Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovskey

Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

My rating: 1 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  A race for survival among the stars... Humanity's last survivors escaped earth's ruins to find a new home. But when they find it, can their desperation overcome its dangers?

WHO WILL INHERIT THIS NEW EARTH?

The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age - a world terraformed and prepared for human life.

But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the planet was abandoned, the work of its architects has borne disastrous fruit. The planet is not waiting for them, pristine and unoccupied. New masters have turned it from a refuge into mankind's worst nightmare.

Now two civilizations are on a collision course, both testing the boundaries of what they will do to survive. As the fate of humanity hangs in the balance, who are the true heirs of this new Earth?

September's book group selection.

DNF

Book started out with an interesting premise - the nanovirus meant to uplift monkey's on Kern's World didn't take into account invertebrates, and when the monkeys never made it to the surface of the terraformed world, the nanovirus went to work on the spiders and ants. Centuries pass and the spiders and ants evolve moving through the various phases of societal development.

I found that aspect very interesting - a failure to take into account on exactly what what the nanovirus would and wouldn't affect. The question begs to be asked, if the monkeys had made it to the planet, would the monkeys and spiders have evolved simultaneously?

Meanwhile, after centuries of traveling through space, arc ship Gligamesh is desperately looking for a place to call home. The green planet approaching has all the set criteria...except for the crazy AI in the satellite that's destroying all of Gligamesh probes and is threatening to blow the Gligamesh out of the sky. There's a ship mutiny which goes badly, and the Gligamesh moves on. They find a grey planet, covered in some kind of fungus,

It's a story about evolution on a planet and de-evolution on a generation ship.

I made it halfway through the book and lost interest. Book group was really split on this selection; half enjoyed the book but did agree that it was a bit long. Half of us did not finish, citing it was too long and boring. The half that finished happily supplied the ending for those of us who gave up. I should also note - two of us really didn't like reading about giant spiders. ((shudder))

So, from a personal pov, I can't recommend this one, BUT...others did like it so this is one you might have to read and decide for yourself.





View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 9/18/2017

A passing in the family had us taking an unexpected trip to north central WI for a funeral at the end of the week so everything was thrown a bit out of kilter.  I froze the ingredients for a Quick Texan Chili for a later date.

So it was a crazy busy week and next weeks going to be more of the same.

The Meal Plan from the week of 9/18/2017
Sat (L) leftovers  (S) out
Sun (L) leftovers  (S) Pork Chili Verde
Mon (yoga) leftovers
Tues - leftovers
Wed - Quick Texan chili
Thurs (yoga) leftovers   Out of town
Fri - leftovers  Out of town



Pork Chili Verde  (Ckng Lght, Oct 2017)  gluten free
Folks, a rockin' fall meal doesn't get much easier or tastier than this.  Chop, plop, walk away, serve and eat. And eat.  And eat...  This made a lot.  I think I ended up with enough for five meals for two of us, and that was with only 1 lb, maybe 1.5 lb of meat in the dish.  I did use 1 lb of dried beans, which I think is a bit more than two cups, so quantities might have been about the same.

A note on the beans - because I have hard water, I did do a "quick soak" before hand.  I was going to  brine them the night before but I forgot.  I did the pre-cook to make sure that the beans would soften while in the slow cooker.  My chicken stock was also salt free - I make my own and don't any and salt.  Was pre-cooking necessary?  Maybe not, but I wasn't going to take any chances. 

I really liked the simplicity of this dish.  From the ease of assembly to the bare bones ingredients: beans, meat, background flavors - very tasty!   I did skip the green onions and radishes and didn't miss them.  I had some extra cilantro in the fridge, so I added that just before serving.   I

Recommended!

photo from CookingLight.com

4 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 cups dried Great Northern beans (unsoaked)
2 cups chopped white onion (about 8 oz.)
1 1/3 cups tomatillo salsa (such as Frontera)
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-in. cubes (about 2 1/2 lb. purchase weight)
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes (optional)

Combine chicken stock, beans, white onion, salsa, 1/2 cup water, cumin, oregano, salt, garlic, and pork in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover, and cook on low 7 hours and 30 minutes to 8 hours. Sprinkle with green onions and radishes, if desired, before serving.   I skipped.  

