Slowcooker Cuban Pork

     I love using my crock-pot on aerobics nights.  It just makes life easier.  The only complaint I have about cooking in the crock-pot is that there is no crunch to anything.  Part of the reason I couldn't wait to make this Cuban Pork is because in addition to the shredded pork, there is a crunchy slaw that goes on top to give it more texture.  There's also a chipotle cream to spice things up.

     The pork smelled wonderful when it was cooking.  The rub that goes onto the pork is a combination of smokey, spicy, and sweet.  Then the pork is flavored by sweet orange juice and sour lime juice along with garlic and onions.  It makes for a sweet and smokey pork.  The pepper slaw adds a much needed crunch and the chipotle cream is both spicy and cool.  The entire combination is wrapped up in a tortilla and it's delicious.  There was also plenty left over for lunch the next day which is always a plus.

Slowcooker Cuban Pork (adapted from Elly Says Opa)
1 (2-3 lb.) pork roast
1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/4 t. cayenne
1/2 t. allspice
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 T. paprika
1 T. oregano
1 onion, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. honey
1/2 c. orange juice
2 limes, juiced
1/2 c. chicken broth
flour tortillas

For the Pepper Slaw:
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
2 small carrots, sliced into strips
2 T. lime juice
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped

For the Chipotle Cream:
1/2 c. light sour cream
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
2 t. lime juice
1 t. salt
1 t. cumin 

1.  Rub the pork roast all over with the mustard and oil. 

2.  In a small bowl combine the cayenne, allspice, garlic powder, cumin, salt, pepper, paprika, and oregano.  Mix well and rub all over the pork roast.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.

3.  In the morning heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place the pork roast in the skillet and brown on all sides.  Remove to the slow cooker.

4.  Place the onions and garlic on top of the pork.  Combine the honey, orange juice, lime juice, and chicken broth.  Pour the mixture into the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Shred the pork and allow to cook for 15 additional minutes.

5.  Meanwhile, combine all the ingredients for the pepper slaw in a bowl.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

6.  To make the chipotle cream, combine all ingredients in a food processor.  Mix well until combined.

7.  To serve place a large spoonful of pork in a tortilla.  Place the pepper slaw on top of the pork then top with chipotle cream.

This post linked to:
Totally Tasty Tuesdays, Tempt my Tummy Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesdays, Tasty Tuesdays, 

Cracker Jacks for Jessica's Virtual Baby Shower!

     One of my favorite things about being a food blogger is belonging to a wonderful community of women that have quickly become my friends.   So many of us talk everyday and share the wonderful things happening in our lives.  When I was asked by Joelen to participate in a baby shower for Jessica at The Jey of Cooking I was thrilled to say yes! 

      I love reading Jessica's posts on Facebook because they are often straight to the point and hilarious.  The girl definitely has a great sense of humor.  She also has a fabulous food blog that I often drool over.  Seriously, she has some amazing desserts on there.

     Jessica already has an adorable little boy and soon will be welcoming a baby girl to the family!  Baby girl is due in mid-October which is right around the same time as The World Series.   As Jessica is a HUGE Chicago Cubs fan, we thought it would be fun to throw her an All-Star Baby Shower.  I know that Jessica has been craving sweets during her pregnancy and I love nothing more then making a sweet treat so I wanted to make something to satisfy her sweet tooth.

     When I think about ball parks and baseballs games one of the first things that comes to mind are Cracker Jacks.  I love the sweetness of the caramel and the saltiness from the popcorn. This recipe brought the Cracker Jacks to a whole new level.  The homemade caramel sauce was amazing.  The Cracker Jacks were crunchy, sweet, salty, and addicting; everything a pregnant lady needs!  Congratulations to Jessica and her family and I can't wait to see the new addition!

Cracker Jacks (adapted from Savory Sweet Life )
3 bags microwaveable kettle corn
2 c. creme brulee whole almonds ( or 2 c. Spanish peanuts)
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. light corn syrup
2 t. sea salt
1/2 c. butter
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. baking soda

1.  Pop the kettle corn in the microwave according to the package directions.

2.  Open the bags and dump the popcorn into a clean brown grocery bag.  Toss the creme brulee almonds in the bag as well.  Set aside.

