All Systems Red by Martha Wells (Murderbot #1)

All Systems Red by Martha Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: In a corporate-dominated spacefaring future, planetary missions must be approved and supplied by the Company. Exploratory teams are accompanied by Company-supplied security androids, for their own safety.

But in a society where contracts are awarded to the lowest bidder, safety isn't a primary concern.

On a distant planet, a team of scientists are conducting surface tests, shadowed by their Company-supplied 'droid—a self-aware SecUnit that has hacked its own governor module, and refers to itself (though never out loud) as "Murderbot." Scornful of humans, all it really wants is to be left alone long enough to figure out who it is.

But when a neighboring mission goes dark, it's up to the scientists and their Murderbot to get to the truth.

Read for September 2020 book group.

General consensus from the book group was this was an enjoyable, quick, and interesting read. For myself, this was just the length I needed at this moment in time. And being a short story, this is going to be a short review.

I've said this in the past, a good short story can be difficult to write as you need to engage the reader within the first couple of pages and keep their attention with a minimum of background "fluff". I thought the author did that - this is a character driven story and there is just enough background to provide the setting. A couple folks did note in book group that they would have liked more background information, and a couple of us thought it was good the way it was.

I haven't read any reviews on this selection, and I'm sure this has been discussed at length, but the notable lack of gender reference was quite interesting. For those in the group who "read" this as an audio book, they assigned a male gender because the narrator was male. I read on my e-reader and I thought the character came across as female. When really, the character is gender-less. Fascinating. This lead to discussions on Ann Leckie's books and similar.

Overall, a good read and I plan on picking up the next few books in the series. Recommended.

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Recipe Review from 9/14/20

Two hard frosts have done in the garden this past week. The Husband picked the last of the zucchini - of which there was a surprising amount - and the squash. The squash we got was not what we thought we planted, plus we got some strange cross-hybrids. But the big question is, did they get enough time on the vine to ripen? The cherry tomatoes are finished - no saving those. The Swiss chard and kale we can baby along a bit longer. So, basically gardening is done for the year and we can start to take things down for winter.

The other exciting news for the week is my friend and I did get out wild ricing! We were about a week late, so "knocking" was a bit slim. It was a beautiful day to be out on the water so I have no complaints.

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) sandwiches (S) zucchini soup
Sun (L) sandwiches (S) zucchini soup
Mon - Maque choux
Tues (Ricing) Maque choux
Wed - Lamb Ragu
Thurs - Lamb Ragu
Fri - Maque choux


Lamb Ragu over Pasta (Cooks Country)
This was a simple dish that came together very quickly and had enough for leftovers for a couple meals.  I did do one mistake - I misread the fennel and bought a fennel bulb.  Since I don't have ground fennel on hand, I thinly sliced the bulb and sauted it with the rest.  Worked just fine.  My main objection with this dish is it was a tich on the bland side - if I were to make this again (and I would), I would add some red pepper flakes for a bit more background heat. 

Serves 4-6 (6 if you serve with a salad and some crusty bread)

1 pound ground lamb 1 onion, chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 ½ teaspoons ground fennel
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon table salt, plus salt for cooking pasta
½ teaspoon pepper
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 pound pappardelle
½ cup torn fresh basil

Combine lamb, onion, carrots, garlic, fennel, oregano, salt, and pepper in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until meat is cooked through and carrots are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and reduce heat to medium. Cook, covered, until sauce has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot.

Add sauce and ¼ cup reserved cooking water to pasta and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with remaining reserved cooking water as needed. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Maque Choux (Milk Street Tuesday Nights)
This was fast, especially if using frozen corn, and tasty. I did do two substitutions: I used some chorizo I had in the freezer instead of andoullie sausage, and I used a poblano instead of an Anaheim as the store was out of Anaheim's. I think this was on the table in about 45 minutes from opening the fridge door to plating, plus I had time to tidy. Flavors are bright, this is a great way to use some summer produce, and honestly, I think you could use just about any kind of meat here: andoullie, chorizo, kielbasa, shrimp, or even chicken. I will be making this again.

Serves 3-4 (I got three servings).

1 tbsp grapeseed or neutral oil
12 oz andoullie sausage (Chorizo or Kielbasa would also work well)
halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 tbsp salted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1 Anaheim chili, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
salt and pepper
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp dreid thyme
3 cups fresh corn OR 1 lb bag frozen corn (do not thaw)
1 tbsp cider vinegar

In a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook, stirring, until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a papertowel lined plate and discard any fat in the skillet.

