Heaven's River by Dennis E Taylor (Bobiverse #4)

Heaven's River by Dennis E. Taylor
My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: Civil war looms in the Bobiverse in this brand-new, epic-length adventure by Audible number-one best seller Dennis E. Taylor.

More than a hundred years ago, Bender set out for the stars and was never heard from again. There has been no trace of him despite numerous searches by his clone-mates. Now Bob is determined to organize an expedition to learn Bender’s fate - whatever the cost.

But nothing is ever simple in the Bobiverse. Bob’s descendants are out to the 24th generation now, and replicative drift has produced individuals who can barely be considered Bobs anymore. Some of them oppose Bob’s plan; others have plans of their own. The out-of-control moots are the least of the Bobiverse’s problems.

Undaunted, Bob and his allies follow Bender’s trail. But what they discover out in deep space is so unexpected and so complex that it could either save the universe - or pose an existential threat the likes of which the Bobiverse has never faced.

Read as an audio book.

If you have not read We are Legion (We are Bob), book one, start there. These do need to be read in sequence.

I love The Boooobbbb's. Bob, Will, Howard, Bridget, all the regulars. I love the universe building and the variety of aliens the Bob's come across. The Bobiverse is an interesting idea and refreshing to read.

However, I struggled with this installment. For myself, it moved so slow. I struggled to stay engaged, I resisted skipping ahead, I even resisted giving up. Yes, the thought crossed my mind. Many times. I think it was because I found the plot predictable, the chase scene through Heaven's River *much* too long, and the resolution with the "Starfleet" and "Skippies" incomplete. The overall plot, like the size of Heaven's River, was robust and the interesting bits that make up the Bobiverse and the main set of characters, were left undeveloped.

So while I'm disappointed, one small redeeming factor was the AI. I'm not going to say more because I'm moving into spoilers. I liked the AI a lot.

Not much else to say on this one - recommended with reservations IF you've read books one - three.

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Recipe Review from 12/21/20

I realized that this will probably be my final new recipe review for 2020. Goodness! My "End of Year Review" of life in general will be posted on Jan 1. Meanwhile, four new recipes for your enjoyment - not much in the way of pics, sorry about that.

Headwaters of the Mississippi (my corner of the world)

Mouth of the Mississippi, New Orleans, LA

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) leftover Spanish Stew (S) bear steaks and stuffing
Sun (L) leftover Spanish Stew (S) bear steaks and stuffing
Mon (yoga - leftover stuffing and cranberry sauce
Tues - gumbo
Wed - gumbo
Thurs - gumbo
Fri (L) leftovers (S) leftovers
Sat (L) leftovers (S) leftovers

Lunches - Bean and barley Soup


Slow Cooker Beef Bone Broth (Wholesomliscious blog)
I've never made beef broth and we bought some beef bones earlier this year that were now taking up awkward space in the freezer. It was time to make beef broth!

What I learned - I really don't like the smell of roasting beef bones. And this was super easy to make in the slow cooker. I'm not sure I had the "right" kind of bones for this, but when all was said and strained, I had beef broth. The advantage of waiting is I can freeze my containers out on the porch.

I got 10 cups out of this recipe (2 quarts and 2 cups)

3-4 lbs of mixed beef bones oxtail, knuckles, neck bones and/or short ribs
2 medium carrots chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
2 medium onions chopped
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2-3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
Water between 8-10 cups

Preheat oven to 400 F. Place bones in a single layer on a sheet or roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil to evenly coat.

Roast for 30 minutes, then, flip each bone over and roast for an additional 30 minutes.

Place chopped vegetables, roasted bones, bay leaf and cider vinegar and place in your slow cooker. Cover completely with water and set your slow cooker to low.

Simmer for 24 hours. Throughout simmering, add water as needed to keep all the ingredients submerged. Once the broth has reached a dark rich brown color, turn off slow cooker.

Discard the bones, vegetables and bay leaf and strain through a cheesecloth. Cool the broth to room temperature.
Pour into jars and let cool in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

When you are ready to serve, skim the condensed fat off the top of the broth and heat to the desired temperature. Sip in a cup or add to your favorite recipe.


Southwestern Three Bean and Barley Soup (Eating Well, Soups) vegetarian
I modified this one greatly to use canned beans rather than dried and the modifications are reflected below. Reason for this was I didn't want to putz with, nor did I have on hand 1/3 cup each of black beans, great northern beans and kidney beans. In addition, cooking dried beans with my calcium-rich water can have iffy results.

