First Look: Earthsea Trilogy

I've never read anything by Ursula Le Guin, but I've heard good things. Combine that with my love of the Earthsea special and you get my new reading assignment.
Earthsea was originally published as three separate books, but managed to find them as a trilogy. It's wordy, but in a good way. The writing suits the story perfectly. It sucks me into a different time and place. The words linger with an exotic power that makes me yearn to be a part of the story of Ged, our hero. Now if only I was training to become the most powerful wizard of my time. Harry Potter, meet your predecessor.

First Look: The Maze Runner

A wonderful new collection to my ever expanding library. The YA section to be specific. The fisrt three chapters of The Maze Runner by James Dashner left me feeling awfully confused. And beyond curious. (Which I think was the point.)
If the cool picture on the front cover doesn't draw you in, perhaps the back cover will: A modern teenage boy wakes up in a prehistoric Mayan-esque setting and can only remember his first name? Sure, I'll bite.
I hungrily await the final chapter in what I hope will be an amazing book. If it's not, well... You all can look forward to a nice rant.

Be Excited!

So all of my insomniac nights on twitter have paid off. Kinda. Me and Terry, aka @TennesseeZombie, have been virtual singing on twitter stream. About zombies. And we have decided to write a Zombie Song Book. I know those other guys have written the Zombie Christmas Carols and Love Song Books, but we're better. And we pick better songs. We have a handful written already. Just thought I'd let you all know so you can be as excited as we are. Wish us luck!

Also, my first collection of poetry is almost ready to take to agents! If you're missing my poetry, check out my other blog http://www.libraryintheattic.com

Dinner Night, take 2

Ah! La cuisine française est magnifique. Avec ses petites portions et des mélanges bizarres, qui n'aimerait pas ce menu?

That's right, this week's Romantic Dinner was chock full of traditional French food. Have a look-see at the menu.

Appetizer: Roulade
2T parmesan cheese
1c soft goat cheese
2T assorted chopped herbs (I used mint, basil, and chives)
2T e.v.o.o.
Blend in a food processor and wrap in cooked or cured ham. Cut into pieces like sushi.

Salad: Salade de Tomates et Fromage, served with a warm Bacon Vinaigrette
The salad: tomatoes, cubed/balled mozzerella, basil, sauteed garlic
The vinaigrette: 3T oil; 2T vinegar; 1-3tsp brown sugar; 1/4tsp mustard; 1 pinch celery seed; 1/2T finely minced onion; 1T crumbled bacon. Wisk together over low heat.

Entree: Roasted Chicken with Dijon Sauce
3lbs chicken pieces with skin
1T oil
2 small shallots, thinly sliced
3/4c dry white wine
3/4c reduced sodium chicken broth
1/4c heavy cream
2T dijon mustard
1T finely chopped chives
1.Preheat oven @450 degrees
2. Pat chicken dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper
3. Heat oil in an oven proof pan until simmering
4.Brown chicken, skin side first
5. Put in oven for 15-20 minutes, skin side up
6.Plate chicken
7.Add shallots, wine, and broth to the pan, scraping up brown pieces, reduce by half (roughly 2-3 minutes)
8.Add cream. Boil until slightly thick (roughly 1-2 minutes)
9.Strain sauce and whisk in the rest.

Entremet: Melon au Jambon de bayonne brochette
(Or a fancy way of saying melon balls with ham on a skewer and lightly seared.)

Dessert: Flan
1 1/4c flour
2/3c sugar
4 eggs
4c milk
1tsp vanilla
1 pinch of salt
Butter to grease the pan
1.Preheat oven @425 degrees
2.Sift flour into a bowl, create a crater
3.Add sugar, salt, and beaten eggs into the center
4.Pour in milk, slowly, stirring as you go
5.Stir until smooth, add vanilla
6.Grease and flour deep pie pan, add batter
7. Bake for 45 minutes
8. Refrigerate until cool

So that was our delectable dinner. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. (And still am. Mmm... Flan.) If you would like pictures, go ahead and leave a comment. Also, there WILL NOT be a Romantic Gourmet Dinner Night next week. It's mine and hubby's birthday and we're going out of town for a couple days. Yes, we share the same birthday. And don't worry, tweethearts, I'll have my phone close at hand for awesome birthday updates.

Along Came a Spider- James Patterson

Before I start, just let me take a breather. That was like walking a marathon. Slow and tiring.

