Lasagna w/ Turkey Meat Sauce

This week for #SundaySupper we are featuring recipes from the new cookbook by Katie Workman, The Mom 100 Cookbook.  This is actually the second of three times the group will be doing this, but I jumped in just after the first event, so it's my first go at the book.

When I saw the group would be cooking with Katie, I picked up the book from my library. I knew they had it because I remembered seeing it on the "new" shelf not long before.  As hard as it is for me to keep my mouth shut about the book (because I really, REALLY want to tell you all about it), I'm going to.  Just because I want to devote a whole post entirely to a review of the book - and that would just be repetetive.  So I won't.

I will tell  you that I've already made six things from it in the past couple of weeks.  And enjoyed everything.  For today's #SundaySupper event, I decided to share my slightly adapted version of Katie's Lasagna and Turkey Meat Sauce.

I went out and picked up a couple of foil pans (because I wanted to make two and test out the freezing capabilities) and got to work.  But it wasn't hard work.  It was actually fairly simple.  And entirely enjoyable.  How 'bout I just tell you that THIS lasagna is  now my go-to lasagna.  I mean, lasagna's are all fairly similar.  But the sauce and the proportions make great please-pretty-much-everybody meals.

I hope you'll scroll down to the bottom of the post when you're done checking out the recipe to see some other fantastic recipes from this book.  And pay close attention to our #SundaySupper live Twitter chat time - we'll be giving away 3 copies of this cookbook. Plus, we'll be chatting live with the author herself, Katie Workman later tonight.

Turkey Meat Sauce

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: simmer entree condiment turkey tomatoes American Italian

Ingredients (~1 gallon)

• olive oil
• 1 lb. ground turkey (85/15)
• 1 lb. hot turkey sausage (raw, bulk)
• 1 lb. sweet turkey sausage (raw, bulk)
• ~1½ c. chopped onion
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 6 fat cloves garlic, minced
• ~1 Tbs. dried Oregano
• ~2 tsp. dried Basil
• couple glugs of wine (white or red)
• 4 (28 oz.) cans crushed tomatoes in puree
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add all three types of turkey and cook, stirring often to break up and combine meat, until browned through, ~8 minutes. Pour into a strainer set over a grease "holder" and let drain.

Using the same pot, heat another good glug dd onions and shallots and saute until soft, ~5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and basil and cook for 2 minutes more. Add wine and coook for another minute, scraping the fond from the bottom of the pot, until liquid evaporates.

Add tomatoes and red pepper flakes and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and let mixture come to a simmer. Let cook for ~10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the drained turkey mixture to the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until thickened, ~20 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. The amount you add will really depend on the spices in the turkey sausage you used.

Use as needed for lasagna or pasta and/or store any unused portion. Cool rapidly by spreading out in a couple of shallow pans. Transfer to jars, containers, or storage bags. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

notes:

One recipe (~1 gallon) is enough for two pans of lasagna with enough left over to toss with about a pound (dried weight) of pasta.

adapted from The Mom 100 Cookbook

Lasagna with Turkey Meat Sauce

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Keywords: bake entree pasta American Italian

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• 3 large eggs
• ~32 oz. ricotta cheese
• 1 tsp. dried Basil
• 2 tsp. dried Oregano
• 1 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• ~6 c. Turkey Meat Sauce
• 12 no-boil Lasagna sheets
• 1 lb. (4 c.) shredded mozzarella

Instructions

If you are baking the lasagna right away, preheat oven to 375° F.

Place eggs in a medium bowl and lightly beat. Stir in ricotta, basil, oregano, and three-quarters of the Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle some of the sauce into the bottom of a 9"x13" baking dish. Place 4 lasagna noodles across the bottom of the dish, overlapping if necessary. Spread ⅓ of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Spoon about 1½ cups of the sauce on the top, spreading to cover the ricotta. Sprinkle ⅓ of the mozzarella over that. Repeat two more times (so that you have three layers of noodles, ricotta, sauce, and cheese - not counting that sauce on the bottom of the pan). Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top.

