WIL'S BONES

Debbie M’s book choice for August, 2001, was a very intriguing read. The author begins the book with this quote: “DEATH SELDOM ENDS ANYTHING”.  Very thought-provoking comment, wouldn’t you agree? The back cover of the book gives you some insight into the content- “Archaeologist Wil Wilson believes he has found the bones of Jesus…” OK, so what a great discussion book. Debbie actually met the author at a book signing and got us autographed copies for our libraries. Here is a copy of the email she sent him after that meeting:

“Dear Mr. Bowen,

     You may not remember me, but I met you and your wife in the Barnes & Noble in Kennesaw, GA. I chose Wil’s Bones for my book club of 13 people. Everyone has loved it!! I cannot believe this is your first book! (So Debbie, you might be laying it on a bit thick…) I plan to show the interview tapes you gave me too! Our meeting is Tuesday, Aug 14^th and you had mentioned to me that you would be happy to email some discussion questions! I know this is short notice, but I have just returned from our vacation in Seattle!

For dinner I am serving Steve’s lasagna! For dessert- Napoleons and Starbucks coffee! The tables will be set with a lantern surrounded by sand and a brush for finding the bones buried beneath! What a dig!

Anyway, we really did enjoy your book and look forward to the next two! Thank you in advance for your discussion questions!!

Debbie M”

(All the exclamation points were Debbie’s, not mine…)

Debbie’s menu was Steve’s lasagna (a character in the book), salad, garlic bread, and napoleons and Starbucks coffee for dessert.

Debbie M's (and Steve's) Lasagna

1 (8oz.) pkg lasagna noodles
1 pound mild bulk pork sausage
1 (32 oz.) jar commercial spaghetti sauce
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 (12 oz.) carton ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp dried parsley flakes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (4 1/2 oz) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (3 1/2 oz) pkg sliced pepperoni

Cook lasagna noodles according to pkg directions, omitting salt, and drain well.
Cook sausage in a large skillet until browned, stirring to crumble; drain. Stir spaghetti sauce into sausage- set aside. Combine egg and next 5 ingredients, stirring well.
Spread about 1/2 cup meat sauce in a lightly greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Layer half of the noodles, half of the ricotta cheese mixture, 1/3 of the mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 of remaining meat sauce. Repeat layers using equal amounts. Arrange mushroom slices and pepperoni on top. Spoon remaining meat sauce on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes.
Delicious!!

Jaye’s recipe for the napoleons is quite easy- go to La Madeleine, pick them out, pay for them, bring them home.

Vicki, Joanne, Debbie M, Susan, Jaye, Margie

The door prize was Starbucks coffee and a mug.

And so another episode of Dinner and a Book Club. The September 2001 book is Plantation by Dorothea Benton Frank...and the story of our first road trip....

THE SAVING GRACES

"What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?"- George Eliot





"Meet Emma, Rudy, Lee, and Isabel -- four of the best friends a woman can ever have. For ten years they've been united by understanding, honesty, and acceptance. Now they'll face a crisis of astounding proportions that will put their love and courage to the ultimate test."

 

The Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney solidified my belief that the friendships we were forging here in our Dinner and a Book Club would last forever. We saw ourselves in some of the characters, and enjoyed reading about women like us who managed to make it through some tough times with "a little help from their friends".

 

I hosted this evening along with Lisa- the menu was shrimp dip, filet mignon, twice-baked potatoes, salad, rolls, and strawberry cake.

 

My Shrimp Dip

 

1 3 0z. pkg cream cheese, softened

1 cup sour cream

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 pkg Italian salad dressing mix (I used Good Seasons)

1/2 cup finely chopped cooked shrimp or 1 (4 1/4 oz) can shrimp, drained and chopped

 

Combine cream cheese and sour cream.  Beat well. Add remaining ingredients. Blend well. Cover and chill

at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with wheat thins.

 

Lisa's Strawberry Cake

 

1 box white cake mix

1 small box strawberry Jello

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup frozen strawberries in syrup (thaw first and use berries and syrup to make 1/2 cup)

4 eggs

 

Combine all and put in 2 9" cake pans, or 1 13X9" cake pan. Bake as directed on white cake pkg.

 

Icing

 

Combine 1 box powdered sugar, 1 stick softened butter, and 1/2 cup of the strawberries and syrup. Ice while warm. Yummy...

 

The door prize was a basket with a breast cancer pin, water colors and pad, and landscaping book (have to read the book to understand...)

