Recipe Review from 8/20/2018

A bit of a short week after getting back from the World Science Fiction Convention in San Jose.  I made a strong effort to utilize items I had in my pantry along with the new September issue of Cooking Light.

And YAY!!  Cooking Light has posted their recipe indexes!!  I'll go back and link and post pictures when I have a moment.  Awesome. 

The Meal Plan
Tues - Creamy Carbonara
Wed - Wheat Berry Bowl
Thurs -brats
Friday - leftover brats
Sat (L) leftover wheat  berry bowl

Lunches - hummus sandwiches

[Whole Wheat] Pasta Carbonara (Ckng Lght, Sept 2018)  vegetarian option**

photo from cookinglight.com

I used Chickpea Spaghetti in lieu of the whole wheat because I had a box in the cupboard from a different recipe.  And like that earlier recipe, the pasta was...not good.  I made sure to follow the cooking directions, but it still turned out glumpy, clumpy and downright gooey.  Even when adding the egg mix below, it remained a sticky mess.

We ate it, but it wasn't very good.

So, I would make this dish again, but use regular pasta.


Made three servings. 

3 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, grated (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces uncooked whole-wheat spaghetti
1/4 cup diced pancetta or bacon  (I skipped, and added diced zucchini instead)

Stir together eggs, cheese, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.

Cook pasta in a pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain pasta in a strainer over a stainless steel bowl large enough to cover the pasta pot. Let cooking liquid stand in bowl 2 minutes. Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid; return remaining cooking liquid to pot. Place bowl on top of pot to create a double boiler; transfer drained pasta to bowl. Heat pot over high. Add egg mixture to pasta; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until sauce thickens. Stir in reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, as needed to adjust consistency.

Cook pancetta in a small skillet over medium until crisp. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon; set aside. Stir drippings into pasta mixture. Divide pasta and pancetta among 4 bowls.


 Perfect Wheat Berries  (Ckng Lght, Sept 2018)  vegetarian

photo from cookinglight.com

Lots of wheat berry "How To" available on the internet.  I usually just toss my berries in a sauce pan with water bring to a boil, and simmer 45 min to 1 hour or until done.  I gave the soaking method a try and it works too.   Either way, you will need to plan ahead not only to account for the soaking, but because it takes 45 minutes to cook the berries.  You CAN cook ahead of time, store in the fridge, and the reheat when needed.

Because really, who has time to spend 45 minutes in the morning cooking their breakfast?

1 cup uncooked wheat berries
1 1/2 cups water, plus more for soaking
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Place wheat berries in a bowl with enough water to cover. Soak 12 hours or overnight. Drain.

Combine wheat berries, 1 1/2 cups water, and salt in a saucepan over high, and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium; cook until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove pan from heat; let steam, covered, 15 minutes. Drain excess liquid.

Wilted Spinach and Fried Egg Wheat Berry Bowls  (Ckng Light, Sept 2018)  vegetarian
Yummy goodness in a bowl!  You DO have to prep the wheat berries ahead of time, so keep that in mind.

• I used Swiss Chard instead of spinach
• I skipped the scallions and peanuts
• DON'T skip the kimchi!   Oh my goodness, this was my first foray into kimchi land and I am addicted!  I will say, though, I'm buying "Midwest" kimchi (ie, read mild) bought through my co-op, and not through a Korean market.  Closest Asian/Korean market is 150 miles away. 
• I would recommend poaching the eggs unless you have an awesome non-stick pan to fry your eggs in.  

I will be making this again - recommended.

Serves 4

photo from cookinglight.com

2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 (5-oz.) container baby spinach  (or Swiss Chard)
1 teaspoon lower-sodium soy sauce
4 large eggs
2 cups Perfect Wheat Berries (recipe at left)
1/4 cup jarred kimchi (Korean fermented cabbage), chopped
1/4 cup chopped scallions  (skipped)
2 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped  (skipped)

 

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add spinach; cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir in soy sauce; transfer mixture to a bowl.

Crack eggs into skillet; cook 2 minutes. Cover and continue to cook until desired degree of doneness, 2 more minutes for medium.