Spray one side of a sheet of aluminum foil with pan spray (this will keep the cheese from sticking). Cover the lasagna pan (sprayed side down) with the foil.

Place lasagna pan onto a sheet tray (to catch any drips) and slide into preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour, removing foil after 30 minutes. Allow to sit for ~15 minutes before cutting, so that it has time to "set up".

notes:

I like making 2 pans of lasagna at a time. One for now, and one for later. Simply double the recipe. If you've already made the Turkey Meat Sauce, you'll have enough for 2 pans, anyway...and then some. This is why I like making them in foil pans (still 9"x13"). Just label and date the foil and slide one (or more) into the freezer until you need it.

If you're feeling especially industrious, try doubling the meat sauce and stocking up your freezer - that will get you 5 pans of lasagna. Great in a pinch or if a friend or loved one needs a meal, as well.

You can also hold the lasagna in the fridge for a day or two before baking, if you need to. Just slide into the oven and bake when you're ready for it. It'll seem a bit watery, as the juices seep out as it sits, but it'll all meld back together nicely once it bakes.

If you have the space, try laying out all of the sheets of lasagna and spreading them evenly with the ricotta mixture BEFORE layering (this is tip from Katie Workman). Then you simply have to lay in the sheets when assembling the lasagna. I don't have space to do this, so I don't - but I like the idea.

adapted from The Mom 100 Cookbook

Bimbunuelos & Bits (sort-of) ...made from TortillaLand Tortillas

So when I think about the food that goes with summer, all sorts of images pop into my head.  Ripe, juicy tomatoes plucked straight from the plant.  Ears of corn on the cob that have been grilled or charred over an open fire and then slathered in crema, rolled in cotija, sprinkled with chile, and doused with lime.  Brats on a bun that have been smothered in onions cooked alongside them in a foil pouch on the grill.  Good ol' burgers and dogs.  Barbecued ribs that leave a sticky smile on your face and finger-lickin' madness.  Tender grilled cactus paddles alongside knob onions and thin strips of grilled skirt steak that tastes super garlicky.

And then there's a plethora of sandwiches, beans, potato and macaroni salads, zucchini-anything, and piles upon piles of tropical fruit piled in piles of glistening rainbows just daring you to pass them by.  Let's not forget those beautiful cold treats on a stick like popsicles and paletas, ice cream bars, and push-pops.  Or ice cream dripping so fast down the cone that you're racing to eat it before the ants get a sticky treat to play in for the rest of the day.  Milkshakes and slushies and ice cold cocktails with umbrellas peeking out.  Sweaty pitchers of lemonade.  Coolers packed with ice and beer.

Oh yeah.  That's summer.

But there's something else.  Some other variety of food that sends tickles of anticipation up and down my spine when I know Summer is getting near.  A class of food and eating all unto itself.  FAIR FOOD!  Oh yeah.  Fried pickles and cheese curds.  Ginormous corndogs.  A foot-long stick of frozen strawberries dipped in chocolate and rolled in sprinkles.  Smoked turkey legs bigger than your head.  Artery-clogging goodies like deep-fried candy bars and twinkies.  Chunks of tender steak cooked right in front of you with potatoes, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms and then tumbled together into a cardboard boat - begging to be doused in house-made steak sauce.

My mouth is watering so badly right now that I wouldn't be able to speak if I tried.

But maybe the MOST indicative fair food of the summer - for me - is that hot, just fried "ear" of dough that has been rolled in cinnamon and sugar and handed to me in a paper sleeve.  Crisp on the outside and soft and tender on the inside.  Each bite fires pleasure-inducing neurons to my brains and sweet, gritty sugar down the front of my shirt.  If I close my eyes, I can feel the live music from the grandstand...see the colorful bags and handmade bracelets and necklaces tucked under the tents...hear the laughter of the people around me...and bask in the sun kissing my nose and my cheeks and my shoulders.

THAT is summer.

