#Recipe and #ChickLit #BookReview & Spicy Chicken with Polenta

 

So my polenta was not as creamy as it should have been. I think I should have added more broth? All in all the meal was enjoyed by the family.  I will definitely make it again. I did have to change the cooking times on the chicken because I didn't have any chicken thighs when I decided to make this and I substituted a giant split chicken breast and chicken legs.  I also couldn't find berbere seasoning so I used a chili powder blend with cinnamon in it and added some ginger powder to that.   As you can see I found this recipe in my physical copy of Real Simple Magazine.  Paging through an actual magazine is a nice relaxing way to unplug in my estimation. 

Another way to relax is with a light-hearted book.  Yoga Pant Nation by Laurie Gelman is one such book.  This is the third book in her Class Mom series.  You can read this book as a stand-alone, but it is more fun to read it knowing the previous adventures of Jen and her family and friends. 

In the first book "Class Mom"  we met our protagonist  Jen Dixon when her son started kindergarten and her older daughters were first venturing out into the world as young adults.  Jen is an 'old' mom who's been around the grade school block. Each of the books takes place over the school year. In this book, Jen's now a 5th-grade Class Mom *and* in charge of the PTA fundraising committee.  If you have been a parent involved in raising funds, you know what a tough job she has ahead of her. 

In addition to trying to raise $10,000 for tablets for the school, Jen is beginning a new career as a spin instructor, spending several days a week providing childcare to her new grandchild and also helping her parents by going with them to run errands, cooking for them, etc.  Jen is an avatar for many women who find themselves trying to raise their own children while also helping their parents.  She's a sandwich mom in the middle of life in the middle of America--literally, as she lives in Kansas.  

If I knew Jen Dixon in real life, I would probably think she was fun but also kind of obnoxious, but in the books we know her internal monologue which shows her kindness and empathy. If you are looking for a book that will feel like you are spending time catching up with a friend over coffee, this is your book. 

This book comes out July 13, 2021, you can preorder it now or put it on your Goodreads shelf. 

4 Stars! 

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley, all the options are mine. 

In the end, Jen's youngest child Max is headed off to Junior High, and that means the class mom days are over. I hope that this isn't the end of the stories from Jen Dixon's life--her granddaughter will be going into kindergarten in just three years, maybe Jen will be pulled out of retirement to be a class parent again! 

#YogaPantNation #NetGalley 

Remember My Abundance of Apples?

 Here is a recipe I found from the Minimalist Baker blog: Easy Cinnamon Baked Apples  I made some substitutions based on what I had on hand.  I used flour instead of cornstarch, I used 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, I left out the nutmeg (because I had none) I added some lemon zest with the tablespoons of lemon juice. I also used more fresh grated ginger than the recipe stated. I am quite glad I did because I used enuogh that you could taste ginger in each bit, but it wasn't overpowering. The Hubs had purchased Hudsonville Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Ice Cream so that is the ice cream you see with the baked apples. 

I used Gala, Golden Delicious and Honey Crisp Apples.

I'm glad I came across this recipe, it was delicious and smelled divine while it was cooking!

Masquerade Murder: A Victoria Town Mystery Novella by Mollie Cox Bryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the series. It's a seasonal novella, you can sit down on a cold October night after the kiddos are done ringing your doorbell demanding candy and slip away to Victoria Town.

I like Viv our protagonist, she has a wry sense of humor and it's fun to tag along inside her head. In this installment, I thought that Viv's Aunt Libby was less judgemental than in the first book and more involved in the sleuthing. I liked the build-up to the killer's reveal.



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