Another benefit - less cooking time. Going from 2 1/2 hours to maybe 30? Yup, win-win.

I prefer my soups on the creamier/thicker side and this hit the spot. I didn't find it spicy, maybe even a tich bland? But it hit the spot with temps sitting around 10*. Some lime corn chips added a nice counter point. A rather versatile recipe as you can easily tweak it to suit your tastes and needs.

This made about 6-8 servings.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 large 1 large stalk celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
4 cups (32-ounce carton) reduced-sodium chicken broth, “no-chicken” broth or vegetable broth
½ cup pearl barley
1 can (14.5 oz) black beans
1 can (14.5 oz)great northern beans
1 can (14.5 oz) pinto beans
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¾ teaspoon salt
extra water as needed to thin out the soup to your preferred consistency

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add water, broth, barley, black beans, great northern beans, pinto beans, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Bring to a lively simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes (adding more water, ½ cup at a time, if necessary or desired). Season with salt.


Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo (modified from Kevin Belton's Big Flavors of New Orleans)
I did some modifications from the original recipe which are reflected below. I cut back on the oil/flour quantities and I used 1 8 oz bottle of clam juice in combination with the water. I would have used chicken stock but I didn't have any on hand and I forgot to buy extra. I really should have used 2 bottles of clam juice but I didn't fully read the recipe before grocery shopping.

I also cut the salt way back. There's salt in the Creole seasoning and I didn't want this tasting like a salt bomb.

With all of that - I LOVE gumbo and I loved this. It works "okay" for a weeknight if you start early/have the time - it does take about an hour and a half from start to table.

2/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup flour
2 cups onion, chopped (about 1 large softball sized onion)
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
3 bay leaves
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp pepper
3 tbsp Creole seasoning
1 tsp cayenne pepper
6 cups basic shrimp stock (or chicken, or water)
1 1/2 lbs andoui8lle sausage, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
2 lbs (16-20) shrimp, peeled and de-veined

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil. Gradually add the flour to form a roux, making sure to stir constantly to prevent burning. When it reaches the color of chocolate (I went with "milk chocolate"), add onion and cook until transparent, about five minutes. Add bell pepper and celery and cook until softened about 4 minutes. Stir in the seasonings.

Add the stock slowly wisking continuously. Add the andouille and stir. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve over rice.


Perfect Every Time Waffles (modified from Barefeet in the Kitchen blog)
I haven't been happy with the last couple batches of waffles I've made; one batch had severe problems with sticking, another batch they formed oddly in the waffle maker. So, I tried a new recipe and this one will be a keeper! Not only were the waffles really good, but I quite enjoyed the topping options she discussed. Mmm! Breakfast ideas!

My modifications are reflected below. I swapped one cup of AP flour for WW, and I added an extra teaspoon of almond extract. These were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Yummers! Recommended.

I got 5 1/2 Belgian style waffles out of this recipe.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 2/3 cups milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the waffle iron. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add the milk and the eggs. Whisk to combine. Pour the melted butter and the vanilla into the batter and whisk until mostly smooth.

Pour onto the hot waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve warm or let cool completely.

photo from barefeetinthekitchen.com

Recipe Review from 12/14/2020

A good week all in all. The Husband did a trial run with his new smoker and tested technique with some brats. I have to say, I may have a new favorite in smoked brats! Absolutely delicious and *I'm* not a fan of smoked things. Weather was good, recipies were good, life is good.

The pups. 

The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) soup and artichoke dip (S) leftover Chinese
Sun (L) soup and artichoke dip smoked brats (S) eggplant Parmesan
Mon (yoga) leftover eggplant
Tues - leftover brats
Wed - leftover eggplant
Thurs (yoga) leftover brats
Fri - leftovers


Artichoke Dip (modified from Cooks Country)
I bought the ingredients to make this dip to enjoy during football, but we got busy, I forgot, etc so I put it on the meal plan for this past week. Except I forgot to double check the recipe and realized I didn't have the spinach. Drat and bother. A quick review of options led me to this one.

A couple of substitutions: I used panko bread crumbs instead of making my own crumbs, canned artichokes instead of frozen, dried thyme in lieu of fresh, and pickled jalepeno's instead of fresh parsley and cayanne pepper.

Result: very good. Creamy, a little bit of zing from the jalepenos, and a tich of crunch from the panko. I warmed up a baguette and served this along side a bowl of butternut squash soup. Recommended.

Topping:
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Creamy Base 2 (14.5-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained well
3 teaspoons olive oil
½ teaspoon table salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 cup (8 oz) light cream cheese,at room temperature ½ cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
¼ cup low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

For the topping: combine panko with 1/2 tsp oil, mix well. Add Parmesan and stir.