So when I was handed the opportunity to try some more TortillaLand Tortillas (again) and I tried to figure out something indicative of summer to make with them, I hemmed and hawed and couldn't quite decide.  Until, that is I conjured up memories of summers past.  Elephant Ears.  Fried Dough of any sort, really.  My mind was made up.  Just one bite - heck, just one smell - takes me back to the fairs and festivals of summers past.  The hubs says they remind him of the Bimbunuelos of his childhood.  The kids (of course) loved them.  Summer lovin' at its finest.

Try TortillaLand Tortillas for anything, though - it doesn't have to be these.  Next to homemade, these are the BEST flour tortillas you'll find.  I think so, anyway.

Bimbunuelos & Bits

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Keywords: fry snack dessert vegetarian American Mexican summer

Ingredients (serves 5)

• 5 TortillaLand Tortillas (uncooked)
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• freshly grated nutmeg
• coconut oil or vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions

Use a small paring knife or some sort of "cutter" to cut some designs from the uncooked tortillas. Traditionally, these have wedges cut from them, so that they look like wagon wheels. I used an apple corer to cut random circles in them this time. Save the "bits" you cut out, as well.

Combine sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a pie plate. Set another pie plate next to it for later.

Pour oil in a large pan w/ sides to a depth of ~½". Heat until it begins to smell hot and shimmers.

Using tongs, carefully slide one cut tortilla round into the hot oil. Fry until bubbly and golden, flipping when the bottom is done. This will take a total of about 30 seconds. Lift out of the oil and let as much of the oil drip back into the pan as possible. Set hot bimbunuelo into the pie pan with the sugar mixture.

Turn other pie pan upside down on top of that pan and gently flip over a few times, in order to coat both sides of the bimbunuelo. Carefully lift out of sugar mixture and shake off excess.

Repeat with remaining tortilla rounds. Fry the bits of dough that you cut from the tortilla rounds last; they will only take a few seconds (have a slotted spoon ready to lift them out). Toss those in the sugar, as well. Discard remaining sugar mixture.

Eat immediately. Enjoy immensely.

notes:

Cut any pattern you like into the tortillas.

Feel free to use rolled-out flour tortilla dough if you can't find TortillaLand uncooked Tortillas.

This recipe can be easily increased or decreased - but they are best eaten while still warm or soon thereafter.

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*disclaimer: I received 3 free packs of TortillaLand Tortillas to do with as I pleased.  All thoughts and opinions stated in this post are 100% my own.

Cacahuates Oaxaqueños con Chile y Ajo (Oaxacan-Style Peanuts w/ Chile & Garlic)

About seven or eight years ago, my mom lived in a house with a pool.  The last house-with-a-pool that any one in my family has lived in since.  (She no longer lives there.  That seven or eight years ago was her last summer living there.)  So far.  Fingers crossed that that will change one day.  Soon.

The fourth of July from that year is one that sticks in my brain pretty insistently.  I'm sure it had alot to do with the fact that everybody's was at mom's that year.  My brother and sister.  My other sister and her kids.  Our whole crew plus mi suegro (father-in-law).  I think a few friends of the family even happened by.

Days spent in the pool are happy days.  I remember a Peanut Butter and ______ (fill in the blank: jam, honey, banana) assembly line.  Picnic table benches soaked by bums directly out of the water.  Cold lemonade.

Baguettes inspired by Passing Love by Jacqueline E. Luckett {book tour}

Passing Love

Author: Jacqueline E. Luckett
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing; original edition
Source: TLC Book Tours
soft cover: 320 pages

"foodie" elements:  Yes, though not in the forefront.  I found them woven deliciously throughout the story.  Food is definitely a supporting factor.

random excerpt:  Instead, she'd bought cheese, bread, chicken rubbed with tarragon, and crispy roasted potatoes from a vendor on rue de Buci.  She didn't care that the food was so basic, so American.  She cared that she spoke French when she ordered and the man at the deli complimented her simple sentences.  Straightforward entertaining seemed appropriate.  (p.287)

summary/synopsis (from TLC):  Nicole-Marie Handy has loved all things French since she was a child. After the death of her best friend, determined to get out of her rut, she goes to Paris, leaving behind a marriage proposal. While there, Nicole chances upon an old photo of her father—lovingly inscribed, in his hand, to a woman Nicole has never heard of. What starts as a vacation quickly becomes an unexpected adventure.

