Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn (Chet and Bernie #2)

Thereby Hangs a Tail by Spencer Quinn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  What first seems like a walk in the park to wise and lovable canine narrator Chet and his human companion Bernie—to investigate threats made against a pretty, pampered show dog—turns into a serious case when Princess and her owner are abducted. To make matters worse, Bernie’s on-again, off-again girlfriend, reporter Susie Sanchez, disappears too. When Chet is separated from Bernie, he’s on his own to put the pieces together, find his way home, and save the day. Spencer Quinn’s “brilliantly original” (Richmond Times-Dispatch) and “masterful” (Los Angeles Times) series combines genuine suspense and intrigue with humor and insight for a tail-wagging good time readers won’t soon forget.

Read as an audio book.

A light, enjoyable, cozy mystery. I had enough fun with book number one, Dog on It, that I looked up Thereby Hangs a Tail. This installment was a bit more serious than the first book, but still retained that "cozy" aspect through Chet's point of view.

Premise of the book is Chet and Bernie are (reluctantly) hired for an easy job of body guarding Princess, a championship show dog, after several death threats are received. Chet bungles the job and they are fired. The next day, Princess and her owner are kidnapped. Bernie decides they need to investigate, and the plot is off and trotting

A couple of detraction's in this book: Bernie and Chet are separated again, and Chet has to figure out things on his own. The author did this in book one, and turned around and repeated it in book two. A bit to "stock". This next is a peeve of mine in nearly every cozy mystery - confronting the murderer without back-up. Other than trying to make the climatic conclusion more climatic, there's no reason not to call the good lieutenant before standing up and saying "YOU did it!". Frustrates the heck out of me every time. And finally, so many loose ends in this installment! Oh my gosh. I really hope some of these are resolved in book #3.

As I noted above, this is just a light, enjoyable book. If you have dogs, you will completely understand Chet. I don't know how many times I caught myself chuckling out loud. And now, thanks to the friend who pointed me in the direction of these books, repeating little Chet phrases and then giggling. If you need something fun and uplifting, be it a vacation read, travel book or a mid-week escape book, then this might be for you.




View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 8/19/2019

Another gorgeous, somewhat uneventful week.  Morning temps are dropping into the high 40's (in August!) and by the time I get home, it's jacket time in order to sit on the porch.   I noted "somewhat" uneventful... Andy-pup did stumble across first skunk of the season in the yard at 530am, so we were out washing him down shortly after.  Not his favorite in any way, shape or form.   Not my favorite thing either! 

        Andy                         Kepler

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) County Fair (S) Chef salads
Sun (L) leftovers (S) Taco Pizza
Mon (yoga) leftover pizza
Tues - sheet pan pork chops
Wed - pasta
Thurs (yoga) leftover pork chops
Fri - leftover pasta



Grilled Taco Pizza (Eating Well, June 2019)
This was outstanding!  I made "pretty much" as written, just swapping out some items to use what I had on hand:  pork sausage for beef (added some extra zing!), Pepper Jack cheese, and Swiss Chard for the lettuce.  I used pico de gallo - use a mild salsa if you have sensitive or little taste buds in your family.  The jalapeno in the pico had some heat. 

I adored the flavors in this, it came together from opening the fridge to plopping on the table in 45 minutes with time for a little clean-up.  Having everything ready is a MUST.   And a rarity for us - we had enough leftovers for supper a second night.  Filling.

Recomended!  Serves 2-4 (depending on appetites)

photo from eatingwell.com

1 pound 90%-lean ground beef (I used pork sausage)
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed
1½ teaspoons chili powder
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup fresh salsa or pico de gallo, divided
1 pound whole-wheat regular pizza dough
1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce (Swiss Chard)

Fresh cilantro and sliced pickled jalapeños for garnish

Preheat grill to medium-high. Cook beef in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in beans, chili powder, cumin and salt. Remove from heat and stir in ½ cup salsa (or pico de gallo). Transfer to a medium bowl.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch oval. Oil the grill rack. Grill the dough until puffed and lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes. Turn it over using tongs. Spread the beef mixture on the crust and sprinkle with cheese.

Grill until the cheese is melted and the crust is lightly browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board. Mix sour cream and lime juice. Top the pizza with lettuce, the remaining ¼ cup salsa (or pico de gallo) and the sour cream mixture. Garnish with cilantro and jalapeños, if desired.


Sheet Pan Maple-Mustard Pork Chops and Carrots (Eating Well, April 2019) gluten free
Because it was exceedingly humid and toasty outside, and not wanting to heat up the inside of the house, I made this on the grill.  I did decrease the grill temp to about 420*, and I'm not sure the results would have been much different.  I should have started the carrots 10 minutes before adding the chops, and I should have skipped the "glaze" on the chops and drizzled it over everything before serving.

Personally, I think 420* (or 450*) was way too hot and I ended up with tough pork chops and underdone carrots.  Which made for so-so leftovers.   However, the husband was happy with the results even if I wasn't, so this worked for him.  Recommended with reservations.

Serves 4. 

photo from eatingwell.com

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon maple syrup
4 (5 ounce) bone-in, center-cut pork chops ( ½ inch thick)
1½ pounds rainbow carrots, cut diagonally into ¼-inch slices
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley


Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 450°F.

