Archive by Author

Fresh & Delicious Chicken Pesto Burgers

10 Apr

Sometimes, you just want something different for dinner. It doesn’t have to be way outside the box, but sometimes you just need to use a little creativity. Hence this recipe, which is a different take on one of my favorite sandwiches that I like to order at a local cafe. The sandwich that I love to order is a Chicken Pesto Panini which has strips of grilled chicken, roasted red peppers, and provolone cheese on grilled white panini bread.

While I have made my own version of the panini before, I wanted to see try an equally good but less time consuming version that I could easily make for a weeknight meal. And that is what this recipe is: Easy and Fast. It only requires a few ingredients and one pan.

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Chicken Pesto Burgers

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • 3  tablespoons of Pesto
  • 2 teaspoons grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Mozzarella or Provolone Cheese

Kitchen Tools:

  • 1 grill pan (or a skillet)
  • Medium size bowl
  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • Wooden spoon (for mixing)
  • Meat thermometer

 

Instructions:

1. In your medium size bowl, combine the ground chicken, pesto, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper. Use the wooden spoon to mix all the ingredients together.

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2. To make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly mix, use your hands to completely combine everything together.

3. Spray your grill pan (or skillet) with non-stick cooking spray and heat the pan on medium heat.

4. One pound of ground chicken will yield 4 quarter pound burgers. Divide the meat into four and form 4 burgers. Place them in the grill pan.

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5. Cook the burgers on each side for approximately 5 minutes.

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6. Cooking chicken burgers can be a little tricky — you want to make sure they are cooked through, but you don’t want to overcook them. Be aware that chicken burgers dry out faster than ground beef. To be safe, check the burgers with a meat thermometer. Each burger should have an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Remove the burgers from the pan, serve on buns or on bread of your choice with either Mozzarella or Provolone Cheese.

8. Enjoy!

I decided to serve my chicken pesto burger with some shredded mozzarella cheese.

I decided to serve my chicken pesto burger with some shredded mozzarella cheese.

 

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On Reading “The River of No Return” by Bee Ridgway

25 Mar

Some of my friends and family make fun of me for having a Twitter account. “What do you tweet about?,” they ask. Or they might say, “I tried Twitter, I thought it was stupid.”

If you really stop and think about it, Twitter is kind of odd. You follow all these people, most of whom you don’t know, and you correspond with each other and the entire world in short messages of 140 characters. But, Twitter does have its uses and its perks.

Generally, I use Twitter to satisfy my inner nerd and my inner fan girl. I follow the news sites, politicians, entertainers, as well as follow my friends who have accounts. I also, though, follow as many of the publishing companies as I can. It’s no secret that I love books and sometimes I feel that for as much as I read, I never have a good handle on when new and amazing books are coming out.

For the most part, following publishers on Twitter only serves to give me information on new books, etc. But, publishers also do free book giveaways through Twitter which is really cool for a bibliophile like me — especially if the giveaway is for an Advanced Reader Copy of a book that is not yet out.

Several weeks ago, I was lucky enough to win an Advance Reader Copy of The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway from Dutton Books (an imprint of Penguin). Here’s my review of this lovely book:

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DISCLAIMER: I chose to write this review. I was in no way compensated by Dutton to do so. All rights for The River of No Return are reserved to its author and publisher.

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway

In her debut novel, Bee Ridgway — a professor of American literature at Bryn Mawr College — weaves an intricate and nuanced tale of time travel, power, knowledge, and romance. On the surface, The River of No Return is an invigorating and page-turning time travel thriller that places its main characters in a battle against time itself and with those who wish to control it. Underneath, however, is a historical, cultural, and social commentary that takes the science fiction based subject of time travel and turns it on its head, rooting the concept in the power of human emotion and memory. Ridgway’s debut is far more than an adventure story — it is a thought provoking read that incites you to question all what you know about the world around you and what you consider to be the place of the concept of time in our lives.

In 1812, Lord Nicholas Falcott, a member of the British peerage and a soldier in the Napoleonic Wars, suddenly disappears from the battlefield at Salamanca as a French soldier prepares to kill him in combat. Against all apparent laws of time and space, he is transported to 2003 London where wakes up in a hospital and is informed that he is now a member of the Guild, a time and government transcending organization that controls time travel and its participants, and that “There is no return” to his previous life. Quickly, Lord Falcott becomes Nick Davenant and is instructed by the Guild in modern life. The Guild, however, is not simply a kindly guiding organization. It is powerful and wealthy, keeping close tabs on its members and gifting each with an annual multi-million dollar stipend. By 2013, Nick Davenant has adjusted to 21st century life, but deep down he has never left his 19th century origins behind. Haunted by homesickness and dreams of his battlefield experiences, Nick uses memories of a young woman he left behind to ease the panic that accompanies the fact that no amount of money can change his place out of time. Soon, however, Nick is summoned by the Guild and ordered to break its cardinal rule: travel back from when he came to help prevent the unraveling of time itself. Attempting to come to terms with the fact that what the Guild preaches as truth is not all that is seems, Nick travels to 1815 and comes face to face with his old life and the woman who has kept him grounded in another century for the last decade.

In 1815, as Nick tries to accomplish what the Guild has asked of him, Julia Percy mourns the death of her beloved grandfather and guards the secret he tasked her to protect on his deathbed: his ability to manipulate time. As her cousin Eamon arrives to take possession of the family home and her fate, Julia quickly recognizes that there is more than one secret pervading her life, and that those secrets are desired by many and have further reach than she can fully comprehend. While Eamon manically scours the house and Julia’s memory for something called the “Talisman,” she observes that her mysteriously returned from the dead and greatly changed neighbor Lord Falcott may be her only solution to the increasing danger in which she finds herself.