Return the skillet to medium heat and melt the butter. Add the onions, bell pepper, Anaheim chili and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook, scraping up any browned bits and stirring occastionally, until the vegetables are softened, 5-7 minutes. Increase to medium high and add the corn, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring, until the corn is crisp-tender, about 3-5 minutes.

Return sausage to skillit, stir and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Crafts 2020 - knitting

Last week I did a post on sewing, so this week I thought I'd do a post on a few of the knitting projects I've finished to date. It's been a good year for knitting with fun patterns and reducing the stash at the same time. Not that my stash is all that robust, but I like to keep the skeins on hand manageable. So far I've only purchased one skein this year, and that's already been turned into a scarf (Easy Goes It with Three Irish Girls yarn).   All patterns can be found on Ravelry.com.

In no particular order:

Pattern: Easy Goes It
Yarn: Knitty Gritty yarn (from Oregon), one skein

Pattern: Easy Goes It
Yarn: Three Irish Girls (from Duluth), Park Point Lilacs (one skein)

Pattern: Out Cattin' Around
Yarn: Malabrigo Mechita (one skein)

Pattern: Therapy
Yarn: Schaeffer Yarn Company, Diane (3 skeins)

Pattern: Beachcomber
Yarn: Knit Picks Cotlin (4-5 skeins)

Recipe Review from 9/7/2020

Fall has arrived!  The leaves are starting to change color - the Balm of Gilead turned bronze and now yellow, the first maples are showing their reds and oranges, and the first tamarack are losing their green hues. We've also had our first frost this past week - very light one, just nipped the summer zucchini leaves and we covered the butternut squash plants. And the squirrels and mice are getting into everything.

A 'salty' came in while I was on my noon walkabout.

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) Sandwiches (S) Dinner with family
Sun (L) Zucchini Noodles (S) P- Pizza
Mon (L) Pizza and salad (S) Fish tacos
Tues - Fish Tacos
Wed - Za'tar roasted chicken and zucchini
Thurs (yoga) chicken and salad
Fri - chicken and salad


Lunches - sandwiches, fruit, nuts


This week's recipes are from the Milk Street Tuesday Nights and Falastin cookbooks. I'm going to point you in the direction of your library for these - while fabulous, fairly simple recipes, they are just too long to type out. I would much rather be enjoying our beautiful fall weather than sit inside on the computer. So, check out these cookbooks!

Fish Taco's (Milk Street Tuesday Nights) Serves 4

I forgot to take a picture. Which is not unusual - I frequently forget to take a picture. Mostly I didn't take a picture because I was so flustered from the damn fish failure that I just wanted dinner on the table.

First, these were good. The sliced jalapeno's spiciness was mellowed in fresh lime juice, the jalapeno's spiciness tamed in the "tartar sauce", the crunchy cabbage and crisp radishes - yum yum yum.

Cooking the fish was the disaster. You HAVE to have a non-stick skillet to make this as written, which is - coat your cod in cornstarch and lightly fry in your non-stick skillet. I do not own a non-stick skillet, so I tried to modify and failed. Absolutely failed. My fish stuck to my skillet better than any glue I own. I baked the remainder and let me tell you, cornstarch coated fish is not the most appealing baked.

The next evening I made the last two fillets "Minnesota" style - which was I heated some oil in my cast iron skillet, coated the fillet nuggets lightly in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, and proceeded. Worked perfectly.

So, these are good but be aware, if you don't have a good non-stick skillet, cook the fish another way. I will make these again, but I'm making the fish ala "Minnesota" style.


Za'tar Roasted Chicken (Falastin) Serves 4-6
Similar to my Fish Taco fiasco above, you need one of those really sturdy baking sheets for this. Not your standard cookie sheet. Which is what I have and in hindsight, I should have just used my stainless steel skillet. Hindsight is always 20/20 (grumble).

This was, despite my cookie sheet, outstanding. Like I would make it again next week outstanding (I'm not going to, but it's that good). Incredibly easy to assemble and that was with quartering my own chicken! Go me! Season chicken, but on baking sheet (or your sturdiest oven-safe skillet), bake. While chicken rests, make the sauce and serve! There is time to clean up and make a side.

