October 2013 Host:  Colleen

 

Unbroken:  A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

 

Summary

 

 

This is the story of Louis Zamperini, who became one of the youngest members of the U.S. Olympics track team in 1936.  He was later drafted into the Army Air Force and became a bombardier assigned to the often unreliable and awkward B-24 (the B-24 killed an astonishing number of its own crew).  After surviving a number of bombing missions against Japanese targets, his plane goes down in the Pacific Ocean while searching for another downed plane.  He spent the next 47 days in a disintegrating raft circled by relentless sharks, was scorched by the sun, and endured endless hunger, only to be rescued by Japanese soldiers.  Zamperini became a POW for two years and was ruthlessly beaten by one of the guards, Mutsuhiro Watanabe, a.k.a. “The Bird”.  It is stressing for the reader to read about the horrible conditions Zamperini endured, (e.g. the near daily beatings and sadistic torture, the almost nonexistent food) however he did survive and remains unbroken even today at the age of 93.  This is one of the very best books we have ever read and we look forward to the movie release sometime next year. 

 

Menu
 

 

Fruit Salad

 

Spiced Pumpkin Waffles

(food.com)

 

Ingredients
 

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 2/3 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Directions

 

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in large bowl.

In a second bowl, add eggs, sugar, pumpkin, milk, and butter; beat well.

Gently fold in the flour mixture.

Cook according to your waffle iron directions.

I do these in my belgian waffle iron and it uses about 1 cup batter and takes 4-5 minutes to bake.

They come out a nice deep, golden brown.

These are great with a little bit of syrup, but would also be great with honey butter.

Bacon

 

Breakfast Casserole

(crockingirls.com)

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 Pound Breakfast Sausage
• 8 Ounces Diced ham
• 1/2 Cup Fresh chopped mushrooms
• 1 Cup Chopped onions
• 1 Can Rotel
• 18 Eggs
• 1 Cup Cheese
• 1 (32oz) Package Hash browns
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh baby spinach (a couple of handfuls)

Directions
 

Lightly brown breakfast sausage,
 

Layer half of the hash browns in the bottom of slow cooker, followed by 1/2 of sausage and 1/2 of ham. The next layer will be all of the baby spinach, the mushrooms, and onions.

 

Repeat the first 3 layers (hash browns/sausage/ham), and then top with a can of Rotel tomatoes with mild green chilis.

 

Whisk the 18 eggs in a bowl, then pour over top.

 

Sprinkle cheese over top of casserole and cook on low for about 6 hours

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 2013 Host:  Nancy

 

Pure by Andrew Miller

 

Summary

 

Pure is an unusual, yet well written piece of historical fiction set in Paris, France, in the years preceding the French Revolution.  Jean-Baptiste Barratte, an engineer from Normandy, has been given the job of excavating the vast pits of the cemetery of les Innocents located in the center of Paris.  Bodies have been piled into the cemetery for centuries and the King is concerned about the filth and contamination that emanates from the cemetery. The stench permeates the food, clothing, and people of the area and Jean-Baptiste is given one year to make it pure.  The removal of the graveyard is a subject of historical record and the bones end up in the famous catacombs of Paris, where they can be seen to this day.  The novel follows the progress of the engineer and the relationships he forges with his workers, the family he boards with, and others in the neighborhood.  The coming revolution is foreshadowed throughout the novel, allowing the reader to fill in some of the blanks.  This book is a winner of the Costa Book award. 

 

Menu

 

Spinach Dip

 

Rice and Naan

 

Chickpea Curry

 

Dessert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 2013 Host:  Emily

 

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg

 

Summary
 

In this book, Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, challenges women (and men) to reevaluate their work and life assumptions.  She advocates a ‘lean in’ theme, where women historically, and even to this day, tend to stay in the background, thus allowing their male counterparts to take more leadership roles.  Even though 50% of all college graduates are women, men still hold the vast majority of leadership roles in government and industry.  Some of the topics she touches on are how men should take on more of the family responsibilities that may typically lead a woman to stay home, how women who are planning a family tend to mentally check out of work, how women are mentally wired to be liked more than successful, and how our careers are changing from a series of upward ladders to the up and down side movements of a jungle gym.  She asks the questions that all women should ask themselves such as:  are you criticized for being too direct (something that is not considered negative for a man), at meetings do you sit at the table and speak up, and do you have an inner voice that says you are not qualified or that you are an imposter.  Sandberg provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, the steps women can take to combine a satisfying career with personal fulfillment, and how men can benefit by supporting women in the workplace and at home.  We all really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it as we could relate to some of Sandberg’s life experiences. 

