Watching Fall Cooking and A Nice Afternoon Mystery!

 The highs are in the low 70s with sweater weather at night and I am ready to try all the fall recipes--and at the same time, I'm not really in the mood to cook. What is a person to do?  

Watch fall-themed cooking shows!  Food Network has a streaming service and I had a deal for one free year of the service so here I am binging the best Food Network has to offer in Autumn programming. 

One episode of The Kitchen is start-to-finish recipes I would actually want to make.  The link is here for the video and below is the description of the episode: 

"The Kitchen celebrates Fall with the two stars of the season: squash and pumpkins! Katie Lee makes her sticky-sweet Grilled Pumpkin BBQ-Glazed Pork Chops and Sunny Anderson whips up her Quick Wild Rice and Sausage Stuffed Mini Butternut Squash. Jeff Mauro makes a creamy Cacio e Pepe e Zucca pasta, and Katie puts her spin on squash with Spaghetti Squash Crust Pizza. Baker Renato Poliafito brings some pumped up Pumpkin Whoopie Pies and Geoffrey Zakarian spices things up with his Maple Chai Spiced Pepitas."

I really need to stop watching TV on an empty stomach. I am hungry but I don't want to get up and go downstairs to cook! Ha!

Here is a review of a book I recently won in a giveway- 

FOUR STARS

I enjoyed this novella. The story made for a nice afternoon escape. I found the gothic nature of the murder interesting and I found the main character interesting as she was much more introverted than your typical cozy mystery protagonist. I have mixed feelings about her aunt. I hope that in future installments Viv makes a local friend and finds a way to be able to use her computer skills legally to help people since that seems to be something she excels at and likes to do.

The backdrop of a town immersed in the Victorian age, with all the tech and conveniences of modern 2000s life is interesting. I am looking forward to grabbing a PSL or a golden Tumeric latte and reading the next book in the series as it is themed for Fall!

This is a good read to have on your phone or tablet to read when you are waiting at an appointment or if you take public transportation to and from work.

You can see my goodreads reviews here

Did I predict the future?

Three years ago today I said this "Tip for the day: It's almost Halloween, so skip the makeup this morning and get a little more sleep."

As I stood at the train station this morning waiting for my train and scrolling through Facebook the above status update popped up in my memories from three years ago. I thought to myself.  That's a good post, I'm pretty funny sometimes.

Then I realized...I had forgotten to put on any makeup before leaving for work!  Look at me, predicting the future! 

If only I had used my magical powers to play the billion dollar Powerball. Alas It would seem I can

The kids of Halloween Past...

only predict my own personal behavior, which is probably really common and not at all magical.  Nevertheless, on the Eve of Halloween, I'm calling myself a psychic, consider it my costume!


Happy #NationalCandyCornDay !!! Will you be buying a bag to enjoy or throw directly into the trash?  Candy Corn brings out strong opinions!

The thing about blogging is...

The thing about blogging is that it would be cool if lots of people read my blog; however, in order for that to happen, you have to invest a ton of time and some money to try and make that happen.  It's a bummer but that is the way of writing really, anyone who writes doesn't write with a guarantee that anyone will ever read their writings.  Even Stephen King doesn't know that whatever he is writing today will ever reach the masses --sure it's fairly likely in his case, but no guarantees. 

Today we are driving down to the University of Illinois to Ms. A in the marching band competition.  She said she would like us to be there, but she doesn't want us to try to talk to her or make contact while we are there because she needs to concentrate on her performance.  I admire her dedication and was also a little annoyed, as is to be expected when dealing with teenagers. If it was up to me we'd stay home and watch the live stream, but when youngest child asks us to be there, well we are going to be there even though we are going to have to drive over two hours to watch an 8-minute performance and drive back.  I'm really not complaining, much.   

Who loves Halloween? Who loves Hocus Pocus?

Hocus Pocus & The All New Sequel by A.W. Jantha
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fall is here and when it's Fall I fill my TBR pile with Witches and Ghosts. I also fill my DVR with movies and TV shows featuring Witches and Ghosts. When I saw there was a book version of the movie and a sequel to the -dare I say- cult classic movie--I had to read the book ASAP.

"Hocus Pocus and the All New Sequel" was a fun nostalgic read. I really enjoyed the sequel and am looking forward to seeing the movie version of this follow up to the classic Hocus Pocus. The sequel features some of the children of characters from Hocus Pocus and of course those terrible witches are back too.  Note, I read that the sequel won't start the same actresses as the Sanderson Sisters, which is a bummer to be sure. That's was makes the book even more fun, as reader of the sequel, I was able to picture the original witches. The pacing of the stories is on point with a nice build up to the final confrontation between the witches and the humans. In the original story I thought the 8 year old Dani was too mature for her age in words and actions--she really seems more like an 11 year old. The teens in the stories are perfectly age appropriate which is a nice change.