First separately and then together, Nick and Julia discover the extent to which the river of time effects them all and how far the Guild will go to control the future and everyone’s fates.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The River of No Return is one of the best books I have read recently, and I unabashedly place it on my list of favorites. Ridgway writes beautifully and evocatively, injecting a complexity into her storytelling that rivals the best puzzle masters. While some compare her debut and its time traveling components to The Time Traveler’s Wife, I would compare it instead to Katherine Neville’s masterpiece The Eight. Filled with clues along the way and peppered with references to historical figures, places, and movements, Ridgway’s first novel is a stimulating and entertaining read.

From the time I began reading, I couldn’t put the book down. It truly is a page turner and will leave you zealous to find out what happens next. In addition to its entertainment value, The River of No Return‘s most valuable facet may reside in its subtle observations of time itself. This is especially interesting to me as someone who has studied history in-depth. Throughout, Ridgway deftly conveys that, at its core, time and age is a construction. We are all victims of our time — something that has nothing to do with our abilities. We are products of both nature and nurture. When we are born and the circumstances of that time — its technology, customs, etc. — have much to do with what we become. Our capacity, however, is unaffected by time.

The River of No Return is available for purchase on April 23, 2013.

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My Take: 30 Travel Experiences To Have Before You Turn 30

24 Mar

So, the title of this post scares me a little bit because it underscores a fact that I’m slowly coming to grips with: my 30th birthday isn’t as far off as it used to be (I turned 25 two weeks ago). But, my new-found insecurity about my age isn’t what prompted me to write this blog post. I had no plans of blogging about this particular topic tonight, but I read a post on The Huffington Post this evening on the same topic, and I felt that I needed to present my own version because I disagreed with some of the items on the other list.  I’m not going to say which of the 30 things I disagreed with because I feel that blogging and travel is very personal and that there are no “wrong answers” with it. However, I did agree with some of the items on the list and repeated them on my own.

Also, as I’ve already stated, I’m not 30 and won’t be for another 5 years. So, my list is based not only on my previous travel experiences, but also on my travel bucket list and what I feel are things that are important to experience in life through travel.

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(Note: This list is in no particular order).

(Note #2: This list is written from the perspective of a North American, so some of my items may not be as feasible distance-wise if you reside somewhere else in the world.)

1. Marvel at something.

I may or may not have paraphrased this line from Eat, Pray, Love, but that’s not the point :-) . Whether it’s naturally occurring or man made, I think one of the most important travel experiences to have before you turn 30 is to view something that leaves you in complete and utter awe. Something that sums up how amazing the world we live in is and how we, as small human beings, fit into it.

My experience with #1 occurred when I was on a cruise from Baltimore to the Caribbean. I've traveled this route twice. And let me tell you, nothing -- absolutely nothing -- makes you feel as small and as in awe as standing on the deck of a ship with nothing but miles and miles of deep ocean surrounding you.

My experience with #1 occurred when I was on a cruise from Baltimore to the Caribbean. I’ve traveled this route twice. And let me tell you, nothing — absolutely nothing — makes you feel as small and as in awe as standing on the deck of a ship with nothing but miles and miles of deep ocean surrounding you.

2. Take a Cruise on the Ocean.

Jumping off my last item, I urge you to take a cruise. Forget about the Cruising stereotypes — the kids, the pools, the food, etc. Embrace the uniqueness of cruising. Embrace the water. And if you can, splurge for a balcony cabin. Sit on that balcony, watch the water, and think.

3. Travel somewhere or do something on your travels that scares you.

This doesn’t have to be dangerous and in fact please don’t do something that endangers your health and safety. But do do something that takes courage — something you think you might not be able to do.

4. Walk in the footsteps of your ancestors.

Go somewhere, whether it is across town, across the state, across the country, or across the world and walk where your ancestors walked. See what they saw, think about how they might have felt. I’m a true believer in the power of history — particular personal history and how families are shaped across generations.

5. Travel by train somewhere.

In 2011, I traveled from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. on the Capitol Limited route of Amtrak. Traveling by train is truly unique, just like traveling by ship is an experience in and of itself.  On a train, as discussed in this recent New York Times article,
you see terrain and sights that you otherwise never would by car. Train tracks often cut through swaths of land that are relatively untouched.

6.Visit the ocean closest to you (and try to visit one not so close).

Oceans. Challenge yourself to see two of them. At least see one. So far, I’ve only seen the Atlantic. The Pacific is next on my list. I’m exceedingly jealous of my Dad who has also seen the Indian Ocean.

7. Plan/Participate in a Vacation with as many friends as possible.

When I graduated from high school, I was lucky to have a group of friends to spend a week with in Florida. The trip was certainly an experience that I will never forget, for many reasons. But, it wasn’t just a trip. It was a lesson in friendship.

8. Embrace your inner child.

Don’t let anyone tell you that you have outgrown Disney World, Disney Land, Harry Potter, or Universal Studios. Travel to these glorious places. Participate in them wholeheartedly.

9. Go somewhere that requires a passport.

As Americans, we are lucky that we live in such a large country. 50 states provide us with multitudes of experiences. But, I encourage you to travel to foreign shores. At least travel to the countries that are your nearest neighbors.