3.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  Spray 2 or 3 large cookie sheets with cooking spray.


4.  In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, sea salt, and butter.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

5.  Remove the caramel sauce from the heat and stir in the vanilla and baking soda.    Pour the caramel sauce into the brown paper bag on top of the popcorn.  Using a wooden spoon quickly mix the popcorn so that the caramel sauce is evenly distributed over the popcorn and nuts.


6.  Pour the popcorn onto the prepared baking sheets.  Using the wooden spoon make sure it is in a nice, even layer.

7.  Bake the popcorn in the oven for 45 minutes, stirring the popcorn every 15 minutes.

8.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Store in an air tight container.

This post linked to: 
Mouthwatering Mondays, Bulletin Board, Mangia Mondays, Meatless Mondays,  Crazy Sweet Tuesdays,Cast Party Wednesdays,

Beef and Vegetable Enchiladas #SundaySupper

    Once or twice a week we try to eat vegetarian meals.  It's easy when I'm using tofu to make the meal vegetarian but I often get stumped when using beans and other vegetables.  When I saw these enchiladas on Alida's blog I had a duh moment.  I've used beans and corn in my enchiladas before but I never thought to use spinach in a Mexican dish.

     I also had ground beef that I needed to use up this week so I added it to all the vegetables to make a hardy but healthier enchilada.  They were packed with vegetables and the homemade sauce is delicious.  I thought the spinach added a different texture to the enchiladas and also packed extra nutrients.  We enjoyed these and next time I'd like to try them without the beef.  I think the veggies and cheese could easily stand on their own.

   Beef and Vegetable Enchiladas (adapted from Alida's Kitchen)

For the Sauce: 

1 T. olive oil
1 t. ground cumin
1 t. chili powder

3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c. flour
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 ½ c. beef broth
¾  c. water
1 t. black pepper

For the Filling:

¾ lb. lean ground beef

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 c. shredded cheese, (I used a Mexican blend)
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (5 oz) can diced green chilies
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 c. frozen corn
1 t. ground cumin

½ t. black pepper

3 scallions, thinly sliced
8 tortillas

1.       Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2.        In a large skillet over medium high heat cook the ground beef and garlic until the beef is browned.  Remove from heat and spoon into a large mixing bowl.

3.       Add 1 cup of cheese, beans, diced chilies, spinach, corn, cumin, black pepper, and half of the scallions to the beef mixture.  Stir well and set aside.

4.       In a medium sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add in the cumin, chili powder, garlic, flour, and tomato paste.  Cook for 1 minute whisking constantly.  

5.       Whisk in the beef broth and water and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in the pepper.

6.       Pour half of the enchilada sauce into the filling mixture and stir well to combine.  

7.      Put several large tablespoons of the filling in the middle of each tortilla.  Fold in the sides and roll up.  Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.  

8.      Sprinkle the enchiladas with the remaining cheese and top with the sauce.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Join us around the family table this week for our #SundaySupper Mexican Fiesta - this is a party that you won't want to miss.  We hope to inspire you with these mouthwatering recipes from our talented contributors.  We will be sharing them all day long and would love for you to share your favorite Mexican and Mexican-inspired recipes during our #SundaySupper live chat at 7pm (Eastern).