Whisk 1 tablespoon oil, mustard and maple syrup in a small bowl. Place pork chops on one side of a rimmed baking sheet. Brush the tops with the oil mixture.

Place carrots on the other side and drizzle with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle garlic, ginger and turmeric on the carrots and toss to coat. Season everything with salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes.

Turn broiler to high. Broil until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a chop without touching the bone registers 145°F, about 4 minutes. Continue cooking the carrots, if needed, until tender and glazed, 2 to 5 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with parsley.


Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp (Eating Well, June 2019)
If one looks closely at the photo, can you even see the "cream"?  No?  Neither can I.  Another so-so dish for me.  The premise is good, the execution was lacking.  This may have been in part because I used whole-wheat spaghetti, and I think that's a bit starchier than say, fettuccine (I'm not sure I can even find ww fettuccine in my corner of the world). 

I think my lemon juice slightly curdled the yogurt, because that added to a clumping rather than a sauce.  And I see now, writing my review, I completely forgot the basil!  Arrgh! 

So...simple enough.  I had problems with glumping. Could be worth a second try with regular pasta.  Recommended with reservations.

Serves 4.

photo from eatingwell.com

8 ounces whole-wheat fettuccine
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 ounces sustainably sourced peeled and deveined raw shrimp (26-30 per pound)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 cups loosely packed arugula (I used Swiss Chard)
¼ cup whole-milk plain yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
¼ cup thinly sliced fresh basil

Bring 7 cups of water to a boil. Add fettuccine, stirring to separate the noodles. Cook until just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water and drain.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and curled, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Add butter to the pan and reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add arugula and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low. Add the fettuccine, yogurt, lemon zest and the reserved cooking water, ¼ cup at a time, tossing well, until the fettuccine is fully coated and creamy. Add the shrimp, lemon juice and salt, tossing to coat the fettuccine. Remove from the heat and toss with Parmesan. Serve the fettuccine topped with basil and more Parmesan, if desired.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb: Shadow is a man with a past. But now he wants nothing more than to live a quiet life with his wife and stay out of trouble. Until he learns that she's been killed in a terrible accident.

Flying home for the funeral, as a violent storm rocks the plane, a strange man in the seat next to him introduces himself. The man calls himself Mr. Wednesday, and he knows more about Shadow than is possible.

He warns Shadow that a far bigger storm is coming. And from that moment on, nothing will ever be the same…

Read for book group August 2019.

This was a re-read for me and one of those books where I remember enjoying it greatly...but nothing more than that. Which makes re-reading easier. There is a familiarity, but a newness at the same time.

I should note: I read the original version, not the 10th anniversary edition with added material. I have also not seen the TV series based off the same.

As with many of Gaiman's stories, there isn't much of a point to the story. His books tend to be character based, contain wonderful "world" building, the background is rich and simple at the same time, and his plots just pull a person along as the pages fly by.

Premise of American Gods is Shadow, upon release from a three year stint in prison finds out his wife has been killed and on his way to a funeral, he's offered a position as an errand boy by the mysterious Mr. Wednesday. Shadow is pulled into a conflict where the New Gods of Media, TV, and more want to wage war against the Old Gods that came to America with the immigrants. As Odin, Loki, Easter, Bast, Ibis, Jackle, Czernobog and others gird their loins for battle or forever be forgotten, Shadow realizes his role is more than errands.

Premise in a nutshell. A walnut shell. So hard to summarize without dropping spoilers. Shadow is a fascinating character, but one you don't realize until the end. The variety of Gods was just...brilliant. The interludes or as one person in book group called them "coming to America stories", were both interesting and annoying. Kinda like some commercials. What made this book was the resolution and how the seemingly disparate threads all came together, but, yet, not. So good!

Recommended.



View all my reviews

Talking God by Tony Hillerman (Leaphorn and Chee #9)

Talking God by Tony Hillerman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  A grave robber and a corpse reunite Navajo Tribal Police Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Officer Jim Chee. As Leaphorn seeks the identify of a murder victim, Chee is arresting Smithsonian conservator Henry Highhawk for ransacking the sacred bones of his anscestors. As the layers of each case are peeled away, it becomes shockingly clear that they are connected, that there are mysterious others pursuing Highhawk, and that Leaphorn and Chee have entered into the dangerous arena of superstition, ancient ceremony, and living gods.

Read as an audio book.

It's been a few years since I've read (as audio) the first four in the series. I was quietly hoping someone would obtain the contract and produce the middle ones, but it never seemed to transpire. Maybe someday. And because it's been a few years, and I skipped a handful of books, the story line has moved forward a bit. That being said, it was easy enough to pick up the characters and plot and I didn't feel anything was lost in the story.

I really enjoy these mysteries. These are not "action" or "thriller" mysteries, but contemplative who-did-it books. I find the pacing about perfect - the plot just rolls out much like a newly paved road and because the ride (story) is so enjoyable, you're just pulled along. The little twists and turns keep the story line engaging, the characters have a surprising amount of depth without getting bogged down in details, and the mystery in this instance was a matter of watching Leaphorn and Chee figure it out because the reader knows all along.