This would be a fun book to read with kids at bedtime as you count down to Halloween. I borrowed the book digitally from my library, so I'm sure it's easy to get a copy to enjoy before October ends. Once you finish the book you can have a family movie night, pop some popcorn and watch the classic movie! 


View all my reviews

What if Fairy Tales Were True in the Age of iPhones?

I have to share with you this book I've read!  If you aren't a big reader, check out the audiobook. After you read this tale, which you will love, get excited for the FX adaptation!


The Changeling by Victor LaValle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If this whole book was just the story of Apollo & Emma's first year of parenting Brian in NYC, I would have enjoyed it immensely. However, this is not a simple tale of parenting, this is an old school- Black Forest Germany - fairy tale where children are spirited away and monsters walk among us. I completely enjoyed the way Mr. LaValle weaves classic fairy tale lore into the 21st century and works with all the trapping of modern life while telling this ancient tale.

"The Changeling" doesn't shy away from the reality in America where for a black man, any encounter with the police can end in death. This story doesn't shy away from reminding us that far too often the concerns of new moms are brushed aside as they suffer silently with postpartum psychosis. This story doesn't shy away from reminding us we all cling to fairy tales we tell ourselves in order to sleep through the night.

In the end, Victor LaValle gives Emma, Apollo, and Brian some happiness. It's not forever but it's happily for now.


View all my reviews

*****

The summer is already winding down and with that I'm ready to enjoy Fall. I'm hoping for lots of sunny days, low humidity and temps that stay around 70 degrees throughout all of  September. Frankly, I'm in no hurry to break out my boots.  I am ready to enjoy spooky stories and for that I'm subscribed and enjoying each installment of the podcast Spooked (from Snap Judgement and WNYC Studios). Each week they are counting down to Halloween with a new tale of the paranormal.  Are the stories real, are they fiction?  I don't know!  You can listen via the website or subscribe at iTunes, Stitcher, Npr.org, etc. 

Deadly Brew, from the Dewberry Farm Series. And the answer to the Question , What is a Dewberry?

Deadly Brew by Karen MacInerney
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I got this book through my kindle unlimited subscription, I chose it because I was looking for Seasonal Cozy Mysteries and this takes place around Halloween. It's book 3, so ideally I would prefer to read the series in order, but I wasn't paying attention and didn't realize it was third in the series. About 3/4 of the way through this mystery, I started listening to the Audio Version of Book 1 (Killer Jam). I'll be finishing that and reviewing it very soon.

I enjoyed this book, it was fairly easy to surmise who the killer was, but the why took longer, which is fine with me. I enjoy both the mystery and the why's when I read Cozy Mysteries. I will be catching up with this series by mid November and then I'll be looking forward to book 4 (Mistletoe Murder) to be out December 11th---a Christmas Themed book! (I like those holiday reads and I'm not going to apologize for it.)

There are a few reasons why I am enjoying this series. First, Lucy our protagonist is in her 30s and a former Houston reporter. She has lived some life before we met her and I find that to be a big plus. Second, the mystery takes center stage, i.e. we don't get a subplot where Lucy is filled with angst over a man. Third, I enjoy the small farm setting, Lucy and her friends are environmentally conscious; it's not an overt message of caring for the environment and being responsible, but it is there, interwoven into the books' adventures.

My only issue with the series is that I don't feel that the writer has provided enough description of what the characters look like- I don't know if this is because I began on book 3, or I'm reading too fast and missing it or if the writer has done this on purpose.

All in all, it's a good Cozy Mystery series, especially enjoyable for me is Lucy learning how to homestead at her family farm. Here you can see the first book in this series: Killer Jam

View all my reviews

 Now what is a Dewberry? Have you heard of Deweberries before? I had not. Turns out they are very similar to blackberries and grow throughout the Northern Hemisphere. One type is know as Texas Dewberry and that is found in ...wait for it... Texas (and some of Louisiana). They ripen before blackberries so that is a plus for anyone who loves berries. You can find out more here

First Annual Family Halloween Craft Day #ThrowbackThursday

 

With the kids being teens, I see the writing on the wall, our time together as a family under one roof is limited.  Therefore, I'm on a memory making mission.  Heck I even put Throwback Thursday on this post so it will be easy to find in 5 years when Anna goes off to college and I'm a giant puddle of nostalgia.

This past Saturday was declared by me as Family Craft Day.  The craft I chose was Halloween Mason Jars.  You may notice we didn't actually use Mason Jars. Being frugal and ecofriendly, I saved jars, soaked off the labels and we were set. I still have about 6 jars we can use for Christmas Crafts. 

 Should you be looking to make your own Halloween Luminaries, there are literally thousands of different webpages like this one, and Pinterest Pins devote to this craft.   I got buy-in for this craft project from 2 of 3 kids, so I took it as a win and we are now enjoy the whimsical fruits of  our labors.