Sopas (Soups), Ensaladas (Salads), and Entremeses (Starters)

• Chicken Tortilla Soup - The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen  
• Mexican Paint Soup - Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends  
• Jalapeño Popper Dip - Chocolate Moosey
• Vegan Tortilla Soup - Galactosemia in PDX
• Texas Caviar - Ruffles and Truffles
• Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeños w/ a Tequila Sunrise - Mama's Blissful Bites
• Mini Taco Salads -  Big Bear's Wife
• Mexican 7 Layer Dip & Chips - The Daily Dish Recipes 
• Stoplight Salsa Reisipe - Family Foodie

La Comida (the food)

• Tamales - A Family Tradition - Doggie at the Dinner Table  
• Fiesta in La Boca Enchiladas (Chicken & White Bean Enchiladas w/ Salsa Verde) - The Hand That Rocks the Ladle 
• Enmoladas (Chicken Mole Enchiladas) - The Meltaways
• Gluten-Free Chicken Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas for #SundaySupper - Cooking Underwriter  
• Mexican Fiesta for #SundaySupper: Chipotle Chicken & 3 Bean Quesadillas w/ Wasabi Guacamole and Mango Salsa - Chattering Kitchen  
• Quick and Easy Fiesta Rice - Granny's Down Home Southern Cooking  
• Carnitas - My Catholic Kitchen  
• Tamale Pie - Noshing with the Nolands  
• Eggs Motuleños - The Meltaways
• Grilled Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa - Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Carne Asada - Magnolia Days
• Carnitas Avocado Pizza with Chipotle Avocado Mayonnaise Drizzle - Damn Delicious
• Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans) - La Cocina de Leslie
• Puerco Pibil - girlichef
• BLT Quesadillas with Avocado Mayo - Cindy's Recipes and Writings  
• Chile Rellenos with Roasted Tomato Sauce - Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen 
• Tamales with Green Chili Sauce - Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Beef and Vegetable Enchiladas - Hezzi D's Books and Cooks
• Chicken Con Queso - Momma's Meals
• Baked Flautas - Home Cooking Memories
• Chunky Aztec Chocolate Granola - What Smells So Good? 
• Street Tacos Al Pastor - Sustainable Dad
• Shrimp Tacos - Pippi's in the Kitchen Again 
• Chiles Rellenos with Ranchero Sauce - The Little Ferraro Kitchen 
• Zippy Chipotle Shrimp & Mango Tostadas - Sue's Nutrition Buzz 
• Pork Tacos - Tora's Real Food
• Stuffed Sopapillas - Juanita's Cocina
• Chicken Fajitas - Cravings of a Lunatic
• Blue Crab Tacos - Pescetarian Journal
• Huevos Rancheros - Comfy Cuisine

Postres (desserts)

• Chocolate Cinnamon Flan - Vintage Kitchen Notes  
• Caramel Apple Enchiladas for a Mexican Fiesta #SundaySupper - In the Kitchen with KP
• Chilli Chocolate Truffles - Happy Baking Days
• Horchata Ice Cream & Churro Brownies - Kwistin's Favorites
• Empanadas - In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maureen 
• Plantain Fritters - From Fast Food to Fresh Food

Bebidas (beverages)

• Beer Margaritas - That Skinny Chick can bake 
• Hatch Chile Margarita - Shockingly Delicious
• Skinny & Spicy Watermelon Margaritas - I Run for Wine
• Refreshing Kiwi Lime Margarita - Mama Mommy Mom
• Wine Pairings for a Mexican Fiesta #SundaySupper - ENOFYLZ

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day (this coming Sunday, September 16) during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper  live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite recipes for a Mexican Fiesta! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat!  We’d also love to feature your Mexican Fiesta recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers.

This post linked to:
Scrumptious Sunday, Think Pink Sunday, 

Roasted Red Pepper Spread

     When I started canning last summer the very first recipe I flagged to make was a roasted red pepper spread.  I didn't get to make it last summer because the price of red peppers was way to expensive.  Last week when I was shopping at Martin's I found that they had a 3 pound bag of red peppers on sale for $5.00 which is a great price.  I immediately grabbed up two bags and came home to can.

     Imagine my disappointment when by the time I was ready to start it was over 90 degrees outside.  I was lucky that three days later the temperature went down in the 70's and I was able to finally make this spread.

     The color is a gorgeous, bright red.  The roasted red pepper flavors really comes through and the onions and garlic just add more flavor.  I tried it on a sandwich with avocado, bacon, and turkey.  It was the perfect accompaniment to the sandwich.  I can't wait to have this fresh spread in the middle of winter.