Recipe Review from 9/11/2017

Woot!  What a week!  Weather was fantastic Monday through Thursday, with temps easily hitting 80* - unusual for us!  Tho alas, weather turned cool and wet on Friday.  Went to a Gin Blossoms and Soul Asylum concert on Friday night.  Did a the Beer Train on Saturday. Watched some college and NFL football.  Made a few dishes. Welcome to Fall!



The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover Chinese   (S) Bacon and White Cheddar Risotto
Sun (L) leftovers  (S) Slow cooker Santa Fe Meatloaf
Mon (yoga) leftover meatloaf
Tues (trap shooting) leftovers
Wed - Skillet mushroom mac n cheese
Thurs (yoga) leftovers
Fri - (Soul Asylum and Goo Goo Dolls concert)

Lunches - butternut squash soup and sandwiches

White Cheddar and Bacon Risotto  (Ckng Lght Sept 2017) vegetarian option, gluten free
This was tasty enough - I like risotto, I make an acceptable risotto, so I was happy.  I think this would have been a tich better if I could have found a sharp white cheddar, so this was a bit on the bland side for me.  Not that there is anything wrong with bland, I just like a bit more flavor.

This could be converted to a vegetarian dish very easily by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable and skipping the bacon.  Bacon really didn't add anything so...((shrugg)).

Oh, I did use a frozen pea and carrot mix because I like the added color. 

4 cups unsalted chicken stock (or vegetable)

2 fresh thyme sprigs

photo from cookinglight.com

2 bacon slices (skip if vegetarian)
1 1/4 cups diced onion
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
3 ounces white cheddar cheese,shredded (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

1) Bring stock and thyme sprigs to a simmer in a saucepan over medium; keep warm over low.

2) Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium for 4 minutes or until crisp. Remove from pan; crumble. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring to coat. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Stir in 1 1/2 cups stock; cook 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring frequently. Add 2 1/4 cups stock, 3/4 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion is absorbed before adding more. Reserve remaining 1/4 cup stock; discard thyme sprigs. Stir in salt and pepper.

3) Stir in peas, chopped thyme, and cheese; cook 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat; stir in reserved 1/4 cup stock. Divide rice mixture among 4 bowls; top with green onions and bacon.

Slow Cooker Santa Fe Meatloaf (Ckng Lght Sept 2017)
I'm not a huge meatloaf fan, but I know the Husband likes the dish every once in a while.  This dish was a winner.  This is a mix, plop and walk away from meal - do NOT skip the parchment sling in the slow cooker as this will make final assembly so much easier!

I had one "oops!" - I inadvertently grabbed diced jalepeno's instead of diced green chilies, so this had a bit of zing to it, which was totally fine with us.  Usually I'm commenting on how bland something is.  Stick with mild diced green chilies for little taste buds.   I also used some of the leftover white cheddar from the risotto dish instead of a Mexican shredded cheese blend.

This is something I would make again - the Tex-Mex flavor was a nice change of pace from traditional ketchup or BBQ sauce.  I made some fried potatoes to go along side, but some cornbread, green beans or even a corn and black bean salad would also be tasty.

Recommended!

photo from cookinglight.com

1 1/2 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
(I ended up using 2lbs)
2/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. mild red enchilada sauce, divided
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp. fresh or frozen corn kernels, divided
5 tablespoons canned unsalted black beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 (4-oz.) can mild chopped green chiles, drained well
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 garlic clove, crushed or grated
1 1/2 ounces preshredded Mexican cheese blend (about 1/3 cup)
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced (optional)
Cilantro leaves (optional)

1) Cut parchment paper to about 15 x 9 1/2 inches to form a sling to allow you to easily insert and remove the meatloaf from your slow cooker.