Moving back and forth in time between the sparkling Paris of today and the jazz-fueled city filled with expatriates in the 1950s, PASSING LOVE is the story of two women dealing with lost love, secrets, and betrayal . . . and how the City of Light may hold all the answers.

my thoughts/review:  I found myself drawn in by Luckett's use of Paris in the past and Paris in the present.  Through the use of two points of view (Nicole and Ruby) as well as letters tucked seamlessly into the chapters from important supporting characters and interesting historical fiction, she lifted me out of my comfortable chair and onto the streets of Paris (both in the 1950's and modern-day).

I also enjoyed the journey of self-discovery for both Nicole and Ruby as one discovered family secrets brought on by the other.  There's not a family out there without their secrets, and I think that's what makes their story relate-able...even if you're secrets are not the same.

And of course, I loved Luckett's use of food as a trigger of memories-from-home, such as when Ruby and Arnett walk from the club to rue de Seine and the Hôtel La Louisiane where the "scent of down-home cooking leaked from the lobby and into the street -- beans and rice, mustard greens, and hot grease that had fried one too many chickens".  Or Ruby's remembrances of New Orleans and their "lima beans with rice and ham hocks big as fists".

Don't worry, she also weaves the food of Paris into the novel, such as Nicole's view into a tiny, crowded terrace and restaurant on the streets of Paris... "Baked goods perfumed the air...diners sipped wine and coffee, and lunched on salads and sandwiches dripping with gooey cheese.  A mother sipped a beer with one hand and, with the other, rocked her child crackled in a car seat atop the bar".

I would recommend this to those who enjoy novels about food, romance, historical fiction, black history, and/or Paris.  It was a well-written novel.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.

about the author:  After leaving the corporate world, Jacqueline took a creative writing class on a dare, from herself, and began writing short stories and poetry and never looked back. Her essay, “Traveling with Ghosts,” was included in Best Women’s Travel Writing 2011. She is the author of two novels, Passing Love and Searching for Tina Turner.

further info: website | blog | facebook | twitter

I wanted to make something inspired by Passing Love, so I decided on something that I can't help but think of when I think of France...a Baguette.  This was the passage that sealed it...

Nicole lit a third cigarette and puffed until she was cloaked in smoke.  She paced, fluffed sofa pillows, rearranged guidebooks on the bookshelf, set dishes in the kitchen, poured a glass of rosé, slathered cheese on a baguette, contemplated the screeching birds, possibly bats, flapping in the night sky. (p.124)

Baguette

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Keywords: bake bread vegan

Ingredients (1 baguette)

• ¼ recipe Easy Artisan Dough
• cornmeal, white or yellow
• 2 c. HOT water

Instructions

Place dough onto a floured surface. Dust lightly with flour and have some more flour ready for your hands.

Working dough as little as possible, form into a 14-inch cylinder. Add more flour as needed. Smooth surface with your hands to get a soft skin that isn't sticky. Pinch seams together and pinch ends to a point.

Sprinkle a baking peel or cookie sheet without sides with a good amount of cornmeal and set cylinder of dough on top. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rest at room temperature for 40 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450° F after first 10 minutes of rise time. Place a baking stone in center of oven and a broiler pan on the bottom shelf.

Make three evenly spaced diagonal slahes, ~½" deep, across the baguette, using a serrated knife.

Working quickly, slide baguette off of peel and onto baking stone. Add HOT water to broiler pan (this is for steam) and quickly close the oven door.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until crust is golden (center of loaf will register at least 190° F). Cool on wire rack.

adapted from 200 Fast & Easy Artisan Breads

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WIN A COPY of PASSING LOVE

The publisher has graciously offered a copy of Passing Love to one of my readers.  If you'd like to win a copy, simply let me know in the comment section of this post.  Only those with shipping addresses in the USA or Canada are eligible to win.  Submissions due by 11:59 pm (Eastern) on Sunday, July 22.  I will draw a winner at random from those who entered.  Please make sure I have a way of contacting you!