If you enjoyed previous books in this series, you'll probably enjoy this one. I will note, there was a change in narrators, and I enjoyed both. Recommended.



View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 8/12/2019

A pretty uneventful week overall.  Weather has been beautiful, I've enjoyed some time on the porch, and was able to make several new recipes this week. 


The Meal Plan:
Sat (L) Broccoli Apple Salad (S)Hummus with Grilled Veggies
Sun (L) leftovers (S) leftover Jalapeno Popper burgers
Mon (yoga) leftover hummus
Tues - Eggs and Kale skillet
Wed - Roast chicken Bahn-mi
Thurs (yoga) leftovers
Fri - leftovers


Creamy Broccoli and Apple Salad (Turning Back the Clock Blog) vegetarian
It was my intent to make this for lunches for the previous week, but things got wonky; I didn't get it made, work had a potluck...yeah. So I assembled this while the Husband was off helping build a friends garage. It takes about 20-30 minutes from pulling stuff out of the fridge to tossing in a bowl. Less if you use packaged, pre-cut broccoli (which I don't). I julienned baby carrots instead of shredded and I skipped the red onion completely. Not a fan in my salads.

Refreshing, easy, perfect for lunches during hot weather. This would also be great for a potluck. Recommended! 

Serves about 5ish as a main-dish. 10-12 as a side.

photo from Turning Back the Clock

4 cups fresh broccoli florets (about 2 medium heads)
2 large apples, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp Lemon juice (about half a lemon)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise,
1/2 cup Greek yogurt [plain]
1/8 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Sugar

In a large bowl, place the broccoli, apples, cranberries, pecans, onion and shredded carrot.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, salt, pepper, sugar and lemon juice.

Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and mix until everything is coated. Serve!


Hummus with Slow-Roasted Vegetables (Eating Well, May 2019) vegetarian/vegan
When I saw this in Eating Well, I knew this was a "must make", it just took me a while to get around to it. I had one modification - I grilled the veggies (as directed for the oven - on a sheet pan). It has been too warm to have the oven going for an hour and the flavors a grill can add to veggies - no brainer. Toss'm on the grill!  Delish!

I LOVED this. Tangy, spicy, creamy hummus with roasted veggies and a side of warm lavash/pita (ooo! Naan would be stupendous!) was absolutely delicious! I will note, if you are not a garlic person, cut back on the garlic.  Seven cloves is enough to stay with you for hours to come and you won't have any problems with vampires.  If you are not a fan of jalapenos, skip.  This is a versatile dish - change up the veggies!

As for the za'atar, I did get a small bag from the bulk bin at the co-op as a trial taste-test. I've been hearing how wonderful this spice blend is, but I'm uncertain how much I'd use it. Stay tuned!

Recommended.

Serves 4. 

photo from Eating Well.com

2 small tomatoes
2 small onions, halved
2 large jalapeño peppers
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 teaspoons, divided
¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper
7 large cloves garlic, peeled, divided
1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
½ cup lemon juice
¼ cup tahini
2 large hard-boiled eggs, quartered
1 teaspoon za'atar (see Tip)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Place tomatoes, onions and jalapeños on the prepared pan. Drizzle with ¼ cup oil and stir to coat; sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes. Stir in 4 garlic cloves and continue roasting until the tomatoes are very soft and the onions are golden and tender, 25 to 30 minutes more.

Meanwhile, combine chickpeas, ¼ cup chickpea liquid, lemon juice, tahini, the remaining 3 garlic cloves and ¼ teaspoon salt in a food processor. Process, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread the hummus in a shallow bowl. Cut the tomatoes and jalapeños in half and place on top of the hummus, along with the onions, garlic and hard-boiled eggs. Sprinkle with za'atar and drizzle with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil.


Roast Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches (Eating Well, Jan/Feb 2019)
If you have leftover chicken (or turkey), these are a snap to make and assemble.  I had leftover rotisserie chicken, shredded and waiting in the freezer for something.  I was debating about the ubiquitous chicken salad for a couple meals, when I came across this recipe.   Perfect!

The "pickled" carrots and cucumber require a tich of pre-planning (you'll need about 30 minutes), but everything else can be assembled, ready and dishes cleaned up in the interim.   What was notable (for myself) was given the flavors of the pickled veggies, the flavored mayo, cilantro, and jalapeno - it was kinda a bland sandwich.  I'm glad I added some thinly sliced jalapeno because that added a nice bit of zing!  

Would I make these again?  Oh yes. Definitely.  Recommended.


Serves 4.

Photo from Eatingwell.com

1 cup water
1 cup rice vinegar
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1¼ cups matchstick carrots
1 cup thinly sliced unpeeled English cucumber
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ tablespoons lime juice
1¼ teaspoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 (16 ounce) baguette, cut into 4 portions
10 ounces pulled cooked chicken
1 cup cilantro sprigs
¼ cup thinly sliced seeded jalapeño pepper (optional)

Combine water, vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add carrots and cucumber; cook for 1 minute. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Drain.