I'm making this again. Recommended.

Zucchini Salad (Falastin) Serves 4-6

Garden season is starting to come to an end here in Minnesota, which means we're getting creative with how to use the plethora of zucchini we end up with. This cookbook has been a great resource for new zucchini salads, and this one was quick, easy, and tasty. I served this alongside the Za'tar chicken and later, with sandwiches.

Zucchini is thinly sliced - either with a mandolin, a vegetable peeler or the flat blade on a spiralizer - into long very thin "noodles". This is topped with a lemon-oil style dressing and grated Parmesan cheese. Not a salad you can make ahead, best combined right before serving and don't plan on saving leftovers. This is bright, a tich creamy, and very refreshing. I would make this again.

Crafting 2020 - sewing

When COVID mandates closed most activities this spring, followed by the requirement to "MaskUP North" (our local logo), I rediscovered my sewing machine and was reminded why I started sewing.

Background: I started sewing decades ago, making Halloween costumes for my siblings on my Mom's Sear's Kenmore. Later, I discovered very basic quilts and made, oh, ten to twelve quilts for family members and acquaintances who were getting married. Quilting was set aside for the eight years I was in a Middle Eastern dance troupe and we made most of our dance costumes, which was four to five a year? That intensity and attention to detail utterly killed my enjoyment for fabrics and when I parted ways with the group, I gave the machine back to my Mom and set my sewing box in the closet. Over the next ten years or so, I think I used it once to make some holiday gift bags.

Then my sister in Oregon wanted to sew, so we did. And it was kinda fun.

And last year she bought a new sewing machine (a basic Singer) and wanted me to show her how to use it. So I did. And it was kinda fun.

As we all know, COVID came along in 2020 and for many of us, a mask requirement was enacted. I retrieved the machine from the Folks house, I dug out my leftover fabric, and found a pattern. I discovered really enjoyed the simplicity of making masks. I did a bit of online research and made my first Quilt As You Go. SO MUCH FUN! It was like painting with fabric. So I made another table runner. SO MUCH FUN! And I made more masks. And well... see below.

Quilt As You Go Table Topper

Used stashed/leftover fabric and batting

 I really want to try this technique again.

Table Runner

Modified greatly from an online free pattern I found.

Used leftover fabric and batting from my stash.

 

And of course, masks. I made some for the sister and family in Oregon, for the sister and family in the Twin Cities, for the Folks, and for myself.   Masks shown range from Adult, Child, and Toddler (over 2 years old). 

Sports for the boys!

Matching masks for Sister, and two little neices.

Request for OSU (Oregon State University) colors.  Had to get a bit creative. :)

These are my last ones!  Done with masks - on to other projects!

Recipe Review from 8/31

The Husband was out of town last week, so I kept meals pretty simple. The portobello burgers were some of the best I've had and the Chopped salad was perfect for lunches - easily assembled the night before so it was grab-n-go in the morning. I recommend both of these dishes!

Madeline Island 2020

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover zucchini salad (S) brats
Sun (L) brats (S) turkey sandwich and fruit
(Husband out of town) Mon (S) Portobelllo burger
Tues portobello burger
Wed - portobello burger
Thurs (yoga) leftover olive garden
Fri - leftover olive garden

Lunches - Chopped salad, fruit


Mediterranean Portobello Burger (Eating Well, July/Aug 2020) vegetarian
This was very good and easy. I particularly liked the garlic oil on the mushroom is something I'm going to have to repeat in other recipes. The topping comes together very quickly - I loved the sweetness of the peppers with the briny-ness of the olives against the creamy feta cheese and when all put over the sourdough bread (I served open-faced), delicious!

My one suggestion relates to the portobellos - buy the biggest ones you can find. You might be thinking, wow, that's a lotta 'shroom, but as these cook, they shrink. A lot. Go big so you can keep that portobello meaty-ness. Another reason why I went open faced rather than "sandwich".  Recommended!

Serves 4 (IF your mushrooms are big enough- I got three servings)

1 clove garlic, minced

photo from eatingwell.com

½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed
4 large slices country-style sourdough bread, cut in half
½ cup sliced jarred roasted red peppers
½ cup chopped tomato
¼ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
2 tablespoons chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 cups loosely packed mixed baby salad greens

Mash garlic and salt on a cutting board with the side of a knife until it's a smooth paste. Mix the paste with 1 tablespoon oil in a small dish. Lightly brush the oil mixture over portobellos and then on one side of each slice of bread.