Update (7/23/12): And the winner by random draw (numbered comments who wanted to win book in order received - my comments go bottom to top) is.... Cathy - Congratulations!

*I received a free copy of this book to review from the publisher.  All thoughts and opinions stated in this post are 100% mine.

I am sharing this post with:
Yeastspotting
BBD #52: French Bread hosted at Cindystar

Pan-Fried Eggs w/ Mixed Mushroom Sauté on Toasted Sourdough + Sunday Brunch by Betty Rosbottom {cookbook review}

Sunday Brunch: Simple, Delicious Recipes for Leisurely Mornings

author: Betty Rosbottom
publisher: Chronicle Books
photos: yes
soft cover: 129 pages

chapters/sections:  Introduction - Eggs, Eggs, Eggs - All-In-One: From the Oven - Hot off the Griddle - The Bread Basket - Fruits for All Seasons - Breakfast Complements - Drinks, Classic and New

fun features:  Tucked in the back of the book is The Brunch Planner.  It's just one page, but it combines recipes from the book to make menus for Holiday Brunches (Christmas Morning, New Year's Day, Easter Morning, Thanksgiving Weekend), Brunches for Every Season (self explanatory - seasonal menus), and Brunches with a Purpose (Kids in the Kitchen, Brunch for a Crowd, Brunch in a Hurry, Healthy).

(a few of the many) recipes destined for my kitchen:  Espresso-Scented Coffee Cake, Spicy Shrimp and Grits, Poached Eggs Asparagus and Chorizo, Sausage-Studded Cornbread, Poached Apricots and Greek Yogurt w/ Pistachios

my thoughts/review:  Although a small book, it packs a punch.  It has photos good enough to eat and menu-planning suggestions.  The chapters/sections all have an introduction page with notes and tips and teasers to get you excited for the recipes within.  Each recipe has a great introduction and an easy-to-use guide down the side that states serving size, prep time, start-to-finish time, and any notes (such as able to make ahead).  All of the ingredient lists are medium in size, but with fairly readily available ingredients...many of which may already be in your pantry.  I'm a fan of brunch, so I enjoyed this book. I think it would make a great hostess gift.

recipe(s) I have already tried:  The cover shot.  Pan-Fried Eggs w/ Mixed Mushroom Sauté on Toasted Sourdough.  As soon as the hubs laid eyes on it, he insisted on me making it.  Fine by me.  The kids don't like mushrooms, so it was a brunch for just he and I.  The earthiness of the mushroom and rosemary with that golden yellow yolk flowing through it was SO good.  The toasted sourdough was the perfect vehicle.

Pan-Fried Eggs & Mixed Mushroom Sauté on Toasted Sourdough

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Keywords: saute breakfast entree vegetarian bread eggs mushrooms

Ingredients (serves 4)

Mushroom Sauté:

• 1¼ oz. (35 g) mixed dried mushrooms
• 1½ c. (360 ml) boiling water
• 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 8 oz. (225 g) crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. dried crushed rosemary
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Toast and Eggs:

• 4 (½" / 12-mm thick) slices sourdough bread
• olive oil
• 2-4 Tbs. butter
• 4 eggs
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

for the mushroom sauté:

Place dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Let stand until softened, ~20 minutes. Line a sieve with a double-thickness of paper towels and set it over a clean bowl. Strain mushroom mixture, reserving liquid. Lift the mushrooms out and coarsely chop them. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium-sized, heavy frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add criminis and sauté, stirring often, for ~6 minutes. Add reserved mushrooms, garlic, rosemary, and some salt (~½ tsp.), stirring for about 1 minute. Add about half of the reserved mushroom liquid and cook, stirring until it has evaporated, ~5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed. Cover and set aside.

for the toast and eggs:

Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the slices of bread with olive oil. Add a pat of butter to the skillet, then set in the slices of bread once they melt. Toast until golden on one side, and then flip and repeat. Set toast aside, covered to keep warm.