Mix mayonnaise, lime juice, fish sauce and pepper in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Split baguette portions horizontally. Hollow out the tops and bottoms, leaving a ½-inch border.

Spread the mayonnaise mixture on the top halves. Layer chicken, the carrot mixture and cilantro on the bottom halves. Top with jalapeño, if desired.

Dog on It by Spencer Quinn (Chet and Bernie Mystery #1)

Dog on It by Spencer Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  Meet Chet, the wise and lovable canine narrator of Dog on It, who works alongside Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private investigator. Chet might have flunked out of police school ("I'd been the best leaper in K-9 class, which had led to all the trouble in a way I couldn't remember exactly, although blood was involved"), but he's a detective through and through.
In this, their first adventure, Chet and Bernie investigate the disappearance of Madison, a teenage girl who may or may not have been kidnapped, but who has definitely gotten mixed up with some very unsavory characters. A well-behaved, gifted student, she didn't arrive home after school and her divorced mother is frantic. Bernie is quick to take the case-something about a cash flow problem that Chet's not all that clear about-and he's relieved, if vaguely suspicious, when Madison turns up unharmed with a story that doesn't add up. But when she disappears for a second time in a week, Bernie and Chet aren't taking any chances; they launch a full-blown investigation. Without a ransom demand, they're not convinced it's a kidnapping, but they are sure of one thing: something smells funny.

Their search for clues takes them into the desert to biker bars and other exotic locals, with Chet's highly trained nose leading the way. Both Chet and Bernie bring their own special skills to the hunt, one that puts each of them in peril. But even as the bad guys try to turn the tables, this duo is nothing if not resourceful, and the result is an uncommonly satisfying adventure.

With his doggy ways and his endearingly hardboiled voice, Chet is full of heart and occasionally prone to mischief. He is intensely loyal to Bernie, who, though distracted by issues that Chet has difficulty understanding-like divorce, child custody, and other peculiar human concerns-is enormously likable himself, in his flawed, all-too-human way.

Read as an audio book.

This was a "new to me" mystery series that slots quite nicely into the "cozy" category. This is fun, it's brain candy, it's light, it's a summer read on the porch or for a rainy autumn afternoon curled up on the porch. It's improbable, and it totally works.

Best part about the book - Chet. This is Chet's story, told from his very doggie point of view. So enjoyable! So very dog-like.

The Mystery - So so. Through Chet, the reader knows what is going on, and it's a matter of waiting for the Humans to catch up.

Least favorite part - the pound. Just, no. Not in my feel good stories with animals.

If you are looking for something light for vacation or travel, for a lazy afternoon, a story that can easily be put down and picked back up again, this might be a strong possibility. If you have dogs, you'll completely relate. If you don't have dogs, this is a pretty darn good anthropomorphization of a dog. Recommended.



View all my reviews

Recipe Review from 7/28/2019 and 8/5/2019

Double review today. Last week got away from me and I didn't get my posting done in time. And looking back at my meal plan, I didn't have anything written down. WTHeck?! I know we ate, just not sure what.


The Meal Plan from 7/28
Sat - fish tacos
Sun - leftovers from co-op
Mon (yoga/bkgrp) quinoa salad from co-op
Tues - leftover tacos
Wed (potluck at work)
Thurs (yoga/Subaru in for repairs) - Texas Roadhouse
Fri - I think we had a take-n-bake pizza...

The Meal Plan from 8/5
Sat(L) leftover Texas Roadhouse (S) Chef Salads
Sun(L) Chef Salads (S) Salmon Pasta Salad
Mon (yoga) - leftover pasta salad
Tues - leftover pasta salad
Wed - more leftovers!
Thurs (yoga) grilled pork steak and corn on the cob
Fri - Jalapeno popper burgers

Fish Tacos - my own "recipe". Bought some pico de gallo from the co-op (LOVE this stuff!). Seasoned and grilled a salmon fillet. Tossed some red cabbage with a bit of olive oil and lemon juice. Served in a soft shell flour tortilla.

Salmon pasta salad - I think I posted this recipe previously on this blog. This is a recipe the Husband found it years ago. Salmon (grilled, baked, or 3-5oz vacuum sealed pkgs), box of shell pasta, celery, carrots, red pepper, and kalmata olives tossed in a vinaigrette dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, salt pepper and a bit of sugar to balance everything out.  Grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. 

Jalapeno Popper Burgers (Eating Well, July/August 2019)
These were tasty enough, something different at any rate.  A small recipe gripe - do they really need to put addin ketchup in the directions?  Why not add the lettuce and tomato as well because those are in the picture?  Ah well.

Simple enough, a bit messy to assemble - I seemed to use a fair number of bowls and platters for this.  I recommend using wax paper or plastic wrap to make the "cheese patties".  Not as spicy as I would have expected, but had a lovely zing!  I used pork instead of beef (not a fan) and that was the only thing I changed.

Serves 4.

3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

Photo from EatingWell.com

¾ cup shredded spicy cheese, such as chipotle Cheddar or pepper Jack (See Tip)
1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 pound ground sirloin (I used ground pork)
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
4 whole-wheat hamburger buns
¼ cup ketchup (I used BBQ sauce)

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Combine cream cheese, shredded cheese and jalapeño in a medium bowl, stirring and mashing with a fork. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form each into a 3-inch disk. Form sirloin into four patties about 4 inches wide and ½ inch thick. Season with salt.