Divide wheat berries evenly among 4 bowls; top each serving with an egg, 1/4 cup spinach mixture, and 1 tablespoon kimchi. Top evenly with scallions and peanuts.

Zucchini Chips (AllRecipes.com) vegetarian
Not quite a recipe fail (that would be the Pasta Carbonara above), but not a success either.  My observation:  350* isn't hot enough and the baking sheet should be preheated.  After 15 minutes, I had barely cooked zucchini, pale and somewhat limp zucchini "chips".   My oven is cooking at the right them and I used a mandolin to make sure the zucchini was an even 1/4".   Grr.  

I used one medium to medium-large zucchini (which depending on where you live can mean different things), and it made enough for four people.  I should have weighed it to post here...shoot. 

I can't recommend this recipe. 

photo from AllRecipes.com

3 medium zucchini, cut in 1/4" thick slices
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
2 tsp fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 

 
Place zucchini in a bowl. Drizzle olive oil over zucchini and stir to coat; add bread crumbs and toss to coat. Spread coated zucchini onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and oregano over coated zucchini. 

 
Bake in the preheated oven until zucchini are tender and cheese is browned, about 15 minutes.

Worldcon 2018: San Jose

It's been a busy week and weekend! Been on the road again for the 76th World Science Fiction Convention in San Jose, CA.

Early morning flight (followed by a long flight) had my friend and I on the ground in San Jose by 2p.  Quick ride to the hotel, with an easy check-in, and then a quest for lunch (Indian!).  We picked up our registration packages and pretty much called it a day.  Like a said...it was a long flight.  Later, supper was Greek. 

Convention kicked off on Thursday afternoon.
Science: The Core of SF's Sense of Wonder
Many readers comer to science fiction for the jolt of wonder at imagining the clouds of Venus, the chromosphere of the sun, or the frigid surace of Pluto.  They want their breath taken away by the long scope of time of evolution and geology and the stars.  What is that sense of wonder experience and how do people feel it differently?  What science in science fiction most succeeds at getting to those feelings?  Our panel of writers and readers of scifi wax rhapsodic about science in science fiction.

Forgotten Victorian Fantasy Art
A vast number of terrific 19th century fantasy paintings are seldom or never seen.  Richard Hescox will show you obscure paintings by artists you now and many by artists you should know.

Then I caught a yoga class!

Supper was take out Hawaiian Poke.

Friday's panels consisted of:
Latinx?  Mexicanx?  Hispanic?  Do the words make a difference and why?
Why is "Mexicanx"  such an important term?  Do "Latinx" and "Hispanic" mean the same thing?  Is it useful to refer to people from two continents, an isthmus, and several islands using those adjectives?  Is a Tarahumara person from Mexico who speaks no Spanish and has no Europan ancestors "Hispanic"?  Looking into the future, will there still be "Latinx" people in 100 years? 1000 years?  Our experts will discuss these terms and their relevance?

Collaborators in Genre:  The Writer Calls on the Scientist
Sci-fi authors commonly take liberty with the reality of who the world actually works.  But how does the author gt the background knowledge to know what is and isn't possible and when to play fast and losse with the facts of real (and current) science.  

Join an author and a scientist consultant as they discuss t eh intersection between real science and science fiction, as well as the working relationship between an author and consulting expert.  

Then I caught a yoga class!  After which I got my panel room mixed up and missed the last part of the 1p panel I wanted to go to.

Lunch - Vietnom's  (that's the correct spelling)

Hubble Space Telescope: Humanities Most Important Tool Ever Invented?
We live in the Golden Age of astronomy and astrophysics, and one instrument has single-handled contributed the most to this revolution in our understanding of our Solar System, our Galaxy, and the Universe... NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. 

Beyond the Border I: What is happening to SF on the Other Side?
At the Golden Globes when asked how he balanced darkness and joy, Guilermo del Toro answered "Because I'm Mexican".  What does "being Mexican" mean within the context of science fiction?  What does writing in Spanish mean for its future?  There's movement on the other side of the border, a one-sided conversation where English-language SF is happening.  We want to expand it and bring it forward.  All over Latin America and Spain, Scifi is rising again.  We want to talk about what shapes it is taking, and how this viewpoint may be changing.  Is there a Latino-futurism?  What does it look like?