Add ~2 Tbs. butter to the empty skillet set over medium heat. When butter begins to foam, break the eggs in (do this in a small bowl first, if you like, then slide into skillet). Reduce heat to low and cook, basting the eggs with the butter until whites are firm and yolks are soft and runny, ~3 minutes.

to assemble:

Set one piece of toast on each of four plates. Divide the mushroom mixture amongst the plates. Top each with an egg. Season with salt and pepper, if you wish. Enjoy!

slightly adapted from Sunday Brunch

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photo by Pete Perry circa 2008

about the author: Betty admits to being a picky eater "without an ounce of interest in food" as a kid.  But while in France with a French major planning to study the works of Molière, Rousseau, and Baudelair, she did what I would do - fell in love with the FOOD!  At the suggestion of her husband, after college she took cooking classes and studied cookbooks.  She then decided to teach cooking, herself.  She founded La Belle Pomme Cooking School in Columbus, Ohio and taught the majority of the classes along with great guest teachers (such as Jacques Pépin, Giuliano Bugialli, and Nina Simonds).  Today she is director of classes at the Different Drummer's Kitchen in Northampton, Mass.

Her teaching career led her to writing about cooking.  She's written for a nationally syndicated column called That's Entertaining, contributed to Bon Appetit Magazine, and written 10 cookbooks.  She is also the host for the PBS cooking show, On the Menu. For more, check out About Betty on her website (where I garnered these tidbits).

further info: website | blog | facebook

*I received a free copy of this book to review from the publisher.  All thoughts and opinions stated in this post are 100% mine.

I am sharing this post with:

Herbal Lemonade inspired by Thank You for Flying Air Zoe by Erik Atwell {book tour}

title: Thank You for Flying Air Zoe

author: Erik Atwell
publisher:  Booktrope Editions
book source: TLC Book Tours
"foodie" elements:  Hmmmm...minor mentions of food, but not a foodie-novel, per se.
soft cover: 258 pages

random excerpt:  Dwyer smiles and says, "These are my dear friends and Project Earth colleagues.  The lovely songbird with the guitar is Wind."
"Enchanted," Wind whispers.  Not even kidding.
"And this fellow here," Dwyer continues, "is her man, Earth."
"Pleasure to meet you," Earth says.
And now here it comes.
"Seriously?" Lo says, laughing.
"Lo, no." I say.
"Earth, Wind, and Dwyer?" Lo says, unable to help herself.
"Did I mention that my life is a freak show?" Flora says to Lo.  


(p.100 - Now, you may not get it just from reading this excerpt all by itself, but I guffawed pretty loudly when I read this little section.  I suppose you need to read what's leading up to it and know a little background, but I couldn't stop laughing and re-reading it a few times over.)

summary/synopsis:  Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fasten Seat Belt sign has been turned on, but feel free to ignore it, because sometimes life is best lived on its dizzy edges. Your cruising altitude today will be sky high, and you will be flying at staggering speeds as you travel alongside Zoe Tisdale, former Valley Girl and rock star turned bored butter saleswoman.

On the heels of a brush with mortality, Zoe concludes that she’s been letting time pass her by. Realizing she needs to awaken her life’s tired refrains, Zoe vows to recapture the one chapter of her life that truly mattered to her – her days as drummer for The Flip-Flops, a spirited, sassy all-girl garage band that almost hit the big time back in 1987. But reuniting the band won’t be easy. The girls who were once the whiz kid guitarist, the prom queen bass player, and the hippie lead singer grew up and became women who are now a reclusive dog trainer, a wealthy socialite, and a sociopathic environmentalist. Will Zoe bring the band back together and give The Flip-Flops a second chance at stardom? Is it possible to fully reclaim the urgent energy of youth?