10. Go where the city lights don’t shine.

Gazing at the stars can be one of the most powerful experiences of your life. Looking up at the night sky is literally looking at the past. To view the heavens, make it a priority to go somewhere where light pollution is at a minimum. Darkness illuminates all on its own.

11. Travel solo (for fun, not business).

Have the courage and the confidence to travel somewhere by yourself, even if it’s only a short road trip.

12. Embrace local culture on at least one trip.

When we travel we often become hung up in the “tourism” culture of our destination. On a least one trip, regardless of where you travel to, do as the locals do. Avoid chain restaurants and name brand hotels. Stay at the local inn or Bed & Breakfast, eat at the family owned restaurants.

13.Visit a battlefield.

Whether you travel within the United States to a battlefield of the American Revolution or the Civil War, or you pay your respects at another site of one of the world’s wars, you should visit a battlefield. Understand the sacrifices that the youth of other generations have made, regardless of who they fought for and who won. Understand how blessed you are for the life you have. Recognize the wars still fought today and the youth still making sacrifices.

14. Become a tourist in your hometown.

Find things to do where you live that allow you to “travel in your own backyard.”

15. Go somewhere where your language is not the native language.

Challenge yourself. Can you make your way in a city or country where you know very little of the language?

16. Take a Road Trip.

Don’t just drive from Point A to Point B and back again. Map it out. Make an itinerary. Stay no more than 2 nights in one place.

17. Go somewhere spur of the moment.

You don’t always need to have a plan. Whether that means booking a 5 day cruise the day before it leaves or driving to the nearest beach in the middle of the night, be spontaneous. My dream: grabbing my passport out of the drawer, driving to the airport, and flying to Europe on a whim.

18. Take a trip for a selfish and specific reason.

Favorite author speaking/signing autographs in NYC? Want to be a member of the studio audience for a tv show? Want to attend a protest at the Supreme Court? Sometimes you just need to make the trip.

19. Go where the water is bluer than blue.

Visit a tropical locale. The Caribbean is highly suggested. I dream of Fiji, the Maldives, and Bora Bora.

Off the coast of Little San Salvador Island, Bahamas

Off the coast of Little San Salvador Island, Bahamas

20. Sleep outside.

Even if it is in your backyard.

21. Take a trip to relax and only relax.

Go to the beach, go on a spiritual journey, go to the wilderness. Go somewhere that sightseeing is not your priority. Read, listen to music. Relax.

22. Visit someone far away.

As teenagers, we can’t wait to get away. In our twenties, we lament the fact that we’ve drifted apart. Plan a trip purely for purpose of visiting someone you don’t see on a regular basis, because seeing someone in person is always better than a phone call, text message, or email.

23. Plan a dream vacation even if you never take it.

Figure out the place you would like to go most. If you are lucky enough to go, plan a new dream vacation. Keep dreaming, keep planning.

24. Go Somewhere only for its cuisine.

Want Southern BBQ? A French croissant? Go somewhere purely for its famous food.

25. Learn something.

Learn how to cook authentic Mexican. Learn Japanese calligraphy. Learn how to meditate with a Buddhist guru.

26. Give back.

Travel endows us with amazing and memorable experiences. Even if you are traveling for fun, find at least one trip where you can give back to the community you are visiting.

27. Let loose.

Go somewhere that involves fun, fun, and more fun.

28. Visit the haunt of a fictional character.

Like to read? Go to the site of your favorite book. Visit King’s Cross Station and get in touch with Harry Potter, or travel Route 66 like the Joad family. Not a reader but a movie or TV buff? Go to NYC and see Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment.

29. Splurge on a fabulous experience.

Even if you are traveling on a budget, take the opportunity at least once to experience a little glamor. Have high tea at the Plaza Hotel. Get a movie star makeover. Go to the 5 star restaurant.

30. Disconnect.

Our modern lives are dominated by technology today and the need to be constantly connected. Go somewhere that doesn’t have 24/7 Wi-Fi and cell phone service.

So, what travel experiences do you think you should have before you turn 30?

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What’s for Dinner: Cheesy Breaded Chicken

19 Mar

If you’re like me, when it comes to making dinner you just want something easy and uncomplicated.

I spend a lot of my free time on Pinterest trying to come up with different things to make, and sure, there are a LOT of great ideas in Pinterest-land. But they’re not always easily executed and often at least require a trip to the grocery store, if not a lot of preparation.

So, I’ve had to come up with some old stand bys — recipes that never go out of style and are always good. One of my favorites is a breaded chicken recipe that I came up with myself.

Now, I’m sure you’re saying, “but it’s breaded chicken…how hard could it be? And how much creativity does that take?”

Well, in a way you’re right. But at the same time breaded chicken has its issues too — it can be bland, soggy, and (worst of all) exit the pan breading-less.

Luckily, I’ve perfected my version of breaded chicken. The secret is in the breading.

Here’s the recipe:

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Cheesy Breaded Chicken

Makes: 4 chicken breasts

Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 1 cup regular, seasoned bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese (or whatever shredded cheese you have)
  • 1 egg
  • water
  • olive oil
  • garlic powder
  • ground black pepper
  • Italian seasoning (oregano, thyme, basil)
  • Non-stick cooking spray

Tools:

  • 1 Large skillet
  • 1 glass or ceramic baking dish
  • Aluminum foil
  • 2 large shallow bowls

Instructions:

1. In one of the shallow bowls, crack the egg. Add a small amount of water to the egg and scramble it. Set the bowl aside.