2) Combine turkey, 2 tablespoons enchilada sauce, oats, onions, 1/3 cup corn, 1/4 cup black beans, chopped cilantro, cumin, salt, onion powder, chiles, egg, and garlic. Mix everything well using clean hands, and then shape into a 9- x 5-inch oval loaf flattened slightly on top. Place loaf onto prepared parchment paper; while holding edges of paper, carefully insert into a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker (make sure lid closes well without the paper getting in the way). Cover, and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

3) Pull loaf out of slow cooker using parchment sling; set aside. Wipe parchment clean; drain liquid from bottom of slow cooker. Return loaf to slow cooker using parchment sling. Cover loaf with remaining 2/3 cup enchilada sauce, cheese, jalapeño (if using), remaining 1 tablespoon corn, and remaining 1 tablespoon black beans. 

4) Cover and cook on high until cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired. Pull loaf out of slow cooker; cut into 12 slices.

Skillet Mushroom Mac n Cheese (Ckng Lght Sept 2017)  vegetarian
For once, a dish that was actually assembled in the time the magazine allotted!  Recipe said 40 minutes, this was ready in 40 minutes if not a bit less.

Tasty?  Oh my goodness YES!  I didn't even do any notable substitutions or changes!  This is just darn good and would be worthy of company - serve with a side salad and some artisanal bread and olive oil.

Recommended!

8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat elbow pasta (I used regular cavatappi pasta)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

photo from cookinglight.com

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cremini mushrooms, cut into quarters
4 ounces shiitake mushroom caps, cut into halves
5 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
2 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded and divided (about 1/2 cup)
3 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons whole-wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1) Preheat oven to 375°F.

2) Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

3)Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Add mushrooms; cook 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Stir in 1 tablespoon thyme and salt; cook 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over pan; cook 1 minute. Add milk; bring to a simmer. Add pasta, Gruyère cheese, and 1 ounce mozzarella cheese, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in spinach. Spread pasta mixture in an even layer in pan; sprinkle with remaining 1 ounce mozzarella cheese and panko.

4) Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven; sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons thyme.

Bad Little Falls by Paul Dioran (Mike Bowditch #3)

Bad Little Falls by Paul Doiron

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb:  Maine game warden Mike Bowditch has been sent into exile, transferred by his superiors to a remote outpost on the Canadian border. When a blizzard descends on the coast, Bowditch is called to the rustic cabin of a terrified couple. A raving and half-frozen man has appeared at their door, claiming his friend is lost in the storm.

But what starts as a rescue mission in the wilderness soon becomes a baffling murder investigation. The dead man is a notorious drug dealer, and state police detectives suspect it was his own friend who killed him. Bowditch isn’t so sure, but his vow not to interfere in the case is tested when he finds himself powerfully attracted to a beautiful woman with a dark past and a troubled young son. The boy seems to know something about what really happened in the blizzard, but he is keeping his secrets locked in a cryptic notebook, and Mike fears for the safety of the strange child.

Meanwhile, an anonymous tormentor has decided to make the new warden’s life a living hell. Alone and outgunned, Bowditch turns for assistance to his old friend, the legendary bush pilot Charley Stevens. But in this snowbound landscape -— where smugglers wage blood feuds by night -— help seems very far away indeed. If Bowditch is going to catch a killer, he must survive on his own wits and discover strength he never knew he possessed.

Read as an audio book.

Goodreads asks above the review box, "what do you think?" I think...this felt like a romance disguised as a mystery. It seemed like Mike spent more time pining after, driving around, bedding, and judging the flawed but highly attractive Jamie Suel (spelling?) than actually doing his job. YO! Authors! If I want romance I'll read a romance book!

What small mystery there was, was lost in the romance and really didn't come to the forefront until the final disk.  