 

I also am a songwriter, and wrote a song that was inspired by this book- shared it that night. If I can ever figure out how to add an audio clip to this, I will do it; but for now the lyrics are all I can manage....

 

                             AND THE MUSIC PLAYS

 

 That's the beauty and the burden,

Living life that's so uncertain,

Circumstance brings hope or hurting,

And the music plays,

We search for rhyme or reason,

In the changing of the season,

Giving passing trends allegiance,

And the music plays,

 

And the music plays, and life goes on,

Like a lighted stage we dance upon,

Though a wayward wind may blow our way,

Hold the closest hand, and the music plays

 

Second chances teach us nothing,

If our doubts just keep on coming,

Still the lesson's good for something,

And the music plays,

We balance lives of kindness,

With attitudes of blindness,

Learning from mistakes behind us,

And the music plays

 

And the music plays, and life goes on,

Like a lighted stage we dance upon,

Though a wayward wind may blow our way

Hold the closest hand, and the music plays

 

Copyright 2001 Flying Home Music

 

 

Joanne and Donna

 

Our August 2001 book is next- Wil's Bones (sounds like a Halloween book, doesn't it)....Wrong!

 

NORA, NORA

I am a huge fan of Anne Rivers Siddons, and NORA ,NORA was not one of her best books. I personally preferred UP ISLAND and PEACHTREE ROAD.  However, still worth the read in my opinion. This was our book selection for June, 2001. Joanne (originally from Michigan)and her co-hostess Debbie H (a true southern belle from Alabama) did themselves proud with their delicious southern cooking. Our menu was fried chicken (of course!), turnip greens, creamed corn, mashed potatoes, biscuits, fried green tomatoes, and for dessert- peach cobbler with ice cream. Can you say carbohydrates?!?! But occasionally, southern girls just gotta do what they gotta do…if you know what I mean.    

Synopsis

"Peyton is not ready to share her widowed father with anyone, let alone a barely remembered cousin who just rolled into town. However, her father seems to like Nora well enough, and prim Aunt Augusta hates her, which raises Nora slightly in Peyton's esteem. Maybe Nora is just what quiet Lytton, Georgia needs this summer.
The whole household is revitalized by Nora's energy, and it looks as if she might stay on forever. But soon it becomes clear that something is troubling her deeply. It has to be something from her past that's bothering her, something she is running from. When the shocking truth comes to light, it stuns the residents of their small segregated town. It also teaches Peyton the enormous cost of loving -- and the necessity of doing it anyway."

Joanne's Creamed Corn

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 (16 oz.) pkg frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, cubed
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
3 Tbsp butter, diced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium low heat. Mix in sugar and stir until dissolved. Mix in corn and stir to coat. Stir in cream cheese and cook until melted and well blended.
Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with bread crumbs and dot with the 3 Tbsp diced butter. Bake 20-30 minutes, until lightly browned.

Debbie H's Peach Cobbler (also known as "Cup-a, Cup-a, Cup-a". You know, a cupa this and a cupa that! Southern humor...)
(from a recipe given to her by Jaye, who got the recipe from her mother-in-law Naia Goddard. This is how all good recipes are saved through the generations...)

Melt 1 stick butter in whatever you want to cook this in. (Make sure it can go in the oven!)
In a bowl, mix together 1 cup self rising flour, 1 cup milk, and 1 cup sugar. Pour over layer of melted butter, DO NOT STIR.
Dump on top 1 cup of any fruit you want (Debbie used peaches). Again, DO NOT STIR!

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes until browned to your taste. And you have to add a scoop of ice cream when you serve it. Yummy and so easy! (Lindsay, you need to try this...)

Door Prize was a beautiful hydrangea plant...since I forgot to tell you the door prizes for the previous books, here they are:

BACK ROADS- An art book and Ding-Dongs
THE HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG- Tea and a compressor
AT HOME IN MITFORD- Huge flower basket

Now only over-the-top book clubs have door prizes...you have to read the book to understand the reasoning behind each prize so get busy...
The next book we will discuss will be my choice in 2001- THE SAVING GRACES...

AT HOME IN MITFORD

These are the books I recommend (instead of a xanax) when you are anxious or stressed. When you read any of the books from the Mitford series by Jan Karon you are instantly immersed in a small town where life flows at a snail's pace. Heavenly simple...


"If you have ever wanted to settle down in an idyllic small town and live a life focused on faith and family, Jan Karon's books are for you. Her Mitford series follows a rural town, its inhabitants and its rector with humor, sentiment and a foundation of Christian values that help characters overcome setbacks."

