My Nephew is a Treasure

It is now time to celebrate my nephew’s birthday. In his honor I would like to mention a series of books. I grew up with the book The Key to the Treasure by Peggy Parish. Our copy of this book is actually a bit of a family heirloom. The children in the book solve an old family mystery and find a hidden treasure. My nephew discovered a treasure of his own when he found out that the author wrote several books with the same children. Read The Key to the Treasure, then try Clues in the Woods or The Haunted House. These books are definitely worth your time.

Happy Birthday

In honor of my niece, Anna, I am highlighting the following book. Bats at the Library, by Brian Lies, is a fun children’s book about a colony of bats that visit the library one night when a window is left open. I think that the pictures are clever. As a book lover, it is fun to see so many well known stories highlighted. Happy Birthday Anna!

Make it. Eat it. Love it.

These are the best cookies ever….EVER! One of the things I love about them is how fun they are to make.

Chocolaty Caramel Thumbprints

Ingredients
1 egg
½ cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
16 vanilla caramels, unwrapped
3 tbsp whipping cream
1 ¼ cup finely chopped pecans
½ cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1 tsp shortening

1. Separate egg; place yolk and white in separate bowls. Cover and chill egg white until needed. In a large mixing bowl bear butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and bear well. Beat in egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.
2. In another bowl stir together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and bear until well combined. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill about 2 hours or until easy to handle.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet. In a small saucepan heat and stir caramels and whipping cream over low heat until mixture is smooth. Set aside.
4. Slightly beat reserved egg white. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in egg white, then in pecans to coat. Place balls 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Using your thumb, make an indention in the center of each cookie.
5. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove from oven. Spoon melted caramel mixture into cookie centers (if necessary, reheat caramel mixture to keep it spoonable.) Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
6. In another small saucepan heat and stir chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Let cool slightly. Drizzle chocolate mixture over tops of cookies. Let stand until chocolate is set.

A - B - C

A. I finished The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. I must say it was a unique reading experience. Let me explain. Normally when I read a book I either like the book and can’t put it down, or I don’t like the book and therefore can barely bring myself to read it. With this book I will honestly say that I really liked it. I thought that the author addressed the Salem witch trials in a new and unique way. The characters were fascinating and the intertwining of the two plots was wonderful. The odd thing was I could put it down. I would read, loving every minute of it, and then put the book down for days. When I came back to it, I was once again totally engrossed in the novel.


B. I reread Persuasion by Jane Austin. It is undoubtedly one of my favorite Jane Austin books. If you haven’t read it you should. I believe that this novel is often overlooked and it shouldn’t be. It is the tender story of a young woman, Anne, who was persuaded not to marry a man she loved. I am sure that you will find Anne as interesting a character as I do.


C. Mom was requesting a recipe so I am including one. This is one that I tried while I was not eating any sugar or starchy foods. It is a very simple salad that is surprisingly filling. You can make a larger individual salad and have this alone, or use it as a smaller salad with dinner. This comes from a Pampered Chef cookbook.
Pecan-Crusted Mozzarella Salad
1/3 cup pecan halves
1/2 oz Parmesan Cheese, grated
½ 16-oz log fresh mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 cup grape tomatoes
6 cups mixed green salad blend
1. Cut and coat mozzarella
Finely chop pecans. Slice mozzarella cheese into eight rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Place flour in first coating tray. Lightly beat egg in second tray. Combine pecans, parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in third tray. Lightly dredge each mozzarella round in flower, shaking off excess; dip into egg and them into pecan mixture, coating evenly.
2. Cook mozzarella rounds
Add oil to skillet; heat over medium heat 1-3 minutes or until simmering. Cook mozzarella rounds 1-2 minutes on each side or until coating is golden brown and cheese begins to soften around edges.
3. Prepare vinaigrette and serve
Add vinaigrette and mustard in small bowl; whisk until well blended. Cut tomatoes in half. Divide mixed greens and tomatoes among serving plates; drizzle with vinaigrette and top with mozzarella rounds.

Don't Look at Me

This, by the way, is exactly what I always said would happen. I would create the blog – under protest – and then have absolutely nothing to blog about. Days would pass: no update. Weeks even—still nothing. All the while there would be comments from family to post something new. There is just one problem. Nothing new has happened. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Not a very exciting blog is it. You only have yourselves to blame.

(Happy 4th of July!)

I Give Up

I've caved. I've folded. I've crumbled under the pressure. You win. Here it is - my blog.


Now what?


How about a book review? (It should not surprise any of you that the first thing I blog about is a book.) I just finished The Last Olympian. I liked it. It is the 5th book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I highly recommend this series to anyone who liked the Harry Potter books, parents of young readers and their children, and those who enjoy youth fantasy. The books are an easier read than the Harry Potter books but delightful in their own way. The premise, that Greek mythology is real and simply shifts to wherever the heart of Western civilization is, brings Mt. Olympus to to top of the Empire State Building and the Gateway to the Underworld in Los Angeles. Read the books; You'll like them.


I'm starting a new book, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane. This was recommended by the Hygienist in my dental office. It sounded interesting - apparently switching back and forth between modern times a the seventh-century witch trial era. I'll let you know how it goes.