Ah, Mike, Mike, Mike. How many bad decisions can you make in one book? A lot apparently. I would have hoped by book three in the series that I'd start to see some character development beyond rookie mistakes that lands him in trouble. That I would see something beyond "Oh woe is me" comments regarding his previous girlfriend Sarah (so glad she's gone), his current state of affairs (being stuck in backwater Maine), that he's friendless (because he has the personality of a wet dishcloth), and his boss and the sheriff's deputies despise him (he's a know it all who doesn't follow orders).

So why did I keep reading? Because the writing is solid, the setting is interesting and some of the secondary characters were more interesting than Mike. Like Lucas and the Veterinarian. Lucas was a bit of an enigma, a little boy stuck in some really tough circumstances. The Veterinarian...I don't know exactly why I liked him, I just did.

Overall, mixed thoughts on this installment - Mike is a bit of an idiot and it's hard to feel empathy for a character who repeatedly acknowledges what he's doing is wrong but does it anyway. The secondary characters were more interesting and I enjoyed the travelogue of the Machais area. The little twist at the end was kinda cool, the next love interest was not. 

Recommended with reservations - start with book one for sure.


View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 8/4/2017

Labor Day weekend the Husband, myself, and the pups were invited to my friends family cabin in the Hayward, WI, area.  Saturday was a very cool, overcast and rainy day, Sunday was absolutely fabulous, and Monday a mixture of both.   It was, simply,  a very enjoyable relaxing weekend and the best part was the Pup behaved himself fabulously!  It was a New Experience for him and I really didn't know how he would react; he did great.  Absolutely great.  

Docks are the BEST! 

The rest of the week - fuggly busy.  Nuff said on that. 

The Meal Plan from the week of 9/4
Sat (Hayward)   Fog City Chicken Salad from the Co-op;  Brats and broccoli salad
Sun (Hayward)  Fog City Chicken Salad from the Co-op;  Brats and broccoli salad
Mon (Hayward)  Thirsty Pagan for pizza on the way through Superior;  Farro, green beans and
Tues - leftover Red Lentil and Sweet Potato curry
Wed - Quick Chicken Chili
Thurs - leftover chili
Fri - Chinese take out

Farro, Green Bean and Kale Salad  (Ckng Light Sept 2017) vegetarian
OMGosh!  This was excellent!  My only substitution was goat cheese for the feta.  There is something about warmed goat cheese that pushes my happy buttons.  As I noted in italics below, I cooked my own farro because I have no idea where I could find pre-cooked.  And it's not like farro is hard to cook as long as you get the pearled kind.   Roughly twenty minutes?

This says it serves two, but those two servings were on the hearty side.  This could make enough for three or four lunches.  

Highly recommended! 

photo from cookinglight.com

4 cups water
1 cup halved haricots verts or green beans
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (8.5-oz.) pkg. precooked farro (2 cups)
2 cups thinly sliced lacinato kale
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/4 cup) (I used goat cheese - recommended!!)

1) Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add green beans; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain, and rinse well with cold water; drain.

Note:  I cooked the beans and the farro in the same water.  I have NO idea where Ckng Lght is finding pre-cooked farro.  I use pearled farro and cook at a ratio of 1 cup farro to 2 cups water.  Bring water to a boil, add farro and cook until al dente (it has a bit of resistance when you bite on the kernels) and drain any remaining water.  I let stand a few minutes, covered, after draining. 

2) Combine vinegar, oil, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Heat farro according to package directions. Add farro, kale, tomatoes, and green beans to dressing; toss well. Sprinkle with cheese.

Quick Chicken Chili (Ckng Light Sept 2017) gluten free option
This was quick, easy, and perfect for a mid-week cold weather meal.  I had some shredded chicken on hand in the freezer and I subbed pinto beans for the great northern.  So, basically, I made as written!  Oh, wait, I did add a cup of diced red pepper - had one in the fridge that needed to be used.  I served this with some homemade corn chips: I had a partial package of corn tortillas, cut into 6ths, sprayed with olive oil and baked until crispy and brown.  Yum!