Roasted Red Pepper Spread (slightly adapted from Ball's Blue Book Guide to Preserving)
6 lbs. sweet red peppers (about 8)
1 pound tomatoes
4 large garlic cloves
1 onion
1 T. fresh parsley, minced
1 T.  fresh oregano, minced
1 T. sugar (if desired)
1 t. salt
1/2 c. champagne vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

2.  Prepare 5 half pint jars and the canner for canning.

3.  Cut the red peppers into quarters, removing the seeds.  Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the skin wrinkles and chars in spots.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

4.  Place the whole tomatoes, onion cut into quarters, and whole garlic cloves in a baking dish and roast for 20-30 minutes.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

5.  Peel the cooled red peppers and slice into strips.  Peel and seed the cooled tomatoes.  Cut into chunks.

6.  Peel the onion and garlic and mince.

7.  Place the red peppers, tomatoes, onions, and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth.  Pour into a large saucepan.

8.  Add the parsley, oregano, sugar, salt, and vinegar to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to prevent sticking.

9.  Reduce the heat and simmer until the spread thickens.

10.  Ladle the hot spread into hot half pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Put on the 2 piece lid and screw to finger tip tight.  Heat in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes with the lid on. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the water and let cool for 12 hours then check to make sure the lids have sealed. Store for up to 1 year.

This post linked to:
Seasonal Saturdays,

Individual Angel Food Cakes with Lemon Curd Filling and Topped with Vanilla Bean Frosting and Fresh Fruit

      I had a very difficult time deciding what to make as my birthday cake this year.  My husband was more then willing to buy me a cake but I'll be honest, I like the cakes that I make much better then what we can buy in stores around here.  I initially decided on a white cake filled with raspberry jam but two days before my birthday I saw THIS amazing cake on Sunny Side Up in San Diego. 

     I loved the look of the cake and that it was filled with lemon curd.  The fruit on top got me thinking that a lighter cake would pair nicely with both the fruit and lemon curd.  I immediately thought that an angel food cake would be perfect for this recipe.  I've never made a homemade angel food cake before but I was up for the challenge.

     It turns out that making an angel food cake is very simple it only requires a lot of beating of the egg whites.  I ended up cooking it in a 9 inch round pan.  After it cooled I used a biscuit cutter to cut out 3 inch rounds.  I then sliced them in half and filled them with lemon curd.  Because they were individual size, I couldn't put different types of fruit on top of each, so I put one type of fruit on each.

    They ended up looking gorgeous!  I think these are probably the best looking cakes I've ever eaten.  I liked how light and fluffy the cake was compared to the thickness of the frosting.  The fruit was refreshing on top and the lemon curd added a tartness to the cakes.

   We had a few friends over for my birthday and we all finished our individual cake and they received rave reviews.  I loved these cakes and surprisingly they took less then 2 hours to put together!  While my mother wasn't around to taste them, she's already requested them for her next birthday.

Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd Filling (adapted from Skip to My Lou)
1 c. flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
8 large egg whites (reserve egg yolks for making the lemon curd)
1 1/4 t. cream of tartar
1/4 t. salt
1 t. vanilla

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 inch round springform cake pan with cooking spray and set aside.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the egg whites and cream of tartar.  Mix at high speed until soft peaks form.

3.  Add in 1 cup of the sugar a few tablespoons at a time until stiff peaks form.

4.  In a small bowl combine the flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt.  Fold the flour mixture into the egg whites 1/4 cup at a time.  Once it is combined, fold in the vanilla.

5.  Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6.  Remove from oven and turn the cake pan on its side on a wire rack to cool.

7.  Once completely cooled run a knife around the edges and then release the bottom of the springform pan. 

Vanilla Bean Swiss Meringue Frosting (adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours)
1 c. sugar
4 egg whites
3 sticks butter, softened
1 T. vanilla
1 vanilla bean

1.   Place the sugar and egg whites for the frosting in a large heatproof bowl and fit the bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Whisk constantly until it feels hot to the touch and the sugar is dissolved.  Remove the bowl from heat.