There is even a cookbook to give you all the homey recipes that are mentioned in the books. But since we read this book before the cookbook was published, we had to rely on our own wonderful cooks to share their "homey" recipes. (For anyone who doesn't know what "homey" means, in this context it is a southern term for down-home-good-eatin'). Our menu for the evening was baked ham, green beans, corn casserole, and apple pie with cinnamon ice cream.  Jaye, our hostess, shared the recipe for her corn casserole:

Jaye's Corn Casserole

1 stick melted butter (the real thing, please)
1 can creamed corn
1 can whole kernel corn
2 eggs, beaten
8 oz. sour cream
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix (if you don't live in the South you may find it tough to locate this)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Mix all ingredients except cheese. Pour into a casserole dish. Bake @350 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 10 more minutes. Enjoy!

Debbie M brought me her recipe for the apple pie last night, and I have been hungry for it ever since...

Debbie M's Apple Pie

2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup uncooked regular oats
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
4 cups peeled, thinly sliced cooking apples (Rome, Granny Smith, etc.)
   (about 3 large apples)
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla

Combine first 5 ingredients- then add butter and stir until blended. Measure 1 cup firmly packed mixture; set aside for pie topping. Press remaining mixture in bottom and up sides of a well-greased 9 inch pie plate.Arrange apple slices on top- set aside.
Combine 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, and 1/8 tsp salt in a small saucepan- stir in water. Bring to a boil over medium heat- stir in vanilla. Pour hot mixture over apples- crumble reserved topping over pie.
Bake at 350 degrees for 42 minutes (yes, 42 minutes). Cover with aluminum foil during last 15 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Serve with vanilla or cinnamon ice cream. 8 servings

Well, I am off to the store to buy apples and Jiffy cornbread mix for dinner tonight...stay tuned for our next book - Anne Rivers Siddons NORA, NORA...

The House of Sand and Fog

What can I say about our April 2001 book selection other than it was a fabulous read? The House of Sand and Fog was a glimpse into another culture, trying to adapt to our culture.

From the Publisher

In this riveting novel of almost unbearable suspense, three fragile yet determined people become dangerously entangled in a relentlessly escalating crisis. Colonel Behrani, once a wealthy man in Iran, is now a struggling immigrant willing to bet everything he has to restore his family's dignity. Kathy Nicolo is a troubled young woman whose house is all she has left, and who refuses to let her hard-won stability slip away from her. Sheriff Lester Burdon, a married man who finds himself falling in love with Kathy, becomes obsessed with helping her fight for justice.

Drawn by their competing desires to the same small house in the California hills and doomed by their tragic inability to understand one another, the three converge in an explosive collision course. Combining unadorned realism with profound empathy, House of Sand and Fog marks the arrival of a major new voice in American fiction.

Margie was our hostess for this excellent book, Jeanne was her cohostess. We were treated to an authentic
 menu of Khoreshe Kadoo Bademjan (Eggplant and Zucchini stew) served over Persian rice and lentils with a Tahdeeg (Tahdeeg is the golden rice crust that forms at the bottom of the saucepan) along with hummus/pita bread and for dessert Strawberry Shortcake (the American part of our menu)

Khoreshe Kadoo Bademjan (Eggplant and zucchini stew)

2 lbs of stewing beef or lamb cut into 1" cubes
1 lg onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 large cans whole tomatoes
6-7 small (Chinese) eggplants, peeled
6-7 small zucchinis, peeled
3 Tbsp salt
 1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Juice of 2 lemons

1. Fry the onions in 2 Tbsp. canola oil over med-high heat till golden. Add meat and garlic, raise heat to high and fry till all juices are absorbed.
2. Add spices and fry for minute or two. Add canned tomatoes and bring to simmer, add lemon juice and simmer 2 hours until meat done.
3. While meat is stewing, fry eggplant and zucchini is small amount of oil till outside is almost black. (Try to find eggplants and zucchinis which are very thin, but if not available, cut them lenghtwise in half. Set aside on paper towels- handle carefully so they don't fall apart.
4. About 15 monutes before serving, put eggplants and zucchinis in with meat and simmer gently.