For a simple, warming, easy Fall chili, I recommend this.

1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
2 (15-oz.) cans unsalted Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained, and divided 

photo from cookinglight.com

(I used pinto beans)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 (4-oz.) cans mild chopped green chiles, drained
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces boneless, skinless rotisserie chicken breast, shredded (about 1 cup)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup sliced radishes
2 tablespoons light sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
1 ripe avocado, sliced

 1) Place 1/2 cup stock and 1 can beans in a blender, and blend until smooth. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in cumin and chiles; cook 1 minute. Add bean mixture, remaining 1 cup stock, remaining 1 can beans, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and salt; bring to a boil.

2) Reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes. Stir in juice. Divide chili among 4 bowls; top evenly with radishes, sour cream, cilantro, avocado, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

 

Memory Man by David Baldacci (Amos Decker #1)

Memory Man by David Baldacci

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Jacket Blurb: Amos Decker's life changed forever--twice.

The first time was on the gridiron. A big, towering athlete, he was the only person from his hometown of Burlington ever to go pro. But his career ended before it had a chance to begin. On his very first play, a violent helmet-to-helmet collision knocked him off the field for good, and left him with an improbable side effect--he can never forget anything.

The second time was at home nearly two decades later. Now a police detective, Decker returned from a stakeout one evening and entered a nightmare--his wife, young daughter, and brother-in-law had been murdered.

His family destroyed, their killer's identity as mysterious as the motive behind the crime, and unable to forget a single detail from that horrible night, Decker finds his world collapsing around him. He leaves the police force, loses his home, and winds up on the street, taking piecemeal jobs as a private investigator when he can.

But over a year later, a man turns himself in to the police and confesses to the murders. At the same time a horrific event nearly brings Burlington to its knees, and Decker is called back in to help with this investigation. Decker also seizes his chance to learn what really happened to his family that night. To uncover the stunning truth, he must use his remarkable gifts and confront the burdens that go along with them. He must endure the memories he would much rather forget. And he may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Read as an audio book.

I greatly enjoyed this book. This is a "new to me" series I've read the author before) and it hit everything that *I* like to see in a mystery: solid writing, interesting and flawed characters, an engaging plot, and no romance. Yup. No romance. I am SO tired of authors/screen writers sticking in a romance for romance sake. Most mysteries/thrillers that I read stick in some kind of love interest (guy beds gal, gal is gone by next book, guy is sad, repeat...), the latest batch of super hero movies all have love interests (even Wonder Woman wasn't immune), and I see it in many of the current batch of scifi books.

But I greatly digress. This had no romance and for that I was very grateful and I enjoyed the book all that much more for it.

Amos Decker. Victim of a freak football accident that forever altered his memory and recall leaving him with hyperthymesia and synesthesia, his family brutally murdered, he's barely scraping by as a PI after climbing out of being jobless, homeless and broken. Decker now finds himself pulled into helping the local police department solve a mass shooting at the local high school, and the more Amos uncovers, the more he realizes this is personal.

Amos is a rather refreshing character in many ways: he is tragically flawed, he's out of shape, his social skills are all but gone, he has a bitter past, and can't forget a single thing. That memory flaw (as Amos would see it) was one tiny complaint, and I do mean tiny complaint with the book. It was almost as if the author took Robert Puller (from the John Puller series #1-4) and said, "What would happen if I took everything that made Robert great, but made the character tragic?" I have to admit, when I heard the setting was adjacent to a military base, I thought of the John Puller series.

The synesthesia was rather interesting, but I felt it got lost in the rest of the story. Amos mentioned several times about seeing marching "threes" bristling with knives, but then nothing came of it and there was no further mention or resolution to these threatening colored numbers.

My other objection was with the lady journalist (whose name has slipped my mind). I really wasn't seeing what she was providing to the overall plot, other than to have someone for Decker to talk to. I also got the feeling that her part in the conclusion was to set her and Decker up for future books.