As you follow this wild flight path, please know that your destination could be anywhere at all, complimentary oxygen is provided upon request, and baggage flies free. We hope you enjoy the ride, and Thank You For Flying Air Zoe.

my thoughts/review:  I give this book a solid - good.  It wasn't the most exciting book I've read, but it wasn't the worst, either.  And it wasn't one of those reads that I couldn't put down and just breezed through; it actually seemed to take me a loooooong time to finish.  The characters were interesting enough, but I always seem to have an issue when there is a female main character written by a man.  And this book had four main female characters - and was written by a man.  At risk of sounding like a reverse chauvinist, I don't think dudes quite get how to be a woman.  Maybe how they think a woman is...or should be.  But let's face it, these women were a bit of a fantasy.

BUT, that said, I enjoyed the story of going back to live out a dream you've had since you were young.  Though mine would not involve high school in any way, shape, or form.  I enjoyed some of the smart humor laced throughout the book (but some got tiring, such as Ginger's constant use of "wrong" words).  I liked the crumbs of food scattered through the pages (food's always enough to string me along).  I definitely enjoyed the music/band aspect and all of the '80's references.  I'm younger than these ladies, but not so young that I don't remember my elementary and junior high years (all of which fell in the '80's) - and music was a huge part of those years and probably my best memories.

So, overall, it was good.  I don't know who to recommend it to...I'm not sure which genre it falls into - fans of general fiction, I suppose.  It'd be a good read if you have a few solid blocks of free-time for reading like a long commute or a day at the pool or beach.

about the author: Erik Atwell started his writing career in grammar school, where a one page history class assignment ballooned into a forty page fictional account of a politically controversial silversmith in Boston circa 1776. Daring to follow up such an auspicious debut, he later graduated to short stories while living in New Hampshire, screenplays upon moving to Los Angeles, then finally novels when he ultimately landed in Seattle. He is currently gearing up to escape city life and return home to New Hampshire with his rock-star wife and eight month-old son, whose only musical claim to fame thus far is sleeping through an entire Go-Go’s concert. But in his defense, he was three weeks old, and the stage was a quarter-mile away. Thank You For Flying Air Zoe is his first novel, and he hopes to write a second novel before the little guy is old enough to read it.

And yes, he was once in a band. For twelve minutes.

It wasn’t pretty.

further info:  blog | facebook | twitter

recipe inspired by the book:  I went back and forth deciding what to make from this novel...where to draw my kitchen inspiration from.  There were a few mentions of food.  Enough to make me happy.  The most mentioned were blackberry crepes - which I was thisclose to making.  There was also reference to butter (Zoe was a butter saleswoman), breakfast in bed, granola and huckleberry pancakes, pastrami sandwiches, Kobe Tatataki w/ Garlic Ponzu, and Lobster Agnolotti w/ Mascarpone.  But this book was (or seemed) pretty centered around Summer.  And the band's name was The Flip-Flops.  Flip-Flops remind me of Summer.  Summer reminds me of lemonade.  There were also a couple of lemonade references in the book...from selling it as kids to surprising a guy with a thermos of it on a hot day as an adult.  It was lemonade all the way.  And in honor of peace-loving, hippie-chic Mel, I decided to make it Herbal Lemonade.  Something that may (should)  have been offered at a booth during Eco-Fest - the site of the first gig of the Flip-Flops reunion.

Herbal Lemonade

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 15 minutes + time to chill

Keywords: beverage vegetarian herbs lemons summer

Ingredients (1 quart)

• few sprigs fresh thyme (or other fresh herbs)
• water
• ~⅓ c. honey (or you could use agave nectar or superfine sugar)
• ½ c. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

Bring thyme (or your choice of herb*) and 2 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to steep for 6-8 minutes.

Strain water into a 1-quart jar. Stir in honey (or other sweetener) and lemon juice. Fill the jar up the remainder of the way with cold water. Chill.

Taste and adjust sweetness to taste.

Serve over ice, garnished with a thyme sprig (or herb you used) and lemon wedges or slices, if you wish.

*note:

Try this with other herbs such as rosemary, sage, basil, mint, or lavender.

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*I received a free copy of this book to review from the publisher.  All thoughts and opinions stated in this post are 100% mine.


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Herbs on Saturday: hosted at Bangers & Mash

Blackberry Lavender Popsicles

This week's Sunday Supper theme is Beat The Heat.  And just in case you breezed past the title of this post...or the first picture...I'll give you one guess as to how we beat the heat in our house.