Anatomy of a Shoe
Bespoke shoemaker SunnyJim Morgan take you on a tour of what's on your feet.  Ever wondered what makes an Oxford different from a Derby?  How are high heels made?  We'll cover these topics as well as the parts of a shoe, different methods of construction, materials used, and some of the places you can learn more.

Dinner - Affinity Restaurant (Hilton's restaurant)

Friday night I signed up for this:

Bay Area Ghost Hunters Meet-up:  San Jose Ghost Tour
I've got mixed feeling about this tour.  Sign-up seemed a bit unorganized - I couldn't get the online Worldcon link to work so I signed up at the desk, which they didn't seem prepared for.  More people showed up than they could comfortably handle, and I admit I was surprised they didn't break the group into two (a "fast" group and a "slow" group).  Friday night city noise was a HUGE problem,  on top of airport's approach land with planes coming over every 5 minutes, AND a Bike Parade (that was just wild) and the group leaders voice just wasn't up to competing against so much.  . 

The tour itself covered quite a bit of the "historic" district of San Jose and quite a bit of history.  There were some ghostly things interspersed, one unfortunate kidnapping, and some family history by the group leader.  The tour also covered quite a bit of ground and at 9p I called it quits and headed back to the hotel on my own.

So...very mixed thoughts about this tour.

Saturday!
Tour: Silicon Valley Inner Loop
The Inner Loop tour of Silicon Valley will showcase our computing-related attractions in Santa Clara, San Jose, Cupertino and Sunnyvale.  We saw:

The Intel Museum
NASA Ames Visitor Center
location of the Byte Store
Steve's Job's parents house (the garage where Apple started!)
Apple Infinite Loop
Apple Park Visitor Center

Apple's HQ

Our tour guide was a real Tech Worker who has bought and sold property in Silicon Valley

A MOON Rock!!

This was a lot of fun.  We left the convention center at 1030a, playing road bingo.  The tour guide had the stops set up as a "history" of computers and technology, starting with Intel and moving into Apple, with one stop at NASA in the middle.  It was a long day, numerous stops, and as someone who was "there" for the rise of computers (I still remember the old IBM with the 5" floppy in our family room!) it was a neat nostalgic stroll.

Geek Identity, Policing, and Gate-keeping
What is Geek identity, Geek Policing, and Gate-keeping?  Why is it important when we're staying active and proud of our fandoms to not dip into policing and gate-keeping?  How do we bridge the ate-gap in SF/F and include younger generations?  We, all of us, nerds of all races, genders, orientations, and ages need to stop the gate-keeping and star building bridges. 

Dinner:  Il Fornaio (Italian)  in the historic Westin hotel.

Sunday's Panels:
A Horse is Not a Subcompact:  Getting Horses Right in Prose
Horses are beautiful, dangerous, and smart.  In fantasy fiction (and even some post-apocalyptic work) horses are at the center of the story providing transit, war mounts, and friends.  This panel of horse-loving writers will talk about the ins and outs of working with horses - because not all of us have the pleasure of riding, driving and working with them.

We Dressed those Girls: Subverting Tropes or Reinforcing the Status Quo? 
When Zack "let's subvert the trope of Hollywood objectifying women by objectifying women" Snyder directed the film Sucker Punch, he explained why the film focused on scantily clad young women imprisoned in a brothel from which they occasionally escape with monster weaponry to kill people and explode things.  "I didn't dress those girls in the costume.  The audience dressed those girls," he opined.  "They start out as cliches of feminine sexuality as made physical by what culture creates"  In this panel we ask: Who is responsible for what culture creates?  How difficult is it to actually subvert tropes, and how often do attempts to subvert ropes turn into reinforcements of the status quo?  When as creators and audience re we sabotaged by our unexamined pre-sets, and how do we dig out from under them?  Finally, under what circumstances can a narrative choice that may seem trivial or status quo become the biggest trope subverter of all?

Psychological and Psychiatric Aspects of a Manned Mission to Mars
As we progress on to Mars, the lessons learned from on-orbit space missions will help us plan ways of dealing with new psychosocial stressors that will affect crew members.  Dr Nick Kanas will review where we have been, where we are now, and where we are going.