Combine red peppers, tomato, feta, olives, vinegar, oregano and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium bowl.

Grill the mushroom caps until tender, about 4 minutes per side; grill the bread until crisp, about 1 minute per side.

Toss salad greens with the red pepper mixture. Place the grilled mushrooms top-side down on 4 half-slices of the bread. Top with the salad mixture and the remaining bread.



Chopped Salad from Handsome Hog (Eating Well July/Aug 2020) vegetarian
Recipe Blurb: At Handsome Hog, his restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota, Justin Sutherland offers this chopped salad topped with any barbecued meat on the menu. The chef recommends brisket--it takes this already Southern-inspired salad a step further.

I am hoping after this pandemic is ameliorated, that I can get down to St. Paul and visit his restaurant.

I made this for lunches. I kept it vegetarian though I was sorely tempted to add some grilled shrimp. I also skipped the cornbread as I didn't want to make or buy any for such a small amount. Though, that being said, having some cornbread muffins on the side would have been quite tasty.

My one substitution was I used Swiss chard and lacinato kale instead of micro-greens as that's what we have in the garden! I also made a peppercorn dressing as that's what I had in the spice cupboard. I would absolutely make this again, and I think I just might do it as next weeks lunches. Recommended!

½ cup cubed cornbread
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce

photo from eatingwell.com

1 ½ cups thinly sliced red cabbage
½ cup canned black-eyed peas, rinsed
½ cup frozen roasted corn kernels, thawed
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
¼ cup diced pimientos, rinsed
½ cup prepared ranch dressing
½ cup thinly sliced red onion (skipped)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread cornbread cubes in a small baking pan. Bake, stirring once halfway, until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Combine lettuce, cabbage, black-eyed peas, corn, tomatoes and pimientos in a large bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat. Serve topped with onion and the cornbread croutons.

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest (The Clockwork Century #1)

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest
My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: In the early days of the Civil War, rumors of gold in the frozen Klondike brought hordes of newcomers to the Pacific Northwest. Anxious to compete, Russian prospectors commissioned inventor Leviticus Blue to create a great machine that could mine through Alaska’s ice. Thus was Dr. Blue’s Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine born.

But on its first test run the Boneshaker went terribly awry, destroying several blocks of downtown Seattle and unearthing a subterranean vein of blight gas that turned anyone who breathed it into the living dead.

Now it is sixteen years later, and a wall has been built to enclose the devastated and toxic city. Just beyond it lives Blue’s widow, Briar Wilkes. Life is hard with a ruined reputation and a teenaged boy to support, but she and Ezekiel are managing. Until Ezekiel undertakes a secret crusade to rewrite history.

His quest will take him under the wall and into a city teeming with ravenous undead, air pirates, criminal overlords, and heavily armed refugees. And only Briar can bring him out alive.

Read for August 2020 book group. Read as an audio book.

Premise of the book is young Zeke has lived his life beyond the wall that contains the Blight, a horrific anomaly that was caused by his deceased father. Zeke wants to try and find information that will redeem his father and grandfather, but his Mother has always been firmly against such actions, preferring to let the past stay in the past. Zeke has other plans and embarks on a quest to get into the Blight Zone, leaving his Mother no choice but to follow.

The steampunk was truly steampunk, mixing historical fiction with fantasy and some speculative (for 1800's) science fiction.

This was an "okay" read. I was entertained, but not engaged enough to want to read further into the series. I was disappointed with the zombies (just not a fan of the zombie genre), there were a few too many redundant questions being asked by the main characters (a peeve of mine), and an excessive amount of running. It was almost as if the author kept the characters moving to show as much of the Blight City and its strangeness as possible. While the ending had one small but quite enjoyable surprise, the full resolution was somewhat underwhelming.

This selection definitely straddles the line between Young Adult and Adult. I think any mother reading this will be able to relate to Briar's struggles in raising Zeke. I think most pre-teens will be able to relate to Zeke's character and his quest to find the truth and subsequent adventures.

Recommended with reservations - an enjoyment of steampunk, zombies, and young adult genre is a must for this book.