Menu

Shrimp, avocado, and black bean salsa

 

Mexican Rice

(this recipe can be found on foodnetwork.com)

 

Tacos

 

Mexican Wedding Cookies

 

 

 

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon Taco Seasoning
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 ounce tortilla chips, finely crushed *

Beat or whisk the cream cheese and eggs until smooth. Add the seasoning; mix well. Stir in the cheese and crushed chips; mix well. Grease a 9x13" baking dish or line with parchment paper; spread the cheese mixture evenly over the bottom. Bake at 350º, 35 minutes or until browned, but not too dark. Let stand 5-10 minutes before adding the topping.

* 1/4 ounce is about 4-5 small round tortilla chips. I used the unflavored white corn kind. They only add about 4 carbs to the whole recipe.

Topping:
1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon Taco Seasoning
1/2 batch Red Enchilada Sauce (about 1 cup)
8 ounces pepper-jack cheese, shredded

Brown the hamburger; drain fat. Stir in the seasoning and enchilada sauce. Spread over the crust. Top with the cheese. Bake another 20 minutes or so until hot and bubbly.

Makes 8 servings

                               June 2013 Host:  Jaci and Stephanie
                                                     
                             The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton        

Summary

This novel begins in the year 1913 when a dock master discovers a four-year-old child left alone on a dock in Queensland, Australia after all passengers had disembarked from a boat that had sailed from England.  The dock master and his wife decide to keep the child, as efforts to trace her family have failed, and they name her Nell.  In the present day (this novel switches perspectives between the years 1913, 1975, and 2005) Cassandra is grieving for her grandmother Nell’s passing and discovers, while going through Nell’s things, that Nell had continued searching for her true parents.   Cassandra takes over this search which leads her to England and a small Cornish village, and finally to a small and very aged cottage with a walled garden, that may contain answers to some of the many secrets of the past.  This novel was a real page turner, although rather lengthy at 550 pages, and some may have difficulty keeping track of what is happening with the frequent going back and forth between generations.  Also, the male characters in the novel are weak and at times, insipid.  These flaws, however, are easily overlooked with the author’s pacing and attention to character detail.  Everyone in our book club thoroughly enjoyed this great read and would highly recommend it. 

Menu

                                      Appetizers

                                                  Coleslaw

                                                  Salsa

                                                  Fish Tacos

                                                  Shrimp Salad

                                                  Pasta Salad

                                                  Key Lime Pie

                                                  Cupcakes

                                                  The Van

                                                  Karen

                                          Late Night Entertainment

                                                          

May 2013 Host:  Karen

(with Jennie and Danny)

 

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff

 

Summary

This novel weaves a tale back and forth between the roots of nineteenth century polygamy and a modern day polygamist murder mystery.  One story is based on the life of  Anna Eliza Webb, the 19^th wife of Brigham Young (who was one of the first leaders of the Mormon church and who likely had married 50 women by the time he added Anna Eliza to his family).  Anna Eliza’s real writings are incorporated into this novel, depicting her life as a plural wife and how her family came into the Mormon church.  She became famous for a time as she publicized her autobiography and the heinous way women and children were treated in the Mormon church under the leadership of Brigham Young.  The second story is about the 19^th wife of a modern day polygamist who is accused of murdering her husband.  She begs her son Jordan, who she abandoned on a dark highway for allegedly holding a girl’s hand when he was 14 years old, for his help.  Excommunicating young men from the church was a common practice of the First Latter Day Saints due to competition for wives for the older men.  These young boys became known as the Lost Boys and oftentimes were damaged and destitute, roaming southwest cities such as Las Vegas.   Although a bit slow at times, this was a fascinating, well researched, and very enlightening story.

 

Menu

 

White Strawberry Sangria

This delicious sangria consists of mixing together 1 750 milliliter bottle

dry white wine with 1/2 cup strawberry schnapps, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2

cups sliced fresh strawberries.  Add ice cubes and chill 1-4 hours.

 

Curried Rice Pilaf

This easy recipe consists of 1/4 cup green onions, 1/2 cup frozen peas, 2 minced garlic cloves,

1/4 cup butter (or more if needed), 1/12 cup basmati rice, 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1/2 cup salt, and 3 cups chicken broth.