Serve over rice. Normally you can just serve over Basmati rice but Margie made the rice dish below:

Persian Rice with Lentils with a Tahdeeg

1 lb. basmati rice, rinsed and soaked
2 onions, 1 chopped, 1 thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic , crushed
2/3 cup sunflower oil
1 cup green lentils, soaked
2 1/2 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup raisins
2 Tbsp ground coriander
3 Tbsp tomato paste
salt and ground black pepper
Few threads of saffron
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tsp plain yogurt
6 Tbsp butter, melted
Extra oil for frying

1. Boil the rinsed and drained rice in plenty of well salted water for 3 minutes only. Drain.
2. Fry the chopped onion and garlic in 2 Tbsp oil for 5 minutes, add lentils, stock, raisins, coriander, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Set aside.
3. Soak saffron threads in a little hot water. Remove about 1/2 cup rice and mix with the egg yolk and yogurt. Season well with salt and pepper.
4.In a large saucepan, heat about 2/3 of the remaining sunflower oil and scatter the egg/yogurt/rice mixture evenly over the base.
5. Scatter the remaining rice into the pan, alternating it with the lentils. Build up a pyramid shape away from the sides of the pan (I thought the pyramids were Egyptian?), finishing with plain rice on top.
6. With a long wooden spoon handle, make 3 holes down to the bottom of the pan and drizzle over the butter. Bring to a high heat, then wrap the pan lid in a clean, wet dish towel and place firmly on top. When a good head of steam appears, turn the heat down to low. Cook for about 30 minute.
7. Meanwhile, fry the sliced onion in the remaining oil until brown and crisp. Drain , and set aside.
8. Remove rice pan from heat, still covered and stand it briefly in a sink of cold water for a minute or 2 to loosen the base. Remove the lid and mix a few spoons of the white rice with the saffron water prepared in step #3.
9. Toss the rice and lentils together in the pan and spoon out into a serving dish . Scatter  the saffron rice on top. Break up the rice crust on the bottom (the prized tahdeeg) and place around the mound. Scatter the onions on top of the saffron rice and serve.

Okay, first let me say, Margie and Rafic, I am more amazed at your cooking skills than ever before. And second, if anyone makes this recipe, please invite me over for dinner because I am way beyond impressed!!!

Please don't think that every book we read is sad, violent, and depressing (like CNN and Fox news)- next month's book is the antithesis of that- At Home In Mitford...

BACK ROADS

Our first book club meeting in 2001 was to discuss the book Back Roads by
Tawni O'Dell ( who reads a book by someone who spells their name Tawni?!?).

Synopsis

Meet Harley Altmyer. His mother's in prison for his father's murder. At nineteen, he's raising his three younger sisters-and he's just developed an obsessive crush on the sexy, melancholic mother of two, living just down the road...

Before I tell you our menu for this book, I wanted to introduce the members of our book club-
*Lisa- our tennis diva who started this club
*Vicki- a dreamer like me
*Roxanne- our Italian gal, still trying to live down "Mr. Perfect" (more about that later)
*Joanne- my close friend and ex- next door neighbor
*Jeanne- my second ex-next door neighbor (they keep moving to other houses in the neighborhood- should I
               be offended?)
*Margie- our realtor
*Jaye- our school teacher
*Debbie M- our "Martha Stewart"
*Debbie H- the friend who knows everything first that is going on in the neighborhood and takes care of everyone
*Susan- our busy professional gal who still puts book club at the top of her "to do" list
*Donna- that is me, the piano teacher and wanna- be blogger
We also started out with Alisa and Lois, but they moved away early in the book club, we still miss them!

So back to Back Roads...
Our menu was grilled pork tenderloin, garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed green beans with almonds and Lisa's famous salad. Appetizers were cucumber sandwiches and eggrolls (you have to read the book to know why Lisa picked these) Dessert was S'mores.

Lisa's Molasses Grilled Pork Tenderloin

1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp salt
4 (3/4 pound each) pork tenderloins
Cooking spray

Combine first 4 ingredients- put tenderloins in ziploc bag and pour half the molasses mixture over.Seal and chill 8 hours. Chill remaining molasses glaze.
Coat grill rack with cooking spray- put grill over med hot coals (350-400 degrees). Place pork on rack, cover with grill lid for 18-20 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 160 degrees. Turn once, and baste with remaining molasses mixture last 8 minute. When done, remove to plate, cover with foil, and rest 5 minutes.            8 servings

Microwave S'mores (you have to read the book to know why this was our dessert)

Place 4 squares of milk chocolate candy bar on a graham cracker. Top with marshmellow. Place on paper towel. Microwave 15 seconds on high, or until marshmellow puffs. Top with another graham cracker. Let stand one minute. (Fun to let the kids do by themselves...)

So begins our Dinner and a Book Club of Chastain Lakes...next month's book- The House of Sand and Fog...