 I also spent some time being creative in the kitchen and here is what I came up with for Sunday Dinner.  Jewel had a sale on pork loin, so I paid $11 for a loin I cut into 5 pork roasts. Such a Deal!  I froze all but one for future meals. This one I first covered with Garlic Garlic, Onion Onion, salt and pepper and seared it on all sides in a cast iron skillet.  Then I placed the roast in a roasting pan and added a couple of sliced apples, an onion, 4 potatoes and 4 wedges of cabbage.  I seasoned the vegetables and poured 1/2 cup of Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar over everything.   I covered the pan with aluminum foil and roasted  until the pork roast was fall-apart tender ( 300 degrees F for about 3 hours). It worked out really well. The sweet/sour/savory flavors melded together quite well. Tom and I enjoyed ours with a Ballast Point Pumpkin Ale.

Review and Recipes

All the Little Liars by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I found that the voice of Aurora Teagarden was much more the voice of Charlaine Harris a 60-something than that of a 30-something librarian. For example, what 37 year old woman in 2016 uses the word trousers to describe pants. C'mon! This book takes place just a few weeks after the last one, which is disjointing. (esp. since the previous book was set in the early 2000s)  So just a few weeks ago Aurora finds her SIL dead and now it is Christmas, she is pregnant, married and not only is her step brother missing but there are other kids missing AND dead teenagers. It seems like a bit much, and yet there is plenty of time for the author to give paragraphs of space to the discussion of  Aurora preparing the most bland food ever eaten.

Lastly during the book Aurora does three stupid things and hides 2 crucial details from police that prolong the mystery and are so reckless it's hard to fathom. I almost through the book across the room a couple of times due to the lack of critical thinking by Aurora and her husband.


View all my reviews

A common thread in all Charlaine Harris books is uneccessary discussion of what food the protagonist is preparing.  If the food sounded good, that would be forgiving, but her main characters are bad cooks.   Just the most boring food. It's depressing.  If I was her editor, I'd put big red slashes through all food talk!

To combat bad food writing I thought I would share a couple fun Halloween themed recipes:

Pumpkin Soup with Herbed Pumpkin Seeds (Tastefully Simple) 

ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. 1 tsp. Avocado Oil or olive oil, divided

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• 2 Tbsp. Onion Onion Seasoning 

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• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 (15 oz.) cans 100% pure pumpkin
• 13-14 oz. can coconut milk
• ½ cup roasted and salted shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
• 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• Sour cream (optional)

directions

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add Onion Onion™ Seasoning; sautè 30 seconds.

Stir in broth; bring to a simmer. Add pumpkin and 1 Tbsp. Rustic Herb Seasoning; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in coconut milk; continue simmering 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine pumpkin seeds and remaining 1 tsp. oil in small bowl. Add remaining 1 Tbsp. Rustic Herb Seasoning and Parmesan cheese. Toss to coat.

Ladle soup into bowls or shot or cordial glasses. Sprinkle with herbed pumpkin seeds.

Tips:

• To decorate the glasses, add sour cream to a resealable plastic bag. Cut off a bag corner. Pipe slightly wavy ring around the inside of each glass. Using a wooden skewer, push the sour cream down to make elongated lines. Pour soup into glasses.
• Serve soup in Jack Be Little or other small pumpkins. To prepare pumpkins, cut top ½ inch off each pumpkin; scrape out seeds. Place on a baking sheet with rim. Add ½ cup water to baking sheet; cover pumpkins with foil. Bake 20 minutes or until soft enough to scoop out pumpkin flesh. Remove from oven and cool; gently scoop out flesh, leaving a ¼-inch shell.

And here is a recipe from All Recipes that sounds like a fantastic Chili!
Pumpkin Turkey Chili ! 

Above Average Temperatures

Checked out the old weather forecast and it looks like the next 7 days in Chicagoland will continue to be above normal.  Rain is supposed to show up on Tuesday and Wednesday so I'll have to remember not to wear sandals on those two days.  Sandals in October?  Yes.  I'm going to keep on wearing my sandals until the daily temps go under 60.  Why not right?  Plus I need to buy a new pair of black boots and have not gotten around to doing that and right now since we are paying for 2 kids to go to Disney on school trips in 2018- I'm trying to put as much $ toward getting those trips paid off as possible as quickly as possibly.

All this warm weather does make it rather hard to remember Fall is here.  The trees aren't bursting with gold, orange and red leaves, and you can leave the house without a jacket. I am sure this will change shortly, but for a bit longer I'll stick with my warm weather clothes. 

That being said I do realize Halloween is fast approaching.  I have amassed a collection of glass jars that I am trying to prioritize DIYing into cute Halloween décor.  I did my Googles and found this blog called Crafts by Amanda-easy craft tutorials for adults and kids.  My plan is to follow through and get crafty the weekend of 10/21- 10/22.  My goal is to get at least one of the kids to make the crafty luminaries with me.  Wish me luck!

Countdown to Halloween...3 weeks from tomorrow!