1.  In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic in butter until tender.  Stir in rice, curry powder, and salt.

Saute for 2 or 3 minutes until rice is lightly browned.

2.  Pour chicken broth over rice mixture and stir.  Add peas and cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes or until rice is tender.

 

Grilled Salmon with Vegetable Salad

 

Dessert

 

Danny

 

 



April 2013 Host: Stephanie

 

1,000 White Women:  The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus

 

Summary

 

This novel is set in 1875 and is written from the perspective of a historical event.  In 1854, at a peace conference in Fort Laramie, a Cheyenne chief requested of the US Army authorities the gift of a thousand white women as brides for his young warriors, thinking that this would hasten the assimilation of the matrilineal Cheyenne into the white man’s world.  The request was turned down but the novel is written as if it really happened.   The main character, May Dodd, had two children out of wedlock and was committed to an insane asylum by her family.  In her desperation to escape the walls of the asylum, she volunteered for the brides for Indians program.  Through the diaries of May Dodd, we get a glimpse into the life that has disappeared from our land and we become a part of the Cheyenne nation in the closing days of the military conquest of the Indians.  Most of the women do conceive and present infants to their Cheyenne warriors.  They learn to live the nomadic life and appreciate the Indian’s natural way of living.  The women also realize that this way of life cannot survive under the tide of Western movement.  This novel transports you back in time in the Wild West and is richly descriptive of the landscape, the Indian and white man’s culture in the late 1800s, and wildly disparate characters. We are also privy to the dark side of the Cheyenne and the white man’s culture such as infanticide and the heinous crimes committed while under the influence of whiskey. We all enjoyed and highly recommend this novel.

 

Menu

 

Tuna Salad and Chicken Salad Sandwiches w/ chips

Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

This simple yet savory dressing consists of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup

balsamic vinegar, one teaspon each of honey and dijon mustard, one

shallot and one garlic clove each minced, salt and ground pepper to taste.

Shake vigorously in a glass jar with lid until combined.

 

Baklava Cups

For genuine tasting yet easy to bake baklavi, this recipe can be found on foodnetork.com

(note:  I made the mistake of adding the syrup before I baked them and it is supposed

to be added after baking, which is why they look misshapen)

 

Lemon Tart with Mixed Berries

 

 

 

 

 

February 2013 Host:  Sarah

 

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

 

Summary

 

This novel is set in Appalachia and opens with 27-year old Della Turnbow, who is ready to escape her marriage and closed-in life with two young children by having an affair.  Her plans are thwarted however, when she comes upon an amazing natural phenomenon which changes everything for her.  This phenomenon centers on the migratory patterns of the monarch butterfly and the potential harmful effects that climate change can have on their fragile ecosystems. In this novel, we learn about the life cycle of monarchs and the science of their study, the effects of climate change, sheep caretaking, and what it is like to live in a closely knit small southern town. Although at times the descriptions were somewhat lengthy, Kingsolver’s novel is artfully written, her characters have just the right amount of nuance, and the landscaping of the area is beautifully portrayed.  Ms. Kingsolver leaves us with the question:  What is the use of saving the world that has no soul left in it… such as continents without butterflies and seas without coral reefs – what if we end up striving only for a place to park ourselves.

 

Menu

 

 

Basil Tomato Bruschetta

(easily prepared by combining prepared pesto with petite diced tomatoes and serving on toasted french bread)

 

Salad

 

Lasagna

 

Assorted Desserts

 

 

 

 

January 2013 Host:  Jennie

(at California Pizza Kitchen)

 

Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

 

Summary

 

This novel (published in 1938) is a timeless classic, it is a mystery as well as a ghost story and is certainly one of the best one hundred books of all time.  The story begins as the unnamed narrator reminisces about her former home, the grand English Estate called Manderley.  She was young and shy when she married the much older Maxim de Winter and moved in to Manderley.  She became immediately overwhelmed with the responsibilities of running the house as well as the memories of Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, who had drowned years ago. Rebecca was portrayed as beautiful, sophisticated, and very confident, and this served to heighten the narrator’s insecurities in her new home. Also, Rebecca’s friend and (somewhat creepy) maid continues working at Manderley and is herself obsessed with Rebecca.   The characters are compelling and especially the narrator who often confuses what she believes with reality.  Although there is little action in the story, it is spooky and leaves the reader throughout the book with an impending sense of doom, much like the typical horror movie.