For the base: Toss artichoke hearts with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, salt, and pepper on parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in 425-degree oven until browned around edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, then chop coarse.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add artichokes and cook until beginning to brown and liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Pulse cream cheese, cheddar, sour cream, Parmesan, lemon juice, and jalapenos with prepared artichoke mixture until coarsely chopped, about ten 1-second pulses. Season with salt and pepper. Scrape mixture into prepared dish. (Dip can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring back to room temperature before baking.)

Sprinkle topping over dip and lightly spray crumbs with cooking spray. Bake until browned and bubbly, about 20 minutes. Serve.


Eggplant Parmesan (Eating Well, Oct 2020) vegetarian
Unlike the Broccoli-Tatertot Hotdish from last week, this was very easy to pull together with plenty of time to clean up and set the table. I made this as written (shocking, right?), and my only observations are - it needs more tomato sauce. At least an extra two cups. It was not as "saucy" as I would have liked and a bit on the dry side. I suspect the eggplant soaked up quite a bit of the liquid in addition to evaporation in the oven.

I did use a spicy marinara, which added a nice bit of zing!  I did increase the red pepper flakes to a teaspoon. Yum!

Other than the dish being a bit on the dry side, this was quite good and I would absolutely make it again.
A 9x13 pan made four meals for two of us.

Photo from eatingwell.com

1 serving Canola or olive oil cooking spray
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons water
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 medium eggplants (about 2 pounds total), cut crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 (24 ounce) jar no-salt-added tomato sauce
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for serving
2 cloves garlic, grated
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Position racks in middle and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°F. Coat 2 baking sheets and a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Whisk eggs and water in a shallow bowl. Mix breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan and Italian seasoning in another shallow dish. Dip eggplant in the egg mixture, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture, gently pressing to adhere.

Arrange the eggplant in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Generously spray both sides of the eggplant with cooking spray. Bake, flipping the eggplant and switching the pans between racks halfway, until the eggplant is tender and lightly browned, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, mix tomato sauce, basil, garlic and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl.

Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in the prepared baking dish. Arrange half the eggplant slices over the sauce. Spoon 1 cup sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Top with the remaining eggplant, sauce and cheese.

Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil before serving, if desired.


Julekaga (Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Bread)
Too long to type out the recipe, but I recommend this cookbook! It's become my go-to for baking bread.

Which is how I know *I* made a mistake with the recipe and a big one too. I'm pretty sure I killed the yeast. Clayton recommends a water temp of 120-130* for his yeast, and even with checking mine was at or below 130*, I think it was too high for the yeast I used. My bread did. not. rise.

Factors I eliminated:
Yeast is new and stored in the freezer
All ingredients were at room temp
Flour was still good and was bread flour
Though! I did use Gold Medal bread flour and not KA so...maybe a small factor there?
Plenty of food for the yeast

While the bread was still edible, it was not how it "should have been". I'll try again.

Recipe Review from 12/7/2020

Ended up doing take-out twice this week due to my schedule, running errands, and getting home later than anticipated. And I was okay with that if nothing else than to alleviate stress levels - take out twicein a week is not something we do on a regular occasion. It also has the added benefit of supporting local restaurants while we are in a second "lock down" of sorts. Restaurants are closed to sit-down meals, but open for take out. Need to support those folks so I have a restaurant to go to later.

Veteran's Memorial, Las Vegas

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) leftover brats and 'kraut (S) Christmas with Folks - take out Pho
Sun (L) Pho (S) Broccoli and tater-tot hot dish
Mon (yoga) leftover hot dish
Tues - hot dish
Wed - take-n-bake pizza
Thurs (yoga) - hot dish
Fri - Chinese take-out

Lunches - white chicken chili


Broccoli, Beef and Tatertot Hot Dish (Eating Well, Oct '20)
This is pure "Midwest" comfort food. Beef, broccoli, and tater tots all smothered in a home made cheesy sauce. I used breakfast bear sausage in place of plain beef; in hindsight, I should have omitted the garlic powder because it did somewhat clash with the sausage seasonings. Or at least I was picking up undertones of acric garlic powder taste that didn't appeal to me. I also found this dish to be salty - maybe that garlic powder coming through again? Not sure, but I cut back the salt and it was still salty for my tastebuds.