Grill the burgers until almost done, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place a cheese disk on each and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a burger registers 160°F and the cheese starts to melt, 1 to 2 minutes more. During the last few minutes, toast buns on the grill.

Top each burger with 1 tablespoon ketchup and serve on the buns.

Recipe Tip: These days, more flavored Cheddar cheeses (like jalapeño, chipotle or habanero) are filling up the specialty cheese section. But easy-to-find pepper Jack works great in this recipe too.

Minimum Wage Magic by Rachel Aaron (DFZ #1)

Minimum Wage Magic by Rachel Aaron

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Jacket Blurb:  The DFZ, the metropolis formerly known as Detroit, is the world’s most magical city with a population of nine million and zero public safety laws. That’s a lot of mages, cybernetically enhanced chrome heads, and mythical beasties who die, get into debt, and otherwise fail to pay their rent. When they can’t pay their bills, their stuff gets sold to the highest bidder to cover the tab.

That’s when they call me. My name is Opal Yong-ae, and I’m a Cleaner: a freelance mage with an art history degree who’s employed by the DFZ to sort through the mountains of magical junk people leave behind. It’s not a pretty job, or a safe one—there’s a reason I wear bite-proof gloves—but when you’re deep in debt in a lawless city where gods are real, dragons are traffic hazards, and buildings move around on their own, you don’t get to be picky about where your money comes from. You just have to make it work, even when the only thing of value in your latest repossessed apartment is the dead body of the mage who used to live there.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:
This is the first in a new series set in the same universe as my Heartstrikers books, but you don’t need to have read those stories to enjoy this one. MINIMUM WAGE MAGIC was written to stand by itself, so if you haven’t read the others, don’t worry! I wrote this book with you in mind. I hope you’ll give it a try, and thank you so much for reading!

 
Round up to 3.5 stars.
Read as an audio book

This is set in the same universe as the Heartstriker series by the same author, but placed after the events in Book 3 from what I can ascertain. I've reviewed the first three Heartstriker books previously on Goodreads and this blog, I enjoyed those with some caveats, and thought I'd give this one a try.


I think I enjoyed this a tich more, only because the info dumps were small. Oh, so much less info dumping! This isn't to say our main character Ms Opal doesn't ramble on, she does, it's just much less than Julius Heartstriker.

As with the authors other books, our main character - Opal Yong-ae - has gotten herself into a pickle and her back against the wall. She's in dire straights financially and has until the end of the week to come up with the money she owes her controlling father. The harder she tries to dig herself out of the situation, the worse things get.

I'll start with aspects that I didn't care for - the repetitive commentary. As I noted above, nothing like the Heartstriker series, but still enough for me to go Ho-hum more than once. This was especially notable during "intense" events, when Opal was convinced she was about to die - then cue the internal monologue and wait for ten minutes for the conflict resolution. The astute reader will easily pick up on Opal's string of bad luck and figure out why, a bit of a gimme and could have been handled more deftly. From a audio narration standpoint - Sybil's "voice" was just grating and I had hard time believing a Companion AI could even behave in such a manner. The whole Sybil aspect didn't work for me, actually.

What I enjoyed was the freshness of this story line - a different take on this alternate reality where magic has returned and dragons and spirits rule. There were some interesting twists thrown in to keep me engaged in Opal's adventures. The ending was predictable - this really could only end one way - but, a delightful resolution to Opal's situation really made listening to this a treat. Overall, this was light, the plot was interesting, and delightfully different.

Recommended if you enjoyed the Heartstriker series. Recommended if you want to try a new urban fantasy/alternate reality fantasy.



View all my reviews

No recipe review and My favorite cooking shows

Last week was a bit helter-skelter due to a three day, out of town, work training, followed by the appearance of the contractors to re-do our roof and install new siding. It's been a bit..chaotic to say the least.

The Meal Plan (or lack there of):
Mon - out
Tues - out
Wed - grilled pork chops and instant potatoes
Thurs - take-n-bake pizza
Friday - wienie wraps and tater tots!
Sat (L) SW Quinoa salad from the co-op (S) wienie wraps and tater tots!

Okay, I confess, one of my comfort foods is old fashioned hot dogs baked in a crescent roll.  And because I have to heat up the oven anyway, I might as well make tater tots! I adore tater tots!

Since there are no recipes to discuss, here's what I've been watching for foodie shows on Create TV (one of our PBS stations):

America's Test Kitchen and Cooks Country
Both these shows continue to engage me. Now that Julie and Bridget have settled into their roles as Host's/Moderators, their banter with each other and others is a hoot. The variety of stuff ATK and Cook's demonstrates continues to intrigue me, I find their product reviews fascinating (when in doubt, by OXO) and the taste tests are probably my favorite.

I do find Cooks Country to have the more approachable recipes, with ingredients I can (probably) find in my corner of the world.  