Spy-fi: Science Fiction Thrillers
What happens when authors combine espionage themes with science fiction?  Our panel discusses the ins and outs of science fictional spy thrillers.

Judaism and the Roots of Science Fiction
The Hugos are named after Jewish inventor Hugo Gernsback, who coined the term "science fiction" and Judaism has had a big influence on the genre before and since  Jewish stories frequently explore diaspora, almost featuring it as a character or trait with space being the natural extension of that idea in everything from Star Trek to Spaceballs.  The ultimate displacement, if you will, but this time deliberately, purposely, to seek out new life, etc.  How does diaspora shape fiction?  What is the state of Israeli SF/F compared to Jewish SF/F in the US?

The Future of Urban Fantasy
Urban Fantasy has already changed the landscape of speculative fiction, and continues to rapidly evolve in the worlds of both traditional and independent publishing.  In this panel, experts on Urban Fantasy explore the current state of the genre, as well as the potential to shape the industry of the future.

Monday will have us on a very early flight back home.  Was it a good convention?  Yes.  Visited a new-to-me city, got a little history tour, some some interesting sights, talked to people from all over,  listened to some good panels, got lots of knitting in and a bit of reading. Worldcon will be off to Dublin for 2019, and probably New Zealand for 2020.  Right now it's looking like DC for 2021 and maybe Chicago (again) for 2022.  We'll see.  Lot's can happen between now and then.

Public Art in downtown San Jose

Step on a Crack by James Patterson and Michael Ledgewidge (Michael Bennett #1)

Step on a Crack by James Patterson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: Patterson and Ledwidge introduce a new hero in an exciting thriller set in the heart of Manhattan. NYPD detective Michael Bennett is concentrating on getting his family through a particularly difficult Christmas: he and his 10 adopted children are facing the loss to cancer of his brave wife, Maeve. But a major crisis calls him away: the funeral of a former First Lady at St. Patrick's Cathedral goes horribly awry when men storm the church and take hundreds of attendees hostage. Michael is asked to try to reason with a sinister man named Jack. Jack releases all but the most famous people, and makes his demands: he wants several million dollars from each celebrity hostage, including the mayor, a popular comedic actor, a beloved talk show host, and a pop starlet. Once Jack starts killing, Michael realizes he's up against a truly diabolical foe. Patterson has a knack for creating genuinely likable heroes, and Michael fits the bill. As readers rapidly turn the pages to learn how the tense hostage drama plays out, they will also be sympathizing with Michael as he faces the agonizing loss of his wife. Totally gripping and downright impossible to put down, this is a promising start to a potential new series.

Read as an audio book. I think the narrator is the same gentleman who does the NYPD Red series - I haven't looked to confirm though.

Blurb summarizes the book fairly well so I won't rehash. This is a "new to me" series, picked off the library shelf - so to speak I was actually browsing online- when I was in need of some new audio books. I enjoyed this quite a bit.

There are two narrators for this book - one for the protagonist and one for the antagonists. I know this drives some people batty, but I don't mind. It does help differentiate good guy/bad guy and adds a touch of realism which I enjoy. I like being pulled into the story in that regard.

I did think all the Irish accents were a bit over the top. Playing up the whole "Irish cop/big Irish family in New York" felt a bit overdone. Small complaint though. The narrator did do a good job with the accents as well.

Ah, yes, the Big Family - that is not something I've found in any other mystery/thriller I've read, nor how much the family is in the forefront of the book. I did find myself asking, is this about Mike's family, or is this about the hostages? Both plots seemed to get equal face time. I think I liked the strong family aspect, with the exception of Maeve's battle with at Christmas time, just...depressing.

And a handful of those idle plot questions that really don't have an answer -

If Mike's wife was in hospice, why wasn't he on FMLA? Why was he still at work?

Why didn't the negotiators negotiate for the release of a hostage when a payment was made - as in, hostage makes their payment, set the hostage free, get the next payment, set next hostage free?

Why summon the perps to the same room, where they will know the gig is up (and could potentially tell anyone not present on their phones)? Should put them in separate rooms.

I almost want to go back an re-read the first part, now knowing who the bad guys were and see what clues I missed.