2. Take the skillet and place it on the stove. Add a small amount of olive oil to the bottom of the pan — enough that the entire bottom of the pan is lightly coated. Turn the burner on to medium high heat and allow the pan to heat while you prepare the bread crumb mixture.

3. In the second shallow bowl, mix the Panko breadcrumbs and the regular bread crumbs together. Season to your preference with the garlic powder, ground black pepper, and Italian seasoning.

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4. Once the bread crumbs and seasonings are mixed, add the shredded cheese and mix it thoroughly with the bread crumbs.

5. Now that the bread crumbs are mixed, the pan should be thoroughly heated and you can start breading the chicken breasts.

6. Using a fork (or your fingers), thoroughly coat each piece of chicken in the egg wash and then place it into the bowl with the breading mixture. Thoroughly bread each piece of chicken and lightly press the breading mixture into the surface of the chicken breasts so that they are adequately covered.

7. Place each piece of chicken into the skillet and reduce the heat slightly.

8. Cook the chicken for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until the chicken breasts are brown and crispy.

9. Spray the baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and turn on the oven to 350 degrees.

10. Place the chicken breasts into the baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 25 minutes.

11. Remove from the oven, serve, and enjoy!

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These breaded chicken breasts are amazing and so easy to make. They go great with a simple side dish and a vegetable, and are great as leftovers the next day too!

Let me know how they turn out if you decide to make them!

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Easy Taco Stack-Up

18 Mar

Spring’s almost here!

You know what that means? Picnics. Yeah, I know, I know…who wants to think about picnics when it’s still snowing…but warm weather will be here before you know it.

So, today, I’m offering up one of my go-to picnic and/or party recipes: Easy Taco Stack-Up.

While it may not look like much, Taco Stack-Up is definitely a delicious little casserole that is easy to make and really versatile. You can dress it up or dress it down however you like! And, it’s not just good for a picnic or a party — it’s also a really great and easy dinner recipe too!

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Easy Taco Stack-Up

Makes: One 13×9 in. casserole.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 2 cans Campbell’s condensed cheddar cheese soup
  • 2 packages of taco seasoning
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 package of at least 8 burrito (large) size flour tortillas (If you prefer corn tortillas or another variety, feel free to change it up)
  • 1 package shredded cheddar cheese

Tools:

  • One 13×9 baking dish (I use a clear glass Pyrex dish)
  • One large skillet
  • Aluminum foil
  • Colander/strainer
  • Ladle
  • Non-stick cooking spray

Instructions:

1. Place the ground beef into the skillet and brown it over medium heat until it is cooked thoroughly.

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2. Once the ground beef is cooked through and no pink remains, drain the beef. Once drained, return the beef to the skillet.

3. Add the taco seasoning, cheddar cheese soup, and water to the ground beef and stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

Just in case you've never used it, this is the Campbell's Cheddar Cheese Soup.

Just in case you’ve never used it, this is the Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup.

 

4. Simmer the beef mixture on medium heat for approximately 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened and is no longer watery.

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5. Once the beef mixture has simmered thoroughly, prepare your 13×9 baking dish by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray.

6. Using a ladle, transfer enough of the beef mixture into the baking dish to cover the bottom. Layer one and 1/2 tortillas over the mixture and start alternating layers until you are out of beef mixture.

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7. After you have done  the last layer of the beef mixture, place two whole tortillas on top of the stack-up. (If you feel the top is not completely covered by those two tortillas, you can tear smaller pieces off another tortilla and cover open spaces.)photo(57)

8. Cover  the stack-up with aluminum foil and place it  in a 350 degree oven. Bake for 20 minutes.

9. After 20 minutes, remove the aluminum foil from the stack-up and sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top of the stack-up. Return to the oven uncovered until the cheese is melted (approximately 5 minutes).

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10. Remove the stack-up from the oven.

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11. Cut, serve, and enjoy!

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At the beginning of this post I talked about how versatile this recipe is:

To jazz it up, add beans, onions, and/or green peppers to the beef mixture. Also serve it with your favorite taco fixings like sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.

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Fast and Easy Pepperoni Rolls For Every Occasion

30 Jan

Superbowl Sunday — one of the biggest (if not the biggest) party days in the United States is upon us this weekend. Wings and pizza are the usual fare, but sometimes you want something homemade, and lets face it, a little less expensive to get us through the game.

So, here’s my extremely easy, pretty fast, and definitely delicious recipe for pepperoni rolls to help get you through the game!

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Recipe Makes:  3 Large (approx. 14 inches in length) Pepperoni Rolls which are ideal for slicing for a crowd, or 6 smaller (approx. 7 inches in length) Pepperoni Rolls.

**For the purpose of this demonstration (and since I was making Pepperoni Rolls for a party), I made the large Pepperoni Rolls because I sliced them before serving.

Ingredients:

  • 1 package Rhodes frozen pizza dough (contains 3 loaves of dough) or any other frozen or fresh pizza dough of your choice.
  • 2 8oz bags of shredded mozzarella cheese (approx. 4 cups) Note: You may not uses all 4 cups, but it’s best to have extra just in case.
  • 3/4 lb. of sandwich pepperoni (the large, salami size pieces) Note: Again, you probably will not use all of the pepperoni, but it is better to have more than you need than to run out.
  • 1 stick margarine, melted
  • Italian seasoning
  • Garlic powder
  • 1 egg, beaten

 

Tools:

  • Pastry sheet, or appropriate surface to roll dough on
  • Rolling Pin
  • Non-stick cooking spray
  • 2 Pastry/Basting Brushes
  • Saucepan
  • 10″x 15″ baking sheet

 

Instructions:

1. If you are following the recipe and using the frozen Rhodes pizza dough, follow the directions on the bag to thaw the dough. You can either place the dough in the refrigerator overnight or place it in a warm place for 3 to 4 hours. The dough does not have to rise before rolling.