Lidia Bastianich - Lidia's Kitchen
If you are not familiar with Lidia, she explores the country of Italy through her family and food.  She does a wide variety of approachable family style meals for all occasions.  I enjoy her approach, her dialog, and attempts to teach the audience Italian.  I've had mixed success with the few recipes of hers I tried. 


Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen
The Husband got me hooked on Kevin's show, which lead to one cookbook, which lead to a second cookbook, which lead to planning a trip to New Orleans this fall.  Kevin is a hoot to watch, he has a laid back approach - almost too much so sometimes - and his recipes are wonderful.  Assuming you can get  some of the ingredients, which I can't up here at the opposite end of the Mississippi.  Does that stop me?  Oh heck no!  I'm looking forward to when my local PBS station shows season 3. 


Jamie Oliver   5 Ingredient Meals
I've only caught a handful of episodes, but call me intrigued.  Now 5 ingredients doesn't always mean "fast" per se.  A couple of these were assemble, pop in the oven for 1-3 hours, then eat.  Still, using 5 basic ingredients, assemble and walk away?  It has merit.  I struggle to access his website (I get "turn on cookies!" messages), so I may check out his cookbook from the library and take it for a test run. 



Nick Stellino - A Storyteller in the Kitchen
This is the show PBS Create is currently running.  Not my favorite Nick Stellino season if only because the lighting is harsh against the backdrop of his cupboards and there is less food making and, well, more talking.  I like the talking with the food making.   I enjoy Nick's banter and his approach to assembling food.  I've made a handful of his recipes and have enjoyed them.  Thanks to Nick, I also found an improved way to cook garlic. 







Sara Moulton  Weeknight Meals
I quite enjoy Sara's TV presence and her meals come across as approachable with ingredients I can (mostly) find in my corner of the world.  I appreciate her honesty (admitting she's pastry impaired and it's okay if  your pie dough doesn't come out perfectly round) and she has some interesting tips.   I was quite pleased to hear her on the Milk Street Podcast with Christopher Kimball helping Chris dispense cooking advice to callers.  









Pati Jinich Pati's Mexican Table 
Best opening song of the cooking shows!  (Humming it in my head right now...)  Initially I bounced of Pati's show.  There was something about her approach that, I dunno, kinda rubbed me the wrong way.  As I've watched more episodes, I've come to really enjoy the tie in to Mexico  and how she takes the viewer to all sorts of wonderful places!  I've also come to enjoy watching her pull her kids into the kitchen and have her help.  Imagine what these kids are going to know about cooking when they are grown and flown!   I haven't tried any of her recipes (but I would like to!), mostly because trying to find the chilies and spices in Northern MN isn't going to happen and some of her dishes are more involved than I care to tackle at this moment in time.   But darn do they look good!

Recipe Review from 7/14/2019

A somewhat robust recipe week, but everything was super simple and made enough for two meals (with the exception of the pizza).  Raided the freezer toward the end of the week for bacon for the BLT's.  And everything was a winner - I would make this menu and/or recipes again in a heartbeat.

The Meal Plan
Sat (L)  Family get-together  (S)  Poached Chicken Salad
Sun (L)  leftovers         (S)  Summer Veggies and Noodles
Mon (yoga)  leftover noodles
Tues - Avocado Sandwiches
Wed - Pizza with Proscuitto
Thurs (yoga) - leftover sandwiches
Fri - BLT's with Egg and Avocado

Lunches - turkey and ham wraps with fruit and cherry tomatoes



Poached Chicken and Arugula Salad with Tomatoes and Chili Crisp (Eating Well, July/Aug 2019)  gluten free

I basically made as directed, except I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  I will note - the chicken would be much better on the grill than poached.  You could also sub some cooked shrimp or even tofu.

For the dressing, I bought a tbsp of sumac and tbsp of fennel seeds because I did not have these on hand nor did I want to purchase a small tub.   I also don't have chili oil, so I added a splash of garlic chili paste for the heat.   Worked just dandy. 

One cup of arugula just isn't enough.  Add some extra hearty greens like swiss chard, kale or spinach.  Don't skip the fresh herbs in this dish, they really pull everything together.  I don't say this very often, but the mint with the dressing was fantastic.   Recommended!

Serves 4

photo from eatingwell.com

2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts
3 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 small white onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 large ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup arugula or other flavorful leafy greens, woody stems trimmed
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
½ cup fresh mint leaves

Dressing
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon spicy chili crisp or chile oil
1 tablespoon ground sumac
¾ teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
¾ teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon onion or garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper

To prepare chicken and onion: Place chicken and bay leaves in a large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Adjust heat to maintain a simmer, cover and simmer until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part without touching bone reaches 165°F, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board.

Meanwhile, soak onion in ice water for 1 minute; drain and pat dry.

To prepare dressing: Whisk oil, lemon juice, chili crisp (or chile oil), sumac, coriander and fennel seeds, cardamom, onion (or garlic) powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the meat. Add the shredded chicken and any accumulated juices to the dressing, along with tomatoes and the onion; toss to coat. Add arugula (or greens), basil, cilantro and mint; toss again. Arrange on a large platter so the chicken, tomatoes and onions are distributed throughout the greens (and not sitting at the bottom).

Recipe Notes: To make ahead: Refrigerate dressing (Step 3) for up to 3 days.