2.   Pour the sugar mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for 5 minutes or until it is cooled.  Add in the butter a stick at a time, beating until smooth.  Once all the butter is mixed in, beat the buttercream on high for 8-10 minutes.

3.  Gradually add in the vanilla.  Scrape the insides out of the vanilla bean and add them as well.  The resulting buttercream should be white and shiny.

Assembling the Cake (inspired by Sunny Side Up in San Diego)
1 angel food cake
1 c. lemon curd 
2 c. vanilla bean frosting
Assorted fresh fruits (I used cherries, strawberries, kiwi, peaches, and blueberries)


1.  Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut 5 rounds from the angel food cake and place on a cutting board.  Reserve the scraps of the angel food cake for making a trifle (Use angel food cake in place of vanilla cake is THIS recipe).

2.  Using a serrated knife, cut the angel food cake round in half.  Gently place the top of each cake above the bottom.

3.  Fit a pastry bag with a star tip and fill with vanilla bean frosting.  Pipe and edge of frosting around the cut side of each angel food cake.  Fill the outline with lemon curd.  Carefully place the top of each cake on the lemon curd filling. 

4.  Still using the star tip,  pipe frosting in long stripes from the bottom of the cake to the top, going around the entire cake.  Repeat with remaining 4 cakes.  

5.  Pipe a circle of frosting around the top of each individual cake.  Fill the top of the cake with one type of fruit. Glaze with a combination of honey and lemon juice if desired.  

 This post linked to:
Foodie Friday, Foodtastic Friday,  Shine on Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Gingerbread Sweet Saturday, 

Guest Post: Amber Polo author of Released: The Shapeshifters Library

     Food? I write about dog-shifters, books, libraries, and book-burning werewolves?

So of course I write about food. The Shapeshifters’ Library has lots of yummy food.

In Liberty Cutter’s Shipsfeather Public Library there is lots of homemade cookies, cakes showing off the culinary arts of patrons and staff. Actually all that food is so tempting it causes Liberty some serious problems.

     Downstairs, below the public library is the Shapeshifters Library, a research library staffed by dog-shifter librarians and headmaster Chronus the Old English Sheepdog. They have coffee and muffins in their library. For meals they visit the cafeteria and two cafes. Starbarks serves liver frappes for when they’re in dog form and Starbooks offers books and mocha cappuccino when in human form.

     And then there’s Sybilla Dinzelbacher, sexy werewolf owner of La Bistro Bibliothéque, the town’s finest dining establishment housed in the rehabbed former public library which was burned by Sybilla’s werewolf pack, The Bistro’s food is to die for. Liberty loves the ginger-pumpkin ravioli appetizers and grilled salmon. Bibliothéque Flambé, Sybilla’s own version of cherries jubilee is their specialty.

     And more food – The big celebration is St. Nicholas Eve and the shifters celebrate in their traditional style with gingerkuchen and wassail.

     Just visiting this blog makes be hungry. So stop by the Shapeshifters’ Library and see what the shifters are cooking up.

 AUTHOR BIO:

A love of books drew Amber Polo into a career as a librarian. A greater love turned her into a writer.The Shapeshifters’ Library series is an urban fantasy filled with books, librarians and dogs and a library everyone will love.The mystical side of Sedona, AZ became the paranormal setting for her first novelRomancing Rebecca. One day a plane flew past her office window and she turned her pen to her own airpark backyard and Flying Free was the result. In addition to her two novels and short romantic fiction, she is proud of her self-produced , Relaxation One Breath at a Time a CD that uses her voice to teach relaxation to calm your body and mind and/or help you fall asleep.Relaxing the Writer: Guidebook to the Writer’s High offers hundreds of tips to help writers and readers relax. ample her writing and see why Midwest Book Review called her work “quirky” and “profound” (is that After living in seven states, she happily calls a small town in Arizona home.