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2. Once the dough is thawed, set up your rolling surface. I use a Tupperware pastry sheet. Instead of using flour to coat my rolling surface, I spray the pastry sheet with non-stick cooking spray. For rolling the frozen dough, this works better than flour.

3. Separate the 3 loaves of dough. If you are making 6 pepperoni rolls, cut each loaf in half prior to rolling.

4. Place the first loaf on the pastry sheet. Spray the rolling pin with a small amount of non-stick cooking spray.

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5. Roll the dough out until it is approximately 14 inches long and 8-10 inches wide.

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6. Try to roll the dough out as straight as possible. If the edges are relatively even, the pepperoni roll will be neater and less likely to unfurl as it bakes.

7. In a small saucepan, melt the margarine and add the garlic powder and Italian seasoning (there are no particular measurements for the spices — just add to taste).

8. Using the basting brush, spread the margarine mixture on the dough.

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9. Evenly spread the pepperoni and mozzarella on the dough. (Use as much or as little as you wish.)

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10. Slowly roll the pepperoni roll as tightly as you can, leaving the edge underneath the roll. Tuck the ends under roll also.

11. Spray the baking sheet and transfer the pepperoni roll to the baking sheet.

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12. Beat the egg, and lightly brush the pepperoni roll.

13. Bake the Pepperoni roll at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

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14. Let cool.

15. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

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Questions? Comments? Let me know how your pepperoni rolls turn out!

 

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“Beautiful Creatures”: Smart, Southern, and Supernatural Gothic

26 Jan

I just finished reading Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. I flew through it in less than 2 days and thought it was a great read. Read below to see my thoughts on the book.

Beautiful Creatures Book Cover

2012 was a rough year for reading for me. My last semester of graduate school was tough. Finishing my classes, writing my thesis, and thinking about what to do with the rest of my life took up most of my time and most of my ability to think. Summer turned out to not be too good for reading either. I was busy for the first part of the summer, my grandfather became ill, and then I was applying for jobs. The Fall continued on with the job search and I felt guilty about reading when I could have been filling out applications.

But, then in early December, my grandfather died. While he was ill, his death was surprising because it came rapidly and with little warning. Pain gives you new perspective. It teaches you.

Books do the same thing. The stories of others help make the events in your own story make sense. They bring catharsis. So, I resolved to not feel guilty about devoting some of my time to reading. I’ve read 2 books so far this week, 4 since the 1st of the month. So, expect me to talk about books a little more on here in the future. :-)

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But, back to Beautiful Creatures.

Published in 2009, Beautiful Creatures is technically a Young Adult novel for readers ages 12 and up. It is a Southern, Gothic Romance with a storyline deeply rooted in the supernatural. The novel draws heavily on themes of magic and fate. It is 563 pages.

Authors Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl wrote the novel after being dared to by some of the teenagers in their lives. Garcia and Stohl came up with the idea for Beautiful Creatures over lunch and wrote initial passages on napkins. They wrote the book in serial form at first, feeding pages at a time to these same teens who became increasingly impatient to read more of the story. Three months later, the first draft was complete and after some editing Beautiful Creatures is an international bestseller, the first book in a four-part series (The Caster Chronicles), and soon to be a major motion picture.

This is the book cover for the movie-tie-in.

This is the book cover for the movie-tie-in.

A General, Spoiler-free Summary:

Beautiful Creatures is told from the perspective of Ethan Lawson Wate, a 16-year old high school sophomore living in fictional Gatlin, South Carolina in the present day. At the beginning of the book, Ethan is still reeling from the death of his mother Lila several months before in a car accident and is unsure how to react from his father Mitchell’s depressed behavior. Virtually ignored by his devastated father, who sleeps all day and locks himself in his study all night, Ethan relies on the love, support, and care of housekeeper Amma who is like his grandmother.

Raised to be open minded by his liberal professor/writer parents, Ethan feels out of place in Gatlin, a small Southern town deeply rooted in its history and in its conservative values, and he cannot wait until he can leave after high school graduation. A member of the Jackson High School basketball team and a relatively popular kid in his class, Ethan spends most days with his best friend Wesley “Link” Lincoln. However, as summer ends and his sophomore year begins, something is different. Since his mother’s death, Ethan has been plagued by strange dreams, and now he begins to experience strange occurrences and hear strange music. The dreams, which feature a girl Ethan does not know but who seems to know him, seem real — virtually are real — as Ethan wakes up with dirt under his fingernails and mud in his bed.

When Ethan passes a strange car on the road on the first day of school, he feels inexplicably drawn to it, but doesn’t know why. The car’s occupant is Lena Duchannes, niece of Gatlin’s shut-in, Macon Ravenwood. Like her uncle, Lena is “different” than everyone else in Gatlin and she is ridiculed for it by her new classmates. Ethan, however, is drawn to Lena in a way he can’t explain. She is the girl in his dreams, her scent of lemon and rosemary is what he smells as he sleeps, and the music she plays on her viola is the song that mysteriously appears on his iPod.