Overall, I was thoroughly engaged during my morning and evening commute. I'll be looking for the next in the series.



View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 8/28/2017

The Husband signed us up for a "How to plant for Pollinators" community ed class last Saturday. We spent the morning in the pouring rain looking at three gardens - Zion Church garden and two homeowners. The last stop, a master gardener's house, was amazing. I can't even begin to describe how cool this property was. She had a strong pollinator plant presence, but her whole landscaping (complete with a croquet green!) was simply...cool.

While not Hurricane Harvey rainfall, we still received a couple inches which meant outside stuff was curtailed. So I made ricotta.This was my second attempt: I followed a recipe out of the Duluth News Tribune and other than a cheese cloth failure, I would say this was a success!


The Meal Plan
Sat (Pollinator class) out for lunch (S) red beans and rice
Sun (L) leftover rice (S) Skillet Lasagna
Mon (yoga/bkgrp/Legion mtg)leftovers
Tues - leftovers
Wed(trap shooting) - leftovers
Thurs (yoga) - leftover curry
Fri - leftover curry


Skillet Beans and Rice (Ckgn Lght Sept 2017) gluten free
Easy peasy! Seriously easy.

My modifications tho - I prefer to cut my own vegetables to reduce the risk of e. coli contamination.&The magazine did give the recommended quantities for the "trinity" blend. We don't like kidney beans, so I subbed pinto. Precooked rice of any kind is NOT available in my area, so I used two packages of instant rice and cooked those while I was prepping everything else. No extra time needed.

This is a fast, filling, tasty meal that comes together in about half an hour. You will need a LARGE skillet for this. While not big quantities, together, they fill up a pan. This did make enough for the two of us, for two dinners with no sides.

Recommended.
 

photo from cookinglight.com

4 ounces chopped andouille sausage
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 (8-oz.) pkg. fresh trinity blend

(make your own with 3/4 cup onion, 3/4 cup celery, and 1/2 cup bell pepper.)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (in addition to the "trinity" blend)
1 (15-oz.) can unsalted kidney beans, rinsed and drained  (I used pinto beans)
2/3 cup unsalted chicken stock
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 (8.8-oz.) pkg. precooked brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's)

I used two pkg Uncle Bens Instant brown rice, cooked according to directions on the package
1/3 cup chopped green onions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add sausage; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, trinity blend, and red bell pepper; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Stir in beans and next 4 ingredients (through ground red pepper). Cover, bring to a simmer, and cook 4 minutes. Mash half of bean mixture in pan. Stir in rice; cover, and cook 4 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions.

Fresh Ricotta (Duluth News Tribune, Wed, 8/23/2017)
This was my third attempt at fresh ricotta, and by far, the most successful. I reviewed attempt #2 here from the Fit Lab cookbook. That was a colossal failure.

This go around, the cooking part worked as it should and I had a cheese cloth blow-out. Note to self: next time secure the cheese cloth to the strainer with some clothes pins or metal binder clips.

It did take significantly longer to drain than the recipe noted - I didn't mark the time but I think it was about three hours until I was satisfied it wasn't liquid goo. Hm...now that I think about it, my applesauce strainer thing probably would have worked a heck of a lot better than my regular strainer...an excuse to try this again!

I got about 2 cups, or just shy of two cups of ricotta.

2 quarts whole milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp lemon juice

A fine mesh strainer or sieve, and mesh cheese cloth.
Line the sieve with a layer of cheesecloth and place it over a large (and deep) bowl.

Slowly bring milk, cream, and salt to a boil in a six quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.

Add lemon juice, then reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture curdles, about 2 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the lined sieve and let it drain 1 hour (I went up to three hours). Discard the whey. Cover and chill the ricotta.It will keep in the refrigerator 2 days.