Now, before you bring out the tar and feathers, I'll say this: Patterson has good writing. Obviously. If he didn't, he would have 30 million books. But come on! You DO NOT need a new chapter after every "gasp" inducing event. When your book has, seriously, 89 chapters PLUS a prologue and epilogue, that when you know you need some sort of intervention. I've seen books of his with 126 chapters. Really? Do you really need that many? That just gives the reader more incentive to put your book down. "Oh, I read 8 chapters today. I don't care if Alex Cross is on the brink of solving the crime, I read 8 chapters today!" In all actuality, 8 chapters is roughly 20 pages.

Deep breath. Sorry for ranting. Ok, I'm not. But seriously?

The story was good. I felt it was really slow going, though. (It might have been due to all the chapter breaks...) And obviously Alex Cross comes out victorious because he's the star of 14 other books. If so many god forsaken chapters doesn't bother you as much as it did me, I suggest you read it. I know I'll be stalking my library for book 2, because I'm a little OCD about reading series? Serieses? Series'? Whatev. You get the point. Catch you suckers on the flip side. Peace.

Dinner Night redux: preview

Tomorrow is Sunday and that means it's time for another Romantic Gourmet Dinner Night! Who's excited? Bueller? Bueller?

Anyways... Tomorrow, we're going French with all traditional French food. Complete in 5, count them, 5 courses! But since I'm not big on cheese (I would make a terrible French woman) we will be skipping the tradtional cheese plate. Get over it.

So go out and get yourself a pair of fat pants and wait anxiously for Monday to come to get this food-tastic menu.

Je t'aime, francis!

Romantic Gourmet Dinner Night: take one

I was supposed to post this yesterday, but I was a little unwell. I know, right now you can't tell.
Ok, enough with the bad songs.
(Awesomely bad!)
But seriously. Yesterday was the 4th and I spent the day doing absolutely everything with no kind of substance whatsoever. Because it was freaking Independence Day.
And I know I promised pictures, but I somehow lost the cord to my camera and didn't think to take any with my phone. I'm gonna be a cool kid and say a big fat epic fail to that one.
Any who, the menu reads as follows:
Appetizer: Prosciutto and Feta wrapped Asparagus (guess the recipe for that- I dare ya.)

Salad: Spinach, Watermelon, and Mint Salad with homemade vinaigrette.
The salad:10 oz baby spinach leaves; 2c cubed, seeded watermelon; 1 sm red onion; 1c chopped, toasted pecans; 1c mint leaves, finely chopped.
The dressing:1c apple cidar vinegar; 1/4c worcestershire sauce; 1/2c vegetable oil; 1T sesame seeds; 1T poppy seeds; 1/4c white sugar. Now whisk.

Main dish: Vegetable Alfredo with sauteed broccoli, asparagus, and mushrooms

Dessert: Watermelon Oat Crumble
The crumble: 2c rolled oats; 1/2c lt. brown sugar; 1/8c honey; 1tsp cinnamon; 1c chopped pecans; 6c watermelon balls
Mix all but the watermelon and bake at 300 until golden brown. Turn off oven and let cool in oven about 10-15 mins. Serve watermelon in wide mouth glasses with crumble sprinkled over it. Drizzle with honey.

This meal was delish. And pretty easy. Perfect for summer and busy families. We had a Chardonnay and played Tchaicovsky over candle light. I went to bed fat and happy. Caesar would have loved me. And the oat crumble makes a lot. Have it for cereal in the morning. Bon apetit!

Let Me Run An Idea Past You...

My husband works a lot so we hardly ever get to see each other. And he's really into food. In an attempt to spend more time together, I suggested "Romantic Dinner Night."

Pretty much what'll happen is I will write out a menu (themed sometimes), lit some candles, play some music, and have a couples hours with my husband without tv, work, and other such things barging in.

The catch? It's going to be all gourmet food.

My question is: Would you all be interested in the menus? I can post them up here, complete with wine, music choices, and pictures, if you want. I know I'll be making a keepsake box of the menus and recipes. But hey, it's just a thought. Let me know what you think.

First Look: Along Came A spider

I've stayed away from James Patterson, not because I didn't like his books, but on principle. He has so many, always a thousand in a series, and I have always felt that he was grossly overrated.

My brother, however, told me I was being a hipster. And that's no bueno. So I went to the library, found James Patterson's Along Came A Spider (the first Alex Cross book), and started reading.

I still think Patterson is grossly overrated. Too many people have played him up in my mind, so I was a bit disappointed. But he writes well, and the story is starting to catch my interest.

Two questions remain: Do I think this book is worth it? Yes. Do I think James Patterson is the greatest writer of our time? No. But enough. I have more reading to do.