This also takes at least an hour and a half to two hours to assemble, bake, and let rest so NOT a weeknight meal unless you can get home early to start it. The leftovers reheated beautifully on the stovetop (I don't have a microwave). I would make this again for us (cutting out the salt), or even for my sister's family. I think the kiddo's would absolutely enjoy this one.

Made 4 meals for 2 people (8 servings)

1 ½ pounds broccoli, cut into 1-inch florets
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 ½ pounds 95%-lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 ¼ teaspoons salt, divided
4 cups low-fat milk
⅓ cup cornstarch
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
4 cups frozen tater tots or veggie tots
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 serving Canola or olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Toss broccoli with 1 tablespoon oil on a baking sheet. Roast, stirring once halfway through, until just soft and browned in spots, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef and onion and cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned and the onion is softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire, garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Whisk milk and cornstarch in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking often, until bubbling and thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in shredded Cheddar cheese, 3/4 teaspoon salt and turmeric until the cheese is melted.

Spread the beef mixture in a 9-by-13-inch (or similar 3-quart) baking dish. Top with the broccoli and pour the cheese sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with veggie (or tater) tots, pepper and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Coat the tots with cooking spray.

Bake the casserole until it is bubbling and the tots are beginning to brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.


White Chicken Chili (modified from ATK Slow Cooker Revolution)
This was good - a creamy while chili that is thickened using hominy and beans.

My modifications: I used one of our homegrown chickens, quartered and skin removed, I used two jalapeno's instead of the four the original recipe called for; and I used dried beans (cooked separately) and then added to the pot as directed. I think I had less chicken and more beans than called for.

The Husband did note that he found it a bit bland with only two jalapenos, but notes that you can increase the heat if needed, but if too spicy...your screwed. Mind, it was flavorful, just a tich bland.

This made enough for five lunches for me, and two for the husband, so "about" 6-8 servings, depending on how big your bowls are and what kind of appetites are coming to the table.

1 (15oz) can hominy, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken broth
2 onions, chopped
2-4 jalepenos, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
3 lb chicken thighs, skins removed (or 1 chicken, quartered and skin removed)
1 (15oz) can cannelli beans (or preferred beans)

Combine 2 cups broth with hominy in a blender. Blend and place in the slow cooker.

Pre-heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapenos and saute until fragrant. Add cumin and coriander, stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add to slow cooker. Add beans to slow cooker.

Season chicken with salt and pepper and place in slow cooker.

Cook for 3-6 hours on low (I did 6 hours). Remove chicken. Remove bones and shred meat. Replace in slow cooker to reheat. Serve.

Rouge Protocol by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries #3)

Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Jacket Blurb: SciFi’s favorite antisocial A.I. is again on a mission. The case against the too-big-to-fail GrayCris Corporation is floundering, and more importantly, authorities are beginning to ask more questions about where Dr. Mensah’s SecUnit is.

And Murderbot would rather those questions went away. For good.

Book three follows a similar format to book two: Murderbot decides to investigate some information, hitches a ride across the system, makes the acquaintance of a particular AI, infiltrates station, and saves the humans.

Despite the formulaic plot, it's still an engaging, interesting and humorous read. Murderbot admits SecUnits have depression and anxiety issues - they them self have social issues in being unable to relate to humans, in addition to struggling with guilt, uncertainty, and perhaps a bit of jealousy because someone cared for and AI. It's relatable because it's what being human is and we don't get other humans.

What I particularly noticed in this installment is just how much hacking Murderbot is able to do on the fly. In my opinion (which amounts to a pile of jelly beans) what was a neat character trait in the first two books was somewhat overdone in book three and even for scifi, started to move into the realm of improbability. Is this enough to prevent me from reading the next book? Heaven's no, but it is worth noting.

These are great "Doritos" reads for me right now - they are the perfect length where I don't have to invest a buttload of time I don't have, Murderbot is interesting and the whole premise is engaging. Recommended.

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Recipe Review from 11/30/20

The year is starting to wind down and only a couple more weeks for new recipes. Final count will be posted New Years Day! Initial preview - 2020 was a good year for new recipes and I'll say up-front, the instant pot was a big part of that. Loving my instant pot!

Feeling quirky - triceratops somewhere around the Hill Country in Texas

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) out (S) leftover lasagna
Sun (L) leftover turkey (S) baked pasta
Mon (Vet) baked pasta
Tues - baked pasta
Wed - Brats with Quick Sauerkraut
Thurs (yoga) leftovers
Fri - leftovers


Lunches - vegetable soup


Baked Pasta with Sausage and Spinach (modified from Skinny Taste Blog)
This was awesome. Total comfort food for cold dark December evenings. Assembly...a bit putzy and part of that was on me. I grate my own cheese because I don't like the cellulose or potato starch additive. I wilted the spinach as I had a tub in the fridge that I wanted to use up. Other substitutions included using cottage cheese for ricotta, 12 oz box of large shell pasta, a jar of marinara instead of making my own, and a 16oz package of ground Italian sausage I had in the freezer.