Buy Links:  Amazon 

Where to find Amber: Wordshaping | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Pinterest | Google+

Sept 10 Hezzi D's Books & Cooks Review 

Sept 11 Bound To Astound Guest Post 

Sept 12 Aria's Dark Muse  Review
Sept 13 Nette's Bookshelf Excerpt

Sept 14Hezzi D's Books & Cooks  Guest Post 

Sept 15 Books, Etc. Review 
            The Wormhole Review/Author Inteview
Sept 16 Truth, Beauty, Freedom & Books Review 

Sept 17 A Simple Love of Reading  Guest Post

Chicken Gyros

    One thing I love about the warm weather is being able to grill out.  Grilling is such a healthy way to prepare food and it gives the food an incredible flavor.  If I could I'd grill everything from May until September.  Well, that's not entirely true.  I wouldn't grill it.  I only marinate the meal and get it ready, my husband does all the grilling in our house.

    I've been loving all these sandwiches and wraps I've been making lately.  They are a wonderful, filling dinner for days when it's too warm out to eat a hot meal.  My husband has been loving tzatziki sauce on his wraps so when I saw these chicken gyros I knew they would be a winner.

    I marinated them for several hours and the chicken absorbed all the flavors of the lemon, vinegar, and oregano.  It came off the grill dark on the outside and juicy inside.  We used light flatbread wraps instead of pitas and then piled them high with chicken, onions, lettuce, feta, and tzatziki.  They were delicious!



Chicken Gyros  (slightly adapted from Tide and Thyme)
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. olive oil
2 t. dried oregano
1 t. dried dill
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1 batch tzatziki sauce
sliced red onions
lettuce
feta cheese
4 flatbread wraps

1.  In a gallon size zip top bag combine the garlic cloves, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, dill, salt, and pepper.  Add the chicken to the bag and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. 

2.  Cook the chicken on the grill until it reaches 170 degrees internally.  Remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

3.  Cut the chicken into thin slices.  Layer the chicken, red onions, lettuce, feta, and tzatziki sauce on the flatwraps.  Roll them up and serve with additional tzatziki.

This post linked to:
Fantastic Thursday, Full Plate Thursday,  Tastetastic Thursday,

One Last Lie by Rob Kaufman

     Philip and Jonathan have had the perfect life together for ten years - fulfilling every dream except that of having a child. Along comes Angela, Philip’s college friend who apparently conquered her old demons of obesity and manic-depression.

     After reacquainting and becoming good friends, the three decide to have a child together through artificial insemination of Jonathan’s sperm.

     From that point, Philip and Jonathan’s idyllic life begins to unravel. Angela’s mask of deceit gradually slips as her pregnancy awakens psychological and physical problems, leaving Philip and Jonathan regretting ever allowing her into their lives.

      Told from an elderly Jonathan’s hospital bed, Angela’s tangled web unwinds into heartbreak, deception, legal battles, and finally murder – with a surprise ending no one could have ever imagined.  (synopsis from Goodreads)

     The story begins with Jonathan, old, alone, and miserable, he is living is a home for elderly adults.  He is more then ready to die but when his nurse tells him that he has a surprise visitor coming the next day Jonathan can't even begin to imagine who it would be.  He begins thinking back on his life and we see flashbacks of his life with Philip from the very beginning.

     Jonathan and Philip are both loveable characters who are totally in love and deeply devoted to each other.  Their lives seem almost perfect; they have love, they have a gorgeous home, and they both have amazing jobs.  The only thing missing from their lives is a baby but that dream was gone once Philip found out he had cancer and received radiation treatments that left him sterile.

     Then Philip's college friend Angela enters the picture.  She has lost a ton of weight and is now beautiful, funny, and the perfect friend to both men.  After spending many months together going to dinner, hanging out, and getting to know each other again, the three decided to have a child together.  It seems like the perfect solution to the one thing all three of them want.

     But after Angela gets pregnant everything changes.  Her true colors begin showing and soon Jonathan and Philip are worried that the woman carrying their baby may be seriously crazy.   As the months creep along Angela gets meaner and needier until something finally snaps.

