do a lot of fun things based on the books we read but don't worry- we did not kill a mockingbird...

FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE

Now, our book club likes to have fun. We don’t just read books and eat…case in point, Susan (our January 2002 hostess) decided we would play a murder mystery game. You know, the kind that each person is assigned a character, has to dress like them, and plays them in a script where we have to discover  who is the murderer. Perfect activity for a book like FROM THE CORNER OF HIS EYE by Dean Koontz. I am a huge fan of this author, as was my father. Dean Koontz  writes very unusual, supernatural thrillers…the kind you should not read at night, in bed, if you are alone…you know what I mean.

Susan and Roxanne served us a supernatural spread of food- shrimp, baked brie, veal piccata, asparagus, salad, pies and chocolate martinis (a first for us all!).

Susan shared with me she has no idea where the recipes are from 9 years ago (imagine that!) so I took the liberty of borrowing 2 recipes from my favorite Food Network stars:

INA GARTEN'S Baked Brie (aka the BAREFOOT CONTESSA)

1/4 wheel brie ( I never know whether to leave the casing on the cheese, but according to the picture, Ina does...)

4 Tbsp honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the brie on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper and drizzle with the honey. Bake for 5-7 minutes, or until it starts to ooze but not melt. Serve with assorted crackers and/or apple slices.

TYLER FLORENCE'S ULTIMATE VEAL PICCATA

1 pound spaghetti

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 cup all purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 eggs, beaten

4 (8 oz each) veal cutlets

1 cup dry white wine

1 lemon, juiced

2 Tbsp capers, rinsed and drained (to make them less salty)

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (also called Italian parsley)

Grated parmesan, for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add spaghetti and cook until al dente (follow directions on box). Drain and set aside in a large bowl.

Set a large saute pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp of olive oil. In a shallow bowl combine the flour and salt and pepper to taste. (Whatever that means, please don't taste the flour mixture! Yuk!)

Lightly coat cutlets in the flour. Beat eggs in a bowl with 1 Tbsp of water and season with salt and pepper. Dip cutlets in egg and then place straight into the hot pan. Cook the veal about 2 minutes per side until golden brown. Set cutlets aside on a plate. Deglaze pan with white wine and reduce by half ( in plain English, pour wine in pan and simmer til only half is left...)Add lemon juice, capers, and half the parsley, then add 2 Tbsp butter as you whisk to thicken up the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.

Toss the pasta with the remaining butter and season with salt and grated Parmesan, to taste.

Serve the pasta on plates topped with the veal. Drizzle with caper sauce and garnish with the remaining parsley.

By the way, I have noticed that we have some Russian readers of my blog- thank you so much and please leave a comment about the blog or the recipes. I visited St. Petersburg, Russia last summer and loved every minute of it- even got to see the Russian Ballet perform! I know this is a random comment, but this is how my mind works...back to book club....

The door prize for this book was a Beatles CD, a roll of quarters, and a National Geographic Disaster Book- if that doesn't pique your interest, nothing will...you need to read this book...

                                      CHURCH ON SPILLED BLOOD- St. Petersburg, Russia

(Just wanted to make my new Russian readers feel welcome!! This picture has absolutely nothing to do with the book...)

Next up- SUZANNE'S DIARY FOR NICHOLAS by James Patterson- lots to say about this...later....

  

SKIPPING CHRISTMAS

Our first Christmas together as a book club (December, 2001)- isn’t it ironic the book Debbie H chose was Skipping Christmas? We did not skip it, but instead chose to start a tradition of a gift exchange based on the contents of the book. Snowmen of all shapes and sizes were strategically chosen and wrapped, hoping to please the recipient.

This book was later made into a motion picture (Christmas with the Kranks)- our book club knows how to pick the popular books…many of our later choices were made into movies as well. But we know the book is always better than the movie, don’t we?

"Luther and Nora Krank are fed up with the chaos of Christmas. The endless shopping lists, the frenzied dashes through the mall, the hassle of decorating the tree... where has all the joy gone? This year, celebrating seems like too much effort. With their only child off in Peru, they decide that just this once, they'll skip the holidays. They spend their Christmas budget on a Caribbean cruise set to sail on December 25, and happily settle in for a restful holiday season free of rooftop snowmen and festive parties. But the Kranks soon learn that their vacation from Christmas isn't much of a vacation at all, and that skipping the holidays has consequences they didn't bargain for...A modern Christmas classic, SKIPPING CHRISTMAS is a charming and hilarious look at the mayhem and madness that have become ingrained in our holiday tradition.'

Debbie H and Joanne made us a delicious Christmas feast of shrimp cocktail, Joanne’s famous water chestnut appetizer (a version of Rumaki), turkey with raspberry sauce, asparagus bundles, horseradish carrots (a special neighborhood recipe- will give yall the recipe in a future blog), make ahead mashed potatoes (I make this recipe all the time!), cat-head biscuits, and coconut Christmas cake.

Joanne’s Famous Water Chestnut Appetizer (everywhere she goes, people request she bring this! It is that good, people!)

1 can (8 oz) whole water chestnuts, quartered

1 pound bacon, slices cut in half

Sauce:

1 cup ketchup 

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp soy sauce

Wrap bacon around chestnuts and secure with toothpicks. Bake in a foil- lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Take out of greasy pan. Put on clean foil- lined pan and bake until each bacon bundle is crisp and cooked. May need to take off some and cook some longer.

May be frozen at this point, or continue with recipe.

Blend together sauce ingredients. Dip chestnuts in sauce, place on a lined baking sheet, and heat at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

(Joanne says she usually doubles this recipe!!)