The great thing about this dish, is you can swap things in and out to use up any pantry items and to suit your own tastes and preferred spiciness. Recommended!

Made enough for four meals for two of us. Makes a 9x13 pan.

Photo from Skinny Taste Blog

oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
8 oz fat-free ricotta (or cottage cheese)
8 oz part-skim mozzarella, shredded
14 oz uncooked sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing
12 oz rigatoni pasta
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves smashed garlic, roughly chopped
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess liquid
(I used 11 oz fresh, and wilted)
salt and fresh pepper to taste
4 cups (1 16oz jar) Marinara Sauce


Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray a 9- x13-inch baking dish with olive oil spray.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta (or cottage cheese), 6 tablespoons of the Parmesan cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese.

Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, brown the sausage breaking up into small bits until cooked through; set aside.

Add the oil to the skillet and sauté garlic about a minute, careful not to burn. Add spinach (can be fresh - just wilt and follow rest of directions) and season with a little salt and pepper and cook another minute.
Return the sausage to the skillet and add the marinara sauce; cook on low about 2-3 minutes.

When the pasta water comes to a boil, cook pasta according to instructions for al dente, but under cook them by 4 minutes less; drain and return to pot.
Put half of the cooked pasta into the prepared baking dish and top with half of the meat sauce. Spoon the ricotta mixture on top of the sauce in an even layer. Cover with the remaining pasta and the remaining sauce. Top with the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for an additional 6-7 minutes or until the mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned. My notes: Let stand 10 minutes before serving.


Brats with Quick Sauerkraut (Eating Well, Oct '20)
Original recipe called for chicken sausage, but this seemed more like a "brat" dish so it was an easy substitution. Plus I had brats in the freezer so freezer reduction. Yay!

This was good, fairly easy to assemble, and made plenty of leftovers. I did complicate assembly a bit by shredding my own cabbage rather than using packaged. I had a savoy cabbage, a red cabbage and baby carrots in the fridge. I also used a honeycrisp apple instead of the granny smith (again, it was in the fridge). Only item I had to buy was the apple cider.

This was bright, tangy and a nice change from the usual brat side of potato salad or regular sauerkraut, tho we've been using kimchi more than sauerkraut these days. Recommended.

This made three meals (6 brats total/1 brat each).

Photo from eatingwell.com

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 (12 ounce) package chicken sausage
1 small onion, sliced
1 medium Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
1 (10 ounce) package shredded cabbage
1 large carrot, shredded
¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon caraway seeds

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausages and cook until brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add onion and apple and cook, stirring constantly, until beginning to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cabbage, carrot, vinegar and salt and cook, stirring often, until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Add cider and caraway seeds; bring to a boil. Return the sausages to the pan and reduce heat. Cover and simmer until the sausages are heated through and the cabbage is tender, about 10 minutes.

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells (The Murderbot Diaries #2)

Artificial Condition by Martha Wells
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: It has a dark past – one in which a number of humans were killed. A past that caused it to christen itself “Murderbot”. But it has only vague memories of the massacre that spawned that title, and it wants to know more. Teaming up with a Research Transport vessel named ART (you don’t want to know what the “A” stands for), Murderbot heads to the mining facility where it went rogue. What it discovers will forever change the way it thinks…

A short, humorous and engaging installment in the Murderbot series.

Murderbot returns to the scene of their beginning, where they initially went rogue and killed a slew of humans. With a little help from Asshole Research Transport (ART), they become a little less SecUnit and a little more human. Not that they wanted to. To facilitate moving around the system and mining facility, Murderbot takes on a job as a security consultant for a group who thinks they are going to get their research files back after being forcibly ejected from their contract. What should be a straight forward in-out situation becomes anything but.

For a short story, this feels like a longer book. It's engaging watching Murderbot struggle with insecurities, uncertainty, decisiveness, fear, morality, guilt, boredom, sarcasm, and more - all the attributes that make a human, human.

Because this is a short story, the world building is trimmed down to the bare essentials - transports, terminals, asteroids/planets. Enough to establish setting. The strength of this gem is the character building. I'm really hoping we'll see ART again. Which means I need to read the rest of the books.

Recommended.

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