     I could not stand Angela from the beginning.  She was mean to her friends, awful to her boyfriend, and seemed to care about no one but herself.  The fact that she played the part of sweet and innocent Angela in front of Jonathan and Philip infuriated me.  I knew that there was something sneaky about her but when I found out what she was really up to I hated her even more.

    The characters in this book had very clearly defined personalities which made them easy to like or hate.  The fact that Angela is somewhat crazy added an air of suspense to the novel because I never knew what she was thinking or what she might do next.  She was unpredictable which was both exciting and nerve-wracking.  

     The one thing I had difficulty with in this novel was the shift between past and present as well as the shift between the time periods in the past.  It jumped around a lot which was confusing at times.  Otherwise I really enjoyed this suspenseful novel and the twist at the end was just crazy enough to be believable. 

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

ABOUT ROB KAUFMAN

One Last Lie is Rob Kaufman’s second novel. This book made it through to the quarterfinals of Amazon’s Breakthrough Novel Awards and is currently receiving five-star reviews on websites like Amazon and GoodReads. Rob lives in Connecticut, writes whenever he can find the time and tries to “live in the moment” – though he admits, the older he gets, the more difficult that becomes.

You can visit Rob Kaufman’s website atwww.OneLastLie.com.

Visit him on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/OneLastLie

On Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/RobKaufmanCT

or on Goodreads at: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14624158-one-last-lie

This post linked to:
Review Party Wednesday,

Beef and Mushroom Potpie

    When I was at the market the other day I mistakenly bought 2 pounds of sirloin steak instead of 1 pound.  After making soup with half of it I was stuck wondering what I could make with the other half.  I didn't want to make another soup and we just had stir fry so that was out too.  I rummaged around in my purple folder filled with clipped magazine recipes and came up with beef and mushroom potpie.  Turns out I had half a container of mushrooms that needed cooked as well so this killed two birds with one stone.

      Now I'm not a huge potpie person.  I think they are very filling and often the vegetables are very mushy inside which isn't too appealing.  I also despise peas which come in just about every potpie I've ever eaten.  When I mentioned to Frank that's what I was making he smiled and commented that he was just thinking about potpies;  it must have been fate.

      The pot pie has a lot of vegetables in it which I really liked.  I thought the gravy was well seasoned and had a great flavor as well.  The vegetables were tender but not mushy.  The top is made out of crescent rolls instead of a pie crust which I loved.  The flaky topping was delicious.  The entire combination made for great comfort food on a cold, rainy night.

Beef and Mushroom Potpie  (adapted from Taste of Home Magazine)
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
3/4 lb. sirloin steak, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 T. olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
2 c. frozen peas and carrots medley
1/4 c. red wine
2 T. ketchup
1 t. black pepper
1 T. cornstarch
3/4 c. low fat sour cream
1 c. mushroom gravy (jar or homemade)
1 tube (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls

1.  Poke holes in the potato and place it in a microwave safe dish.  Cook on high for 7 minutes.  Allow to cool.  Peel and cube.

3.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.   Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking spray. 

2.  In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Saute the sirloin cubes until they are browned on all sides.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

3.  In the same skillet sauce the onion, garlic, and mushrooms for 5 minutes.  Add in the carrots, peas, ketchup, and pepper.  Stir well.

4.  Stir in the wine and cook for 3 minutes.

5.  In a small bowl combine the cornstarch, sour cream, and gravy.  Slowly stir the gravy mixture into the vegetables in the pan.  Add in the potatoes and beef and mix well to combine.

6.  Pour the beef and vegetable mixture into the prepared pan.

7.  Remove the crescent roll dough from the tube and cut into 16 slices.  Then cut each slice in half.  Arrange the dough on top of the beef mixture.

8.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown.

This post linked to:
What's Cooking Wednesday, Cast Party Wednesday, Whatcha Whipped Up?, Recipe Box Wednesday,Wonderful Food Wednesday,

Mozzarella Stuffed Mushrooms for Secret Recipe Club

     Every month when I receive my blog for the Secret Recipe Club I immediately look through the main dishes and desserts.  These are most commonly what I choose to make from each blog.  This month I challenged myself to make a vegetable side dish because I'm so tired of the ones I currently make.