I enjoyed this enough that I'll read the next in the series. I thought Mike was a well balanced main character, the large family background was different enough to keep my interest, the plot was engaging (even with my little "hmm...." questions, and the two narrators worked well for the audio book aspect. Recommended.



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Recipe Review from 8/6/2018

An absolutely beautiful week in my corner of the world.  Mid 80's during the day, mid 60's at night...just perfect summer weather. 

Cooking Light still hasn't posted the recipes, which is really a bugger because I can't Pin them to my boards on Pinterest.  IF they ever get around to posting July and August, I'll have to remember to come back and update.

A great week meal-wise!  The first three recipes listed below are part of Cooking Light's article for Plan. Shop. Cook.  Three meals, three nights (assuming four adult people are eating - these provided meals for me for the whole week, plus one lunch).  You will also observe, that all four recipes use zucchini... If you have a garden and you planted zucchini, you understand. 

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Spicy Salad with cibatta   (S) Polish sausage with potatoes
Sun (L)  Spicy Salad with cibatta  (S)  Skillet fajita pitas
Mon (yoga)  leftovers fahitas
Tues - Orzo Salad with Grilled chicken
Wed - ckicken and sweet potato kebabs
Thurs (yoga)  leftovers
Friday - leftovers
Sat (family in town)


Spicy Zucchini Salad (Ckng Lght, Aug 2018)  gluten free, vegetarian, vegan
This was simple to assemble and was so different than your standard lettuce with zucchini salad.  I did cut back on the chipolte a bit, because you never know just how much zing your going to get.  I used red pepper instead of tomatoes because I had red pepper in the fridge.  I really liked this salad, it's perfect for a warm summer day with a glass of ice tea or chilled white wine.

Serves 4.  Recommended. 

 2 (6 inch) whole wheat pita rounds, split (I used cibatta buns)
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
1 medium zucchini
1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped chipolte chilies in adobo sauce, divided
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
4 cups chopped Bibb lettuce
1 (14.5 oz) can unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used red pepper strips)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup unsalted roasted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
2 tbsp chopped scallions (I forgot...)

1. Preheat oven to 400*F.  Brush uncut sides of pita rounds with 1 tbsp oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Place directly on oven rack, and bake at 400* until crispy, 5 to 6 minutes.  Cool slightly about 5 minutes.  Slice pitas into thin triangles.  Set aside.

2.  Using a Y-shaped peeler, peel thin strips from zucchini to measure about 1 cup.  Reserve remaining zucchini for another use.  Toss togethre zucchini strips and 1 1/2 tsp chipolte chilies; let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

3.  Whisk together lime juice and remaining 1 tbsp chipolte chiles in a small bowl.  Gradually whisk in remaining 3 tbsp oil.  Toss together lettuce, chickpeas, tomatoes, and dressing.  Season with remaining 1/4 salt and remaining 1/4 tsp pepper.

4.  Divide among 4 bowls.  Top with zucchini strip mixture, pita triangle, sour cream, pumpkin seeds and scallions.


Skillet Fajita Pitas (Ckng Lght, Aug 2018)
Two observations:

• This could easily be converted to vegetarian by dropping the chicken.  I think I used maybe 1/2 lbs of grilled chicken and I preferred the veggie mix to the chicken.  
• This could easily be converted to a gluten free dish by skipping the pitas and serving more like a fajita salad. 

A major deviation from the recipe:  I grilled everything, chopped, and combined chicken and veggies in a large bowl with the first "sauce", keeping the lettuce (Swiss chard in this case) separate until stuffing the pitas. 

Ultimately, this was a tasty dish and I would consider making it again.  Used up one zucchini...6 more to go!

2 tbsp fresh lime juice, divided
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tbsp chili garlic sauce, divided (I used curry paste because I had some in the fridge)
4 (6" rounds) whole wheat pita rounds
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, thinly diagonally sliced
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup sour cream
2 cups chopped Bibb lettuce (I used Swiss chard)

1. Stir together 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp oil, and 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce in a small bowl.  Set aside.

2.  Stir together sour cream, remaining 1 tbsp lime juice, and remaining 1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce.

3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high.  Working in batches, add pitas to skillet and toast until lightly browned, about 1 minute per side.  Cut in half; set aside.