Joanne's Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes

(I use these every holiday)

8 potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed

Add 6-8 oz. softened cream cheese, 6-8 oz. sour cream, and 1/2 stick softened butter, salt and pepper to taste. (Get it to the consistency that you like your potatoes).Place in a 2 quart casserole. Refrigerate.

When ready to cook, place in a 350 degree oven , covered, for 45 minutes until warmed through. Garnish with paprika and dot with more butter.

Please try these recipes and let me know what you think- I love feedback!!

                                                              Debbie H and Joanne

Next edition of Dinner and a Book Blog is a real creeeeepy read, but I just love this author- From The Corner Of His Eye by Dean Koontz- don't plan to read it if you are alone in the house...

CANE RIVER

Sometimes a book club hostess picks a special read for us- one that makes us think, ask questions, and challenge old ideas. Jeanne did that with her first selection for our book club (November 2001) by picking CANE RIVER by Lalita Tademy. I haven't mentioned before that Jeanne is our "published author" and we are very proud of her. She wrote THE NEW MOM'S MANUAL (Random House) and I picked it up for both of my daughters-in-law when they were expecting...very helpful. (Of course, my mother-in-law advice through the years is too, I'm sure?!?)

"When the urge hit her, Lalita Tademy was corporate Vice President of Sun Microsystems: she had the feeling there was something else she was supposed to do. While she was discovering what that something else was, she spent two years researching the slave branch of her family (her mother's side). Returning to her ancestors' Cane River roots, she scouted old sharecroppers' farms; ransacked old courthouse archives; plotted a paper trail from grueling bondage to better days. Then, discovering what she was supposed to do, she sat down to write this novel about the lives of slaves who were never allowed to write it themselves. Genealogy with wings."

Jeanne and Margie prepared a delicious menu of shrimp and andouille sausage gumbo, jambalaya, red beans and rice, salad with Creole vinaigrette dressing, cornbread, and homemade pralines. Here is Jeanne's note to me-

" Hey Donna, this is the recipe I used , but I left out the white fish fillets. Sure makes the kitchen smell good!" Jeanne

Jeanne's New Orleans File Gumbo

This is one of the richest Cajun gumbos, and makes a hearty and unusual dinner. Be sure to include plenty of sausage from the pot, along with a piece of chicken in each serving.
THE GUMBO BASE:
1 lb. Creole or smoked sausage, sliced 1/2 " thick
1/2 lb. lean baked ham, cut into 1/2 " cubes
1 chicken fryer, cut up
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound white fish fillets
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced green scallions
2 Tbsp finely minced parsley
1 Tbsp finely minced garlic
2 cups chopped onion
1 large ham bone, cut into 3" lengths (optional)
THE ROUX
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup flour
THE LIQUID AND THE SEASONINGS
2 qt. cold water
3 1/2 tsp salt (less if cooking with ham bone)
1 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp dried thyme
3 whole dried bay leaves
2 1/2-3 Tbsp file powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried marjoram

After assembling the ingredients for the gumbo base, heat the oil in a heavy 7-8 quart pot or kettle over high heat. Brown the chicken parts in the hot oil, turning several times to ensure even browning. When the chicken is brown, remove it to a hearted platter and place, uncovered, in a preheated 175 degree oven to keep it warm.

Make the roux by gradually adding the flour to the oil in the pot, stirring constantly. Cook over low heat until a dark brown roux (the color of peanut butter) is formed. Do not try to hurry this step. The roux is the most important part of any gumbo base, and will take approximately 20-30 minutes of stirring to get it right. It's worth the wait.

When the roux reaches the right color, quickly add the sausage, onion, green pepper, scallion tops, ham, parsley and garlic. Continue cooking over low heat for 10 minutes more, still stirring, then add 1/4 cup of the water, the reserved chicken pieces and all the seasonings except the file powder; mix thoroughly. Gradually stir in the rest of the water. Raise the heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the gumbo for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chicken parts are tender. Stir frequently, taking care not to break the pieces of chicken.

Before serving, bring the gumbo back to a boil and add the shrimp and fish. Simmer just until the shrimp turn pink, about 10-12 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let the simmer die down. Add the file powder and stir. Let the gumbo stand in the pot for 5 minutes after adding the file, then serve in gumbo bowls or deep soup bowls over boiled rice.

If this recipe makes too much for your family to eat at one time, take only the amount you want to serve and add the file to it. The leftovers, or "lagniappe" (another marvelous meal), should be stored in the refrigerator, and the file added after reheating.

Jeanne also wrote- " My girlfriend from Louisiana made these for me at my house the day prior to book club.  It took a couple of hours from start to finish but well worth it if I recall..."

Creamy Pralines

Ingredients:

·         3 cups chopped pecans

·         2 cups light brown sugar, packed

·         1 cup granulated sugar

·         1 1/2 cups heavy cream

·         1/3 cup whole milk

·         6 tablespoons butter, unsalted

·         3/4 teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

Toast pecans:
Heat oven to 350°. Spread chopped pecans out on a large baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the chopped pecans are lightly browned and aromatic.

In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cream, milk, butter, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, to 230°. Lower heat slightly if the mixture threatens to boil over. Add the toasted pecans and continue cooking, stirring constantly, to 236° F. The mixture should form a soft ball when a little is dropped in cold water. Remove from the heat and add vanilla; let stand for about 5 minutes. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thickened and slightly creamy, about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, spoon the pralines onto a sheet of parchment paper or waxed paper. If the mixture becomes grainy, heat and stir over medium heat for a few seconds, or until it can be easily scooped and dropped.
Makes about 4 dozen.

Decorations were sugar cane and willow, reminding us of the bayou...all in all a wonderful time with friends.

Next blog will be Skipping Christmas, but we certainly did not skip Christmas! We began a tradition that has lasted for 10 years- look for it soon...