Summer Vegetables and Sesame Noodles (Eating Well, July/Aug 2019)  vegetarian
I really enjoyed this dish - and what was neat was I had all the ingredients (minus the ponzu - but I followed the tip).  I did some notable substitutions - I subbed whole wheat spaghetti for the soba noodles because my store didn't have soba.  I did by pre-spiralized zucchini as I don't own a spiralizer.  And I already noted, I followed the tip for "making" ponzu.

This has fresh flavors, it's easy for a weeknight, and it doesn't heat up the kitchen during the hot summer months.  Perfect for a meal out on the porch.  Leftovers were just as tasty as day of - this would be great for lunches too.  Recommended!

Served 4.

1 medium yellow squash

photo from eatingwell.com

1 medium zucchini
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
8 ounces soba noodles (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
¼ cup ponzu sauce (see tip below)
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
3 scallions, sliced  (skipped)
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Put a large saucepan of water on to boil.

Spiralize squash and zucchini into medium-thick "noodles." (Alternatively, cut them lengthwise into long, thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Stop when you reach the seeds in the middle—seeds make the strips fall apart.) Place the vegetable noodles and corn in a large colander.

Cook soba noodles in the boiling water according to package directions. Pour over the vegetables in the colander to drain. Meanwhile, combine ponzu, tahini, oil, vinegar and salt in a large bowl. Add the soba and vegetable noodles to the bowl along with tomatoes and scallions. Toss to combine.

Serve topped with sesame seeds.

Recipe tip: Ponzu, a Japanese soy sauce blend, gets complex flavor from tangy vinegar and citrus, plus some have added umami-packed fish flakes and seaweed. If you're vegan, look for a brand that skips the fish or make a substitute by combining 2 Tbsp. each soy sauce and lemon juice with a splash of rice vinegar.

Avocado and White Bean Sandwiches (Eating Well July/Aug 2019) vegetarian
The beauty of this dish lies in it's simplicity. Avocado and beans on bread - so simple it's one of those "why didn't I think of this!?" dishes. This is perfect for a light lunch or supper when those temps and humidity are much to high to much of anything in the kitchen.  When served along side some fresh fruit - perfection!

This would also be good for a work lunch - pack the avocado mixture in it's own little tub and assemble at Noon. For suppers for two of us, I just saved half of the mixture covered in saran-wrap in a glass bowl, and it was just fine for the next night.

One item of note - I didn't need four cups of lettuce. If the lettuce is too thick, when you bite into the sandwich, the avocado mixture spoots out the sides. Recommended!

Serves 4

2 medium avocados

photo from eatingwell.com

1 (15 ounce) can white beans, rinsed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
8 slices whole-wheat bread, toasted
1 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed
8 thin slices sharp Cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces)
4 cups baby lettuce

Mash avocados, beans, lemon juice, oil, garlic, thyme and pepper in a medium bowl until well combined but still slightly chunky. Divide among 4 slices of bread ( ½ cup each). Top each sandwich with ¼ cup red peppers, 2 slices cheese, 1 cup lettuce and the remaining bread.



Pizza with Prosciutto and Corn (Eating Well, July/Aug 2019)
I never used to make much with arugula in it, and now the last couple of weeks, I've had it in several dishes and on TWO pizzas!  Yes!  It's back this week on another pizza! 

The directions below really make this simple dish complicated.  I rolled out my dough, did a "blind bake" (or grill in this case) for 10 minutes (I find I get better results when I bake my crust for 10 minutes before put the toppings on),  slather the oil and garlic mixture all over the crust, sprinkle with prosciutto, corn and cheese, bake/grill for another 10, and add the arugula and basil.  Serve! 

I am totally making this again. 

Served 2 with a couple little pieces of leftovers.

photo from eatingwell.com

1 pound pizza dough, preferably whole-wheat
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 ounce very thinly sliced prosciutto, torn into 1-inch pieces
1½ cups arugula
½ cup torn fresh basil
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Preheat grill to medium-high. (Or to bake instead, see Tips.)

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch oval. Transfer to a lightly floured large baking sheet.

Combine 1 tablespoon oil and garlic in a small bowl. Bring the dough, the garlic oil, cheese, corn and prosciutto to the grill. Oil the grill rack (see Tips). Transfer the crust to the grill. Grill the dough until puffed and lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip the crust over and spread the garlic oil on it.

Top with the cheese, corn and prosciutto. Grill, covered, until the cheese is melted and the crust is lightly browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes more. Return the pizza to the baking sheet. Top the pizza with arugula, basil and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Recipe Tips: No grill? No problem! Place the crust on a large oiled baking sheet, spread garlic oil on it and top with cheese, corn and prosciutto. Bake at 450°F until the crust is golden on the bottom and the cheese is melted, 18 to 20 minutes. Top with arugula, basil and pepper. Drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. 

To oil your hot grill rack, soak a paper towel with vegetable oil and hold it with tongs to rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)

Recipe Review from 7/7/2015

Another busy week.  Another fabulous week weather wise.  I've been getting in some porch time, but not quite enough garden time.  Several recipes to report on this week - I am greatly enjoying Eating Well's recipes right now! 