4.  Increase heat to high.  When skillet starts to smoke, add remaining 1 tbsp oil.  Add chicken in a single layer and cook, undisturbed until browned, about 1 minute.  Stir and cook until browned on both sides, about one more minute.  Move chicken to sides of skillet.  Add bell pepper and cook, undisturbed, until slightly charred, about 2 minutes.  Add zucchini to bell pepper, and cook 1 minute.  Add scallions, salt, pepper, and sauce mixture; stir together, and cook 1 minute.

5.  Fill each pita half with 1/4 cup lettuce and 1/2 cup chicken and veggie mixture.  Drizzle with sour cream sauce and serve immediately.
  
Chicken and Vegetable Kebobs  (Ckng Lght, Aug 2018)  gluten free option**
I weighed out my sweet potatoes - 18 oz of sweet potato is a lot of sweet potato.  And what the recipe doesn't tell you, is you need to select the longer skinnier potatoes, not the roundish plump ones.   I also don't have a microwave, so I wrapped my potatoes in aluminum foil and grilled for about 20 minutes.   I did have a recipe brain fart and didn't read to skewer the meat separately (some I knew I should do, but spaced).  This is a case of I should have been paying more attention to the recipe and the photo.

I skipped the orzo - the skewers were plenty.  This made two meals for two of us, and I ended up giving a couple sweet potato wedges to the pups. 

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 tbsp lime juice, divided
1 tbsp minced chipolte chilies in adobo sauce, plus 1/2 tsp adobo sauce
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
3 (6-oz) sweet potatoes
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 bunch scallions
2 cups cooked whole-wheat orzo**  (Skip if need gluten free)
1/4 cup sour cream

1. Toss chicken with 1 tbsp lime juice, chipolte chilies, adobo sauce, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Let stand 10 minutes.  Thread chicken onto 3 (12 inch metal) skewers.

2.  Pierce potatoes with a fork. Wrap with a damp paper towel, and microwave on HIGH until slightly tender, about 3 minutes.  Cut into 1/2 inch rounds.  thread sweet potatoes and bell peppers alternately onto 2 (12 inch) metal skewers.

3. Whisk together 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt and remaining 1/4 tsp pepper.  Brush half of dressing on vegetables.

4.  Preheat grill to high (450* to 550*).  Place chicken on oiled grates; grill, uncovered, until cooked through, 6-8 minutes.  Grill vegetables, uncovered, brushing with half of remaining dressing, until tender, 4-6 minutes.  Brush scallions with remaining dressing; grill, uncovered, until charred, 2-3 minutes.  Chop scallions; toss with orzo, remaining 1 tbsp oil and remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Combine sour cream and remaining 1 tbsp lime juice.  Serve with skewers. 

Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Orzo Salad (Ckng Lght Aug, 2018) vegetarian option**
I enjoyed this dish, and would have enjoyed it more without the chicken - but that could just have been because I was using one of my homegrown chickens and not a store-bought mega chicken breast. 

I really liked the dijon mustard/lime dressing - tangy and zingy without being overwhelming.  I used a combination of Swiss chard (in the garden) and some bib lettuce (in the fridge) instead of arugula.  I think this could have benefited from a grilled and chopped red pepper. 

This made enough for two of us for two suppers, plus one lunch for me.  It makes a lot.  Recommended. 

6 oz uncooked whole wheat orzo (about 1 cup)
3 (8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I grilled a chicken and shredded)** skip if doing vegetarian or making dish as a side
1 1/4 tsp salt, divided
2 ears fresh corn
1 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarters (what does Ckng Lght define as "large"?)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 limes)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp honey
2 cups baby arugula (I used chopped Swiss Chard and Bib lettuce)
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled (I used feta - was in the fridge)

1. Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.  Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Preheat grill to high (450* to 550*).  Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Place chicken on oiled grates.  Grill, uncovered, until chicken is done, about 16 minutes, turning after 8 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices.

3.  Place corn and zucchini on oiled grates, and grill, uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes, turning frequently to create grill marks on all sides.  Cut kernels off corn and coarsely chop zucchini.