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Recipe Review from 8/24/2020

Goodness, it's taking me forever to get this posted! Several new recipes this week, only one fully written out. I strongly recommend both the Falastin and Milk Street cook books! Enjoy!

old Lake Superior fishing boat, Cornicopia, WI (2020)

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) yoga training Sun (S) pizza at Folks
Sun (L) leftover pizza Mon (S) Roasted eggplant
Mon (Bkgrp) out
Tues (Dogs to vet) leftover eggplant
Wed - Lahmajoun
Thurs (yoga) leftover lahmajoun and salads
Fri (lunch out) Zucchini salad

Lunches - sandwiches, fruit, nuts



Stuffed Eggplant with [Quinoa] and Almonds (Eating Well Aug/Sept) vegetarian
This was fairly easy to assemble and we quite liked the flavor profile. The harrisa sauce really pulled everything together. I did do a couple of significant modifications but still didn't stray too far from the recipe.

Modification #1 - I subbed quinoa for the couscous. I had it on hand and it was a bit of a protein boost.

Modification #2 - I skipped the whole "boat" bit. After the eggplant were grilled, I removed the insides and tossed everything together in a bowl and served plated with parsley and feta sprinkled on top. As lovely as a "boat" presentation is, for a weeknight meal, I wanted efficiency.

I served this with some warm naan on the side - perfect for a late summer meal, easily done on the grill,

⅔ cup water plus 1 tablespoon, divided
½ cup whole-wheat couscous (see Tip)

photo from eatingwell.com

½ teaspoon salt, divided
2 medium eggplants (about 1 pound each)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
⅓ cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons harissa paste or 1/2 teaspoon harissa seasoning
½ cup chopped smoke-flavored almonds
½ cup chopped fresh parsley


Preheat grill to medium-high.

Combine 2/3 cup water, couscous and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

Halve eggplants through the stem; brush the cut sides with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Grill the eggplants, flipping once halfway, until charred and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash garlic with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt on a cutting board with a fork. Combine the garlic paste, mayonnaise, harissa and the remaining 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl.

Leaving a 1/4-inch-thick wall, carefully scoop out the eggplant flesh and chop. Stir the eggplant flesh into the couscous along with almonds, parsley and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Mound the filling in the eggplant shells. Serve with the sauce.



Chunky Zucchini and Tomato Salad (Falastin cookbook) vegetarian

This was my impulse purchase cookbook from July - because it's so new, I won't copy the whole recipe out. However, I DO encourage you to check this book out from the library! A beautifully made and well organized cook book with very approachable recipes from Palestine.

It is zucchini season here in Northern Minnesota, and once again, we are inundated with zucchini. This was a refreshingly different take on a zucchini salad and it used a pound of my cherry tomatoes! Double win!

I simplified and complicated this recipe at the same time. Recipe calls for charring the vegetables on the stovetop, then baking in the oven, which will accommodate a sheet pan of zucchini and a sheet pan of tomatoes. I did this all on the grill, and had to do it in stages. But it did allow time for the tomatoes to drain while the zucchini finished cooking.

Everything is them assembled and - here's where I deviated again - I served the yogurt sauce (yogurt, lemon zest, garlic, and lemon juice) separate from the vegetables. I did this because I knew I would have leftovers and when reheating, I didn't want to be reheating the yogurt sauce. Worked splendidly. I served this with some warmed naan to soak up the delicious juices and sauce. Serves 4-6, depending if it's a main or a side. Recommended!

Lahmajoun/Armenian flatbread (Milk Stree Tuesday Nights)

This is basically pizza dough topped with seasoned ground lamb or beef, cooked on the grill or in the oven (and served with a lemon yogurt sauce and fresh parsley. Don't skip the fresh parsley! I did simplify the recipe and bought a tub of fresh pizza dough from the co-op (they make the best!) and did one pizza rather than divide into two 10" rounds. My one was probably a bit on the small side but it worked.

I really enjoyed this for it's simplicity - I did use lamb (had some in the freezer), and I admit, I didn't miss the "traditional" pizza toppings at all. We tried both plain yogurt (called for) and sour cream as an accompaniment and while both were good, yogurt was a tich better. As I noted above, we did cook this on the grill, oven would have worked fine, but I didn't want to heat up the house.

Recommended - served 2 with small amount of leftovers, which we had the next night with a side salad.