The Meal Plan
Sat (L) Leftover shrimp boil   (S) Grilled Romaine salad  (oops!  reviewed last post)
Sun (L) Leftover salad   (S) Grilled Salmon
Mon (yoga)  Leftover salmon
Tues - Pizza!
Wed - Mojito chicken kebabs
Thurs (yoga) - leftovers
Fri  - grilled pork chops and potatoes

Breakfast - wild rice and yogurt with fruit
Lunches - wraps

Grilled Salmon with Curried Yogurt and Cucumbers (Eating Well, July/Aug 2019)   gluten free
A lovely easy recipe that's good for hot summer evenings.

A couple of notebles - I farted buying cilantro and shallot, so I grilled a bit of red onion to sub for the shallot.  Nothing to do about the cilantro, it has such a unique flavor profile subbing something else really doesn't work.  If you don't like cilantro, leaving it out works just fine.

I'm not a fan of cucumbers, so I subbed zucchini (raw).  1/2 cup wasn't enough, so I bumped it up to one cup.

I converted the leftovers into a salad the next evening - also delicious!  Leftover dressing was used as a dip for veggies.   Recommended!

Serves 4

1¼ pounds sustainable wild or farmed salmon, cut into 4 portions

photo from eatingwell.com

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
½ cup sliced cucumber  1 cup sliced zucchini
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons minced shallot
½ cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon curry powder

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Brush salmon with 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the salmon, turning once, until just cooked through, about 6 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine cucumber, cilantro and shallot with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, curry powder and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Serve the salmon with the yogurt sauce and the cucumber salad.

Recipe Tip: To oil your hot grill rack, soak a paper towel with vegetable oil and hold it with tongs to rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) 


Chopped Salad Pizza with Sausage (Eating Well, May 2019)
I had arugula and romaine lettuce in the fridge, I had Italian sausage in the freezer, co-op makes a fantastic pizza dough, all I needed was some feta and crushed tomatoes.

Except I grabbed a can of diced tomatoes and I didn't want to make another stop and get crushed  So I drained 1/2 cup of the diced, mooshed them  little, and spread over the dough.  Perfect!   I do pre-bake my pizza crust, cooking for about 10 minutes before adding any toppings.  I get better results and a fully baked crust.

This was very tasty.  The lettuce and dressing were surprisingly good and really complimented the tangy sausage.   If I were to make this again (and I totally would), I probably would not put the salad on the whole pizza, so if there were any leftovers, the lettuce wouldn't be wilty.  Though the Husband did say it was "fine" so maybe I could just top as normal?  Hm....

Serves "4" (In reality- served 2 with leftovers for 1)

4 ounces Italian turkey sausage (1-2 links), removed from casing (I used regular pork sausage)
1 pound whole-wheat pizza dough

photo from eatingwell.com

½ cup canned crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (I used provolone)
½ cup crumbled feta cheese, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
3 cups baby arugula
3 cups chopped Little Gem lettuce (see Tip)

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimless baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cook sausage in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes.

Roll pizza dough into a 13-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to the prepared pan.

Spread tomatoes over the dough, leaving a ¼- to ½-inch border and sprinkle with mozzarella and ¼ cup feta. Top with the sausage. Bake the pizza until the crust is golden brown and crisp and the cheeses are melted, 15 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk oil, lemon juice, honey and crushed red pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup feta. When the pizza is ready, add arugula and lettuce to the dressing and toss to coat. Top the pizza with the greens and cut into 6 slices.

Recipe notes: Little Gem lettuce looks like a ruffly mini head of romaine. Find it at grocery stores and farmers' markets in the spring and summer. If it's not available, substitute romaine.



Mojito Marinated Chicken Kebabs (Eating Well, July/August 2019)   gluten free
This was easy to pull together, totally reminded me of a mojito, and was perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.   A couple of substitutions below - I don't have and I didn't want to buy white rum, so I subbed brandy.  Tequila would probably work well too.  I don't have and didn't want to buy agave syrup, so I subbed honey.  Real maple syrup would probably work just fine too. 

I did add some sliced zucchini to the grill for some extra veggies.   With the leftovers, we cooked up some rice and I served with lemon wedges.  Very tasty!  Recommended.

Serves 4 (if you add some veggies or rice to the meal)

½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, plus more for garnish

photo from eatingwell.com

3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white rum (I used brandy)
2 teaspoons agave syrup   (I used honey)

1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium red onions
Lime wedges for serving

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Combine mint, lime juice, oil, rum, agave, ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper in a mini food processor. Pulse until well incorporated, about 15 seconds. Reserve 2 tablespoons for serving; pour the rest into a medium bowl.

Add chicken and toss to coat. Let stand for 10 minutes. Cut onions into 1-inch rounds, then into quarters. Thread the onions and chicken onto separate skewers. (Save the leftover marinade.)
Grill the chicken for 8 minutes. Turn and brush with the leftover marinade and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 8 minutes more.

Grill the onions, turning occasionally, until slightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Sprinkle the chicken and onions with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and drizzle with the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade. Serve with lime wedges and more mint, if desired.