Skillet Vegetable Lasagna (Ckng Lght, Sept 2017) vegetarian

This is why I made my own ricotta (above). I keep hearing how making your own is "so much better than store bought"! Granted, it's a half day endeavor, pre-planning is a must, and I'm not convinced there's a cost savings, but...what the heck.

I did this all in one skillet. A VERY LARGE skillet. This is also NOT a weeknight meal (unless you're heating up the leftovers). This took me a solid hour from start to finish - though keep in mind that 20 minutes is just simmering on the stove so I had time to wash dishes and prep a salad.

This easily serves 6 people, or for us, three suppers with a side salad. Prep is fairly easy, the no-boil noodles worked perfectly, and I didn't see a need to dirty two pans.

What I did observe - this could use some red pepper flakes for a tich of flavor and heat (mushrooms, zucchini and ricotta are really bland on their own), some fresh basil added to the crushed tomatoes would be tasty, and this is runny when it first comes out from under the broiler,

So, while not a weeknight dish, a bit short on flavor, this was still good. If you don't want to putz with the traditional lasagna, I'd say give this a try.

photo from cookinglight.com

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
12 ounces zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-in.-thick slices, divided
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced yellow onion
1 (8-oz.) pkg. presliced cremini mushrooms (I prefer to slice my own - cleaner that way)
4 cups baby spinach
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 (28-oz.) can unsalted crushed tomatoes, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 1/2 no-boil lasagna noodles
4 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese (about 1 cup)
4 ounces preshredded low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)

1) Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add half of zucchini; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure with 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining zucchini. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Add onion and mushrooms; cook 6 minutes. Stir in spinach and garlic; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat.

2) Spread mushroom mixture in bottom of pan; top with cooked zucchini. Pour 2 cups tomatoes over zucchini; top with salt. Arrange noodles over top, breaking ends as needed to fit in pan. Spread remaining tomatoes over pan; top with ricotta. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes over medium-low or until noodles are soft.

3) Remove pan from heat. Preheat broiler with oven rack in top position.

4) Sprinkle mozzarella over pan; broil 3 minutes or until melted and lightly browned.



Strawberry and Goat Cheese Salad (Duluth News Tribune, Wed, 8/23/2017) vegetarian, gluten free
I LOVE a good soft goat's cheese! This salad is simple, refreshing, and uses ingredients that most of us have on hand or can easily grab from the store. I didn't "measure" anything, just assembled enough for a bowl each for the husband and I. Recommended!

4 ounces herbed goat's milk cheese
1/4 cup chopped walnuts  (I toasted mine)
1/4 cup craisins
4 strawberries sliced
1 cup mixed greens
2 ounces red wine vinaigrette& (I used EVOO and red wine vinegar)
Toss mixed greens in dressing and top with cheese, walnuts, craisins and berries.


Lemon Ricotta Pancakes (Food Lab Cookbook) vegetarian
With my successful attempt at making ricotta AND getting nearly two cups, I found I needed a way to use that second cup in a short period of time. I remembered this recipe from the Food Lab Ckbk and whipped up the dry mix the night before then threw every thing together in the morning.

I did have two adjustments:I forgot I was out of buttermilk so I used plain Greek yogurt. A fine substitute, but it did make the mix overly thick.And I forgot I had already zested my one lemon, so I tossed in a tsp of regular lemon juice. Not the best, but it was what I could think of on short notice. I could have skipped the lemon and did almond or extra vanilla too.

I also tossed in a bit handful of blueberries. YUM!

These cooked up thick, fluffy and so flavorful! Plenty for two of us with leftovers for one later this week. Even the puppies got a little pancake.

Recommended

1/2 cup buttermilk (I used plain yogurt 'cause I was out of buttermilk)
1 cup fresh ricotta (from above)
2 eggs
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup Dry Pancake Mix (here)
1 tsp lemon zest

Combine buttermilk, ricotta, eggs, butter and vanilla.

Combine pancake mix and lemon zest.

Combine liquids and dry mix together, stirring until flour is just moistened - do not over-stir!

Heat a griddle and cook.