4.  Whisk together oil, lime juice, shallot, mustard honey, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.  Add cooked orzo, corn kernels, chopped zucchini and arugula; toss well to coat.  Divide orzo mixture evenly among 6 plates.  Arrange chicken slices over orzo mixture and top with goat cheese. 

Private: Princess by James Patterson and Rees Jones (Private #14)

Private Princess by James Patterson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: Jack Morgan receives an offer he cannot refuse… 

When the head of the world’s foremost investigation agency receives at invitation to meet Princess Caroline, third in line to the British throne, he boards his Gulfstream jet and flies straight to London.The Princess needs Morgan’s skills, and his discretion. Sophie Edwards, a close friend of the Princess, has gone missing. She needs to be found before the media become aware of it.

Morgan knows there is more to this case than he is being told. But what is the Princess hiding?

Read as an audio book.

Premise of the book is, Private is called upon by Princess Caroline to find her friend Sofie. Rumors and speculation abound - was Sophie murdered? Did she commit suicide? Did she run away? As Jack Morgan investigates Sophie's disappearance, Peter Knight, head of Private London, is looking into the suicide of a well known Londonite. Soon the two men realize Jack, through Private, has been pulled into an insidious plot of revenge and Jack's adversary will stop at nothing to bring Jack - and Private - down.

I think this may be my favorite Private book. I enjoyed how deftly the plots were interwoven, while I didn't care for the brutality of the antagonists actions, I did appreciate how he was written and portrayed. He felt more integrated into the story than other mysteries I've read, where there is a chapter with the protagonist running around, and a chapter describing what the antagonist is going to do. I didn't get that in Private: Princess and it made for a better read in my opinion.

I thought there was more emotional investment in this installment. Though, I have to ask (SPOILER ALERT Stop reading here if you don't want a spoiler and skip down....) You've been warned. How many of Jack's girlfrend's or potential have been murdered to date? Three? At least three...

And the Head of Private (insert City here) have lost what, three wives to untimely deaths? India. London. South Africa? I know there is a third...

Finally, an observation. Early in the series the books could be read as stand-alone's. It's my humble opinion, that no, this has become a series that should be read in order, especially as the author(s) are now revisiting cities and characters from previous books.

Recommended if you've read the first 13 Private books, and at a minimum, if you've read Private: Games and Private: Royals.

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Recipe Review from 7/30/2018

Busy busy week that started with book group on Monday night, a trip to the emergency vet on Tuesday morning (Andy dog cut his face, twelve stitches and the Cone of Shame, he's well but unhappy), dinner with a family friend and the Parents on Tuesday evening, one all day meeting at work, an extra yoga class on Thurs, and finally, with much relief, an uneventful Friday.

Owie!  Andy in his Cone of Shame, on the way home from the vet.

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) brats   (S) Out
Sun (L) leftovers from Friday  (S)  Pork chops and corn relish
Mon (yoga/bkgroup)  leftover brat
Tues - Dinner at Parents
Wed - Mushroom french dip sandwiches
Thurs (yoga)  leftover sandwiches
Fri - homemade pizza


Pork Chops and Corn Relish (Ckng Lght, Aug 2018) gluten free
Recipe is mainly for the corn relish, which was quite bright and fresh tasting.  I did substitute zucchini for the green tomatoes, as I had zucchini on hand.  Season the pork chops to your liking, and I recommend grilling while you assemble the relish.

I did do a modification for the "relish" - I diced the zucchini, then tossed zucchini and corn into a skillet heated over medium heat.  When the corn started to caramelize, I added the olive oil, parsley, vinegar and thyme, stirred well, and removed from heat.  After relish cooled for a moment, I added the peaches, then served everything together. 

2 medium-sized green tomatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick slices (I used zucchini)
4 (6 oz) bone-in center cut pork chops (about 1" thick)
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
1 tsp black pepper, divided
2 larges ripe peaches, cut into 1/2 inch thick cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup fresh corn kernels  (I used frozen)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1.  Heat a grill pan over medium-high.  Add tomato slices in a single layer; cook until slightly softened and lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.  Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly.

2.  Season pork chops on both sides with salt and pepper.  Add chops to grill pan; cook over medium-high until a thermometer inserted into the thickets portion registers 145*, about 3 minutes per side or to desired degree of doneness.  Remove from heat; transfer to a plate, and cover loosely to keep warm.