     I received the blog What's Brewing in the Kitchen which is written by Zach and Amy.  I was excited to receive this blog because Amy is part of my online cooking board and I love getting to chose recipes from people I know.  When looking through their blog the one recipe I kept coming back to was the stuffed mushrooms.  I thought they would be great as a side dish to the French Onion Pork Chops I was making and it turned out I was right.

     One thing I really liked about this recipe is that they are vegetarian stuffed mushrooms.  Too many times mushrooms are stuffed with crab or bacon but I like my vegetable side dishes to be filled with vegetables and these fit the bill.  They can also be used as an appetizer which makes them a great recipe to have in my collection.

     The mushrooms are stuffed with a combination of breadcrumbs, chopped mushrooms, herbs, and cheese.  The mushrooms really soften up in the oven and the filling stays together so it's easy to eat these in a few bites.  They were delicious and I can't wait to make them again!

Mozzarella Stuffed Mushrooms (slightly adapted from What's Brewing in the Kitchen)
1/4 c. minced shallots
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. button mushrooms
1/4 c. breadcrumbs
1 t. dried parsley
1/2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 t. olive oil
1 t. water
1 t. balsamic vinegar

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Heat a small skillet over medium high heat.   Spray the skillet with cooking spray and add in the shallots and garlic.  Saute for 2-3 minutes or until they are tender.  Remove to a medium mixing bowl.

3.  Wash the mushrooms and then remove the stems.  Chop the stems into small pieces.  Add the chopped mushroom stems to the shallot mixture.  Add in the breadcrumbs, parsley, salt, pepper, and mozzarella cheese.  Mix until well blended.

4.  Add in the olive oil, water, and balsamic vinegar and stir well.

5.  Place the mushroom caps on a baking sheet.  Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling into each cap.

6.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the filling begins to brown and the cheese is melted.

This post linked to:
 Tasty Tuesdays, Trick or Treat Tuesdays, Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays, Totally Tasty Tuesdays,

Released (The Shapeshifters' Library #1) by Amber Polo and Giveaway!

     Love dogs? Love books? Love libraries? Hate Book-burning werewolves?

     Once long ago the Shipsfeather Academy was a training ground for an ancient race of dog-shifters whose mission was to protect the world’s knowledge. A powerful curse sealed these librarians in the basement of their building and gave the control of the town to a pack of book-burning werewolves.

     Librarian Liberty Cutter watches in horror as the town’s public library goes up in flames and plans to re-establish the library in the abandoned Shipsfeather Academy building. Chronus, the Old English Sheepdog headmaster of the academy and leader of the dog-shifters, knows he must make some changes to continue to keep his pack safe. But even if he could persuade Liberty to believe in a talking sheepdog, how far can she be trusted? And will she ever be able to care for him as a man. He has to try, because Liberty Cutter and her staff of zany librarians may hold the key to the dog-shifters’ freedom…and the future of the town. (-synopsis from Goodreads)

     This is a fun book about shapeshifters, werewolves, and librarians.  It's an unusual mix of characters but it seems to work in this book.  The shapeshifters come from a long line of librarians while the werewolves come from a line of book burners.  The human librarians get caught in the middle of an ancient feud in this novel.

     I had some difficulty getting into the book initially.  There were a lot of characters and I didn't quite understand what the connection was between the characters.  After about the first fifty pages or so it all began to come together and I flew through the rest of the book.

     Liberty, the main character, is a librarian determined to go the extra mile to have her new library be a show piece full of every book imaginable.  Unfortunately, once the new library is open someone begins to steal the books.  This is when Chronus, a shapeshifting sheepdog, enters the picture.  He reveals himself to Liberty and the two begin to work together to stop the book burning, and book stealing, werewolves.

     On top of the situation with the stolen library books, Liberty learns that Chronus and the other shifting dogs are trapped