Ethan becomes Lena’s friend as the rest of Gatlin’s students and residents shun her for her “otherness” and for odd occurrences that begin to happen at Jackson High. Ethan and Lena’s friendship continues to deepen even as her Uncle Macon and his Amma protest the acquaintance. As Ethan seeks to understand his connection to Lena and their relationship develops, Ethan learns that Lena is a Caster. Along with the rest of her family and others like them, she has magical powers. But unlike the others like her family, the Duchannes are cursed — destined to be Claimed on their 16th birthday for either good or evil, for Light or Dark. In a race against time and in a struggle against disapproval, Ethan and Lena rush to learn the meaning of their supernatural connection and to prevent Lena from Turning Dark on her birthday.

In the process, Ethan and Lena learn that all in their lives are not as they seem. That the connection they share goes back over a century to the roots of Gatlin. That Lena’s life has been dominated by secrets. That they may be powerless to do anything.

Ethan and Lena, as depicted in the upcoming Beautiful Creatures film.

Ethan and Lena, as depicted in the upcoming Beautiful Creatures film.

My Take:

I really enjoyed Beautiful Creatures.  Out of 5 stars, I’d give it a 4. For me it was a fast read — I read it on my Nook over the course of about 2 days. At times, the novel was a little slow and lumbering — not because the story was bad, but because there is a lot of description. With this in mind though, I couldn’t wait to keep reading — the plot kept me thoroughly entertained and thoroughly interested. I desperately wanted to know what happened next, to discover the answers to the story’s mysteries.

I also really liked Beautiful Creatures because I found it to be smart, nuanced, and funny. While some may not agree, I found its commentary on small town life and on the narrow mindedness that sometimes infects those towns (or communities or big cities too) funny and true. You’ll have to read to understand, but for someone like myself who is a more liberal persuasion, authors Garcia and Stohl point out important and blind prejudices that many of us have towards who and what may be different in our worlds.

I also enjoyed the story because of its supernatural themes. While I don’t out rightly believe that magic exists (but, who wouldn’t want Harry Potter to be real??), I appreciate the novel’s perception of supernatural connections and fate. I also found the fact that the novel is told from Ethan’s perspective and not from Lena’s to be refreshing.

Some have placed Beautiful Creatures and the three subsequent books in The Caster Chronicles series in the same category as Harry Potter and Twilight. For someone who reveres the ground that the Harry Potter series sits on, I can honestly say that Beautiful Creatures is not as good as Harry Potter. However, I feel that it is, without question, better than the Twilight series.

beautiful-creatures-new-poster-cast

A Note About the Movie:

Beautiful Creatures has been made into a motion picture and premieres on February 13, 2013. It is being marketed as a Romeo and Juliet type story and some changes have been made to the plot and to the characters. This being said, however, authors Garcia and Stohl were heavily involved in the project and I think the film’s trailer looks great!

 

The entire Caster Chronicles — Beautiful Creatures, Beautiful Darkness, Beautiful Chaos, and Beautiful Redemption — series has been published.  The fourth and final book, Beautiful Redemption, was published in October 2012.

Happy Reading! Let me know what you think of Beautiful Creatures.

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The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: If Jane Austen Had Had the Internet…

22 Jan

I have a small Jane Austen obsession. I trace it back to high school…where I may have been part-organizer of several Jane Austen movie marathons amongst friends. During which we repeatedly rewinded an re-watched the scene where Colin Firth’s Mr. Darcy jumped into Pemberley’s lake.
Haha :-)

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But, I am unapologetic about my love for all things Jane Austen. I mean, really, can’t I be a feminist and love Mr. Darcy too?

I can’t be too crazy though because Jane Austen is all the rage (and has been for quite some time) in popular culture, even 200 years after Pride and Prejudice’s publication. There are countless adaptations of her works for the big and small screen, novels that imagine alternate interpretations of Austen’s characters and plots, Jane Austen jewelry, cookbooks, handbooks, clothing, crochet patterns, and the list goes on and on.

I mean, all you have to do is search Pinterest for “Jane Austen” or “Mr. Darcy.” For example, look at this little gem I found:

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And now there is something amazing and awesome called “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.”

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Last Spring, while my brain was focused on finishing my Master’s thesis, Hank Green and Bernie Su had the ridiculously brilliant idea of bringing Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice into the 21st century. I don’t know how I missed out on the beginning of this really cool series of web-videos, but I did. Luckily, though, I came across it a few months ago by accident and was quickly all caught up on the 81 episodes that have been produced so far.

So, what is The Lizzie Bennet Diaries?

It is one of an increasingly prolific number of web-based series that are dominating the internet, and being made available on YouTube and other web video streaming sites.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries takes Jane Austen’s character Elizabeth Bennet out of 19th century England and transforms her into a 24 year old communications graduate student who video blogs about her life. Just like in Jane Austen’s novel, Lizzie interacts (on and off camera) with Pride and Prejudice’s other characters and the storyline of the videos follow (with some mostly minor differences) the plot of the novel.

What makes the series even better though is the interactive nature that The Lizzie Bennet Diaries has taken on as the series has progressed. Now, most characters have Twitter accounts that they regularly update and whose posts flesh out more of the story. There’s also a Facebook page and a Tumblr account. Fan interaction is also appreciated.

There are some differences (as can be expected) in characters and the set up of locations and premises. But, these changes only serve to enhance the series.