3. Chop tomato slices; toss together with peaches, corn, oil, parsley, vinegar, thyme and remaining 1/2 tsp salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

4.  To serve, place 1 pork chop and 3/4 cup relish with juices on each of 4 plates.


Mushroom French Dip Sandwiches (Ckng Lght, Aug 2018)  vegetarian
These were darn tasty!   I love mushrooms, I love caramelized onions, I love melted cheese.  This is my kind of recipe.  I did assemble pretty much as written, using cibatta buns instead of hoagie rolls, and I used a prepared horseradish mustard we have on hand for the Husbands roast beef sandwiches.

This made enough for two of us for two meals.  I would and will make these again.  Recommended! 

2 tsp unsalted butter
2 1/4 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 large yellow onions, sliced vertically
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 1/4 lb portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, sliced into strips
3/4 cup lower-sodium vegetable broth (I used unsalted chicken broth)
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 tbsp vegetarian or vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp lower-sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp prepared horseradish  (I used a pre-prepared horseradish mustard)
4 (2oz) whole-wheat hoagie rolls  (I used cibatta buns)
4 slices Swiss cheese

1.  Heat butter and 1 1/2 tsp oil in a large skillet over medium.  Add onions, cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally until golden, about 30 minutes.  Stir in salt; cook 5 minutes.  Set aside.

2.  Heat 1 tbsp oil in a separate large skillet over medium-high.  Arrange half of mushrooms in skillet in a skingle lyer and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Stir and cook until golden brown all over, about 5 minutes.  Transfer mushro0ms to a bowl.  Repeat with remaining oil and mushrooms.

3.  Return cooked mushrooms to pan.  Add broth, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, soy sauce and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer; cook 5 minutes.  Using tongs, remove mushrooms to a bowl and divide sauce into 4 ramekins.

4. Stir together mustard and horseradish sauce (or use the mustard mix you have in the fridge)  Spread on rolls.

5.  Preheat broiler to high.  Arrange 3/4 cup mushrooms on bottom half of each roll.  Top each with 1/4 cup onions.  Arrange cheese slices on top of each half.  Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and broil until cheese melts (watch for burning!).  Serve with sauce for dipping.

Dark Run by Mike Brooks (Keiko #1)

Dark Run by Mike Brooks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: The Keiko is a ship of smugglers, soldiers of fortune and adventurers, travelling Earth’s colony planets searching for the next job. And nobody talks about their past.

But when a face from Captain Ichabod Drift’s former life send them on a run to Old Earth, all the rules change.

Trust will be broken, and blood will be spilled.

Read for July book group.

A fun, fast paced read that reminded me a lot of Firefly but without the Reavers. A loose premise of the book is Ichabod Drift and his crew shuttle cargo around the galaxy. Each crew member come with a past, the unspoken rule is you never ask what that past is. Until Drift is forced to tell his story to suddenly mutinous crew, to explain why they are taking unknown cargo to Earth on a specfic day by a specific time. When the delivery goes sideways, the crew has to make the choice to follow Drift and maybe have a chance at living, or forever hide.

Did I mention I thought this was fun? This was fun. A total kick back and zone out book. This moves along at a perfect pace, not getting bogged down in science or back story. You are told what you need to know at the moment it's relevant.

Interesting aspects to this first installment: we have a ethnically diverse crew comprised of a Latino (Drift), a Maori, two Chinese siblings, a Dutchman, and two women who I never really did figure out what their ethnic back grounds were. I assumed one was Caucasian.

We find out a few backgrounds, but not everyone's, which leaves a little mystery for later books. Mostly we find out Drift's, Tamara Rourke's and the Maori's. Everyone has their specialty and their skills are used to the groups advantage.

One small point of contention I had was the in the chapters themselves. There were these little jumps in time that were not as smooth as they could have been. I didn't mind the plot moving forward significantly (as I noted, the story really doesn't become bogged down anywhere), but some cues would have been appreciated.

I know there were a couple other small niggly points, but since I can't remember them at all, they must have been really insignificant.

This is a brain candy space pirate book. Sit back and enjoy the ride. I did.

Recommended.



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