Okay, I know you already know that I'm a little bit of a popsicle fanatic.  Little bit.  Unless, of course, this is your first visit to my little space.  In that case, I say welcome - pull up a lawn chair and have a popsicle!

Emerald Corn Soup

If ever there were a soup indicative of summer, this is it.  Fat, juicy kernels of sweet corn stripped from the cob.  Tomatillos hanging like little lanterns from the plant, just waiting to be removed from their papery husks.  The seductive heat of emerald  green poblanos mingling with the bright heat of jalapeños.

Yes.  That would be summer in a bowl.

I know, I know.  I can hear the grumbles now.  It's summer!  Why would I want soup in the summertime?  Well, durnitall.  If I've said it once, I've said it a million times - soup in the summer is a good thing!  Really, there are soups perfectly fitted for summer.

There are the obvious cold soups like gazpacho and vichyssoise.  But there are also thin, brothy soups (my favorite kind) that can make a satisfying meal without seeming heavy.  Especially if they pack a flavor punch and have goodies floating in the broth.  Oh yes.  And there are also soups with a bit of body that are perfectly satisfying and suitable to the heat.  They might be loaded with fresh seafood.  Or, like this one, they might thoroughly embrace the glorious vegetables of summer.  Plus, this isn't a labor-over-a-hot-stove kind of soup.

Soup and sandwich?  While perfectly fitted for the cold winter months or the chilly in-between months (if we ever get those anymore), can also be my favorite summer month meal.  Make it half a sandwich...remember we're thinking meals that aren't as heavy.

Am I convincing anyone?  Go ahead all ye soup-in-the-summer naysayers.  Give it a go.

Emerald Corn Soup

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 20-30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Keywords: simmer soup/stew vegetarian nut-free corn chiles tomatillos Mexican

Ingredients (serves 4-6 (~6 cups))

roasted tomatillo salsa:

• 14 oz. tomatillos, husked & rinsed
• 1 (~1 oz.) jalapeño or serrano, stemmed
• 1 small onion, peel & sliced into thick strips
• 3 fat garlic cloves, unpeeled
• water, as needed
• 1 tsp. salt
• palmful of cilantro, chopped

soup:

• 1 small onion, rough chop
• 1 large poblano, stemmed, seeded, rough chop
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 c. (from 3 ears corn) fresh corn kernels
• 2 c. roasted tomatillo salsa (see above)
• 2½ c. chicken stock or broth
• 2 Tbs. masa harina
• ¼ c. cold water
• salt, as needed

to garnish:

• cilantro, chopped
• corn tortillas, very thinly sliced & fried until crispy

Instructions

make the salsa (yield: 2 c.):

Heat a comal or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatillos, jalapeño, onion, and garlic. Toast them, turning occasionally, until they are soft and have splotchy black spots on them. Garlic and onion may get done first, simply remove them from the comal and continue cooking tomatillos and chile until done. Peel the garlic cloves and place them into the jar of a blender along with the other charred veggies. Blend until you have a smooth puree. You should about 2 cups; if you have less, add water to make 2 cups. Season with salt and stir in cilantro. Reserve salsa.

making the soup:

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and poblano and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, ~5 minutes. Scrape them into a blender jar. Add half of the corn and all of the reserved salsa. Blend to a smooth puree. Set a medium-mesh strainer over the soup pot and pour the mixture through.

Add the chicken stock to the blender jar and pulse a couple of times to get all of the flavor and goodness left behind. Pour this through the strainer, as well. Press down to get all of the liquid out. Discard solids.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

Combine masa harina and cold water in a small bowl, stirring until the masa harina is dissolved. Stir into the simmering soup. Allow to cook for another 5 minutes to thicken up a bit (to the consistency of a cream soup). Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in remaining corn and cook for another minute.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with some chopped cilantro. I also think that thinly sliced and fried tortilla strips would make the perfect garnish.

inspired by and adapted from Salsas That Cook

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IHCC theme: Soups and Sides