Here’s a guide to some of the changes:

Characters (What’s the Same and What’s Different):

On camera:

  • Elizabeth Bennet — Elizabeth is Lizzie Bennet. As stated above, she’s a 24 year old grad student studying communications and living at home with her parents. In this adaptation, she only has 2 sisters: Jane and Lydia.
  • Fitzwilliam Darcy — For all intents and purposes, Mr. Darcy is still Mr. Darcy. Except now, he’s just William Darcy. He’s wealthy, he’s powerful, he’s proud, he’s shy, and he’s still in love with Elizabeth.
  • Charles Bingley — Mr. Bingley is now Bing Lee. Still an adorable lovey dovey guy, Bing is still easily led by Caroline and Darcy. Just like in the novel, he loves Jane but leaves her.
  • Jane Bennet — Still Jane Bennet. Still the oldest Bennet sister, very sweet and kind, very close to Lizzie. Still in love with Bingley (Bing Lee). Loves fashion.
  • Lydia Bennet — Lydia is Lydia, what can I say? Immature and boy crazy.
  • Charlotte Lucas — Lizzie’s best friend is now Charlotte Lu who not only is Lizzie’s partner in crime, but also her partner in filming her video blog posts. She is closer in age to Lizzie than in the novel where she’s 7 years older.
  • Caroline Bingley – Miss Bingley is now Caroline Lee. Somewhat nicer than in the novel, Caroline is great comic relief. But she’s still up to no good when it comes to her brother and Jane and Lizzie and Darcy.
  • Mr. Collins — Mr. Collins is now Ricky Collins, a childhood acquaintance of Lizzie and Charlotte, who ironically refers to himself as “Mr. Collins.” Though not a minister like in the novel, he still is under the spell of Ms. de Bourgh who runs the venture capital firm he works for.
  • George Wickham — Wickham is still Wickham. I think that pretty much sums it up.
  • Colonel Fitzwilliam — No longer Darcy’s cousin, Col. Fitzwilliam is now Fitz Williams, Darcy’s nice and fun friend who gets to know Lizzie.
  • Georgiana Darcy — Mr. Darcy’s little sister Georgiana is now Gigi Darcy. Gigi is very similar to the character in the novel, very kind and very accomplished. She is a fan of Lizzie’s videos.

Off camera:

**There are several characters that are mentioned throughout the series, but not seen onscreen. Some are later seen, most notably William Darcy, but others are not. Lizzie and Charlotte (or Lizzie and others) frequently act out impressions of these characters with the help of props.

  • Mrs. Bennet — Still Mrs. Bennet, still looking for husbands for her single daughters. Lizzie portrays her in the videos, with a Southern accent and large blue hat.
  • Mr. Bennet — Still Mr. Bennet, he is the long suffering husband of Mrs. Bennet and father of the Bennet girls. Charlotte usually portrays him in the videos.
  • Lady Catherine de Bourgh — Lady Catherine is now Ms. de Bourgh, the venture capitalist that Mr. Collins worships and works for. Lizzie impersonates her in some videos.

281967626640374414_PdkUvpoB_cSo, go forth and get your Jane Austen on — watch The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I promise you won’t regret it!

Here’s the first episode to get you started:

Important Links:

– Watch The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube.

– Visit The Lizzie Bennet Diaries Website.

– Visit The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on Tumblr.

– Discover more of the story on Twitter by following the characters’ Twitter feeds.

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Corn Dogs Aren’t Just for Kids: A Grown-Up Baked Corn Dog Recipe

12 Oct photo(21)

When I think of corn dogs, I think of Summer and of being a kid. I think of how much of a novelty it was to get this hot dog, on a stick, coated in…well…something. Don’t get me wrong, I like traditional corn dogs and every once in a while if I have the chance I’ll eat one. But, what I’m not a big fan of is how they’re made. I don’t like that they’re fried in all that grease, and I don’t like that you’re eating a questionable batter filled with who knows what.

So, when I found this awesome baked corn dog recipe in Food Network Magazine awhile ago I was really excited. I tried it out for a picnic and it was great. Now, you’re probably asking why in the heck I’m blogging about this now, you know, in October. Well, this sounded better than pork chops the other night so I made some and, lucky for you, I documented it as I went along!

 

Baked Corn Dogs

**Note, I am giving you the same recipe as appeared in Food Network Magazine and as shared in the link above. However, the photos included in this post was a double recipe (I froze the other half.)
Also, unlike the recipe included above, I leave the hot dogs whole and do not cut them in half first. They are easier to roll this way. If you want, it is easy to cut them in half after they are baked if you’re serving them at a party. Or leave them whole if you’re having them for lunch/dinner.

1 recipe makes: 8 corn dogs (you may have a little bit of dough left over)

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup reduced-fat milk
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
  • 1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more for kneading
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika or cayenne pepper
  • 8 bun length hot dogs
  • 1 large egg, beaten

Equipment:

  • 2 Large Mixing bowls, one for mixing and one for rising
  • Wooden spoon
  • Spatula
  • Small saucepan
  • 1 large baking sheet
  • Basting brush
  • Silicon/plastic pastry sheet for kneading (optional — you could also use saran wrap or wax paper)

 

Instructions:

1. Warm the milk in a saucepan to approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a cooking thermometer, use it. If not, guesstimate.

 

2. Once the milk has reached 110 degrees, remove the milk from the saucepan and pour it in one of the mixing bowls.

 

3. To the warmed milk, add the package of yeast. Sprinkle it evenly over the milk. Let the yeast soften for 2 minutes.

4. After letting the yeast soften for 2 minutes, add the olive oil, brown sugar, and cornmeal.

5. Stir the milk, cornmeal, oil, yeast, and brown sugar mixture thoroughly.

6. Next, add the flour, baking soda, salt, and paprika.

(I used Paprika, but the original recipe also suggests using cayenne pepper.)

7. Thoroughly blend the mixture until all ingredients are incorporated.

8. Now you’re ready to knead! Unfortunately, this is the hard part. One downside of this recipe is that the dough, prior to kneading is very sticky. It is manageable, but To do this you have two options:

Option 1. Remove the dough from the bowl and place it on a flour-coated pastry sheet (or on wax paper/saran wrap). Again, the dough is very, very sticky. You will need to add flour to it until it loses most of its stickiness and you can knead it and form it into a smooth ball.

Option 2. I highly suggest this. Make the recipe in a larger bowl than you think you’ll need. Then, instead of taking the dough out of the bowl, simply knead it in the bowl. Keep adding flour and keep kneading the dough until it is smooth. This really is much easier than option 1. It’s much less messy and uses less equipment!

 

9. Place the kneaded dough into the second mixing bowl. Before placing the dough in the new bowl, grease the sides of the bowl with olive oil.

When you’ve kneaded the dough it will look like this!

 

10. Cover the bowl of dough with saran wrap and place it in a warm, dry place. Let the dough rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

11. Spray your baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and remove the hot dogs from the package.

12. Place a sheet of saran wrap or wax paper down on whatever surface you will use to roll the dough and wrap it around the hot dogs. Using flour is not necessary, unless your dough is still overly sticky. I actually sprayed a little non-stick cooking spray on my piece of saran wrap and it worked just fine.

13. Taking small pieces of dough from the bowl, use the palms of your hands to roll the dough into  long “snake-like” pieces. In order to wrap the entire hot dog, you will likely need more than 1 “snake” of dough.

14. Begin wrapping the dough around each hot dog, pressing it down lightly as you spiral the dough around the hot dog.

Note: The thinner your dough “snake” is, the more compact the corn dog will be after it is baked. If you use thicker pieces of dough, the corn dog will puff up considerably while baking.

 

15. Place the wrapped hot dogs on the baking sheet. Take the beaten egg and egg wash each corn dog.

16. Bake the corn dogs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-18 minutes or until they are a light golden brown.

Pair with the condiment of your choice and serve!

Enjoy!

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Make Dinner Easy: Roast a Chicken in the CrockPot

9 Oct

Looking for something easy and inexpensive to make for dinner tomorrow night? Have a CrockPot?

If you’ve answered yes, then I have a recipe for you!

It’s no secret amongst my family and friends that chicken is probably my favorite food. Mostly, I love it because it is such a versatile ingredient. So, I’m always looking for new chicken-related recipes.

Although I don’t mind more complicated recipes, easy recipes are always great to have when you’re short on time or simply don’t feel like putting the effort into making some extravagant meal. For example, I made Chicken Paprikash a few weeks ago for the first time and by the time I was done I needed a nap (just kidding).

So, I was very excited to learn that you could roast a whole chicken in the CrockPot. Oh, I love the CrockPot…haha.

Roasted Chicken is always a good bet.

 

 

Ingredients:

– 1 whole chicken for roasting*

– 1 cup water

– Olive Oil

– Seasoning of your choice**

*Make sure you buy a roasting chicken and not a frying one. All of the roasting chickens available at my grocery store were around 6 1/2 to 7 lbs.

**I used Chef Paul Prudhomme’s “Chicken Magic” Seasoning. However, feel free to use whatever you want. Many spice brands have a rotisserie spice blend that would be good. Also, you can never go wrong with plain salt and pepper!

Tools:

– 1 Large CrockPot (Remember, you’ll need to have a CrockPot that the chicken will actually fit in. My CrockPot is oval and works really well for this kind of recipe.)

– 1 pair of tongs

– 1 basting brush

– A small oven safe dish or ramekin (to prop the chicken up with)

Instructions:

1. Place the chicken in your kitchen sink and remove it from the packaging. (This can be somewhat messy, so have your waste basket on hand.) If your chicken was frozen, it should be completely thawed prior to cooking.

2. Once you’ve removed the chicken from its wrappings, you will need to remove any of the “innards” (giblets) that have been left inside the chicken’s abdominal cavity. Sometimes the giblets are in a small bag, but sometimes they are loose. Your best bet is to use tongs to remove them. After you’ve removed these items, rinse out the inside of the chicken’s abdominal cavity.

3. Prepare your CrockPot. I wanted to prop my chicken up a little in the CrockPot, so I placed a small oven safe corning ware dish in the bottom of the CrockPot. Also, spray the inside of the CrockPot with some non-stick cooking spray.

4. Place the chicken in the CrockPot.

5. Take a small amount of olive oil and baste the chicken with it. This will help the skin brown and become crispy.

6. Sprinkle your chosen seasoning over the chicken, making sure to coat the legs and wings.

7. Before you begin cooking the chicken, pour about 1 cup of water into the bottom of the CrockPot. Feel free to use less or more, depending on your personal preferences.

8. Turn the CrockPot onto the Low setting and cook for 6 to 7 hours. If you wish to cook the chicken in a shorter amount of time, you could cook it for approximately 2 hours on High and then reduce the heat to low for another 2 to 3 hours. When it comes to cooking chicken, it is all about temperature. The chicken is done when the internal temperature of the meat is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. Once the chicken is cooked, it will look like this:

10. Carefully remove the chicken from the CrockPot. Allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes before serving. This will allow the chicken to retain its moisture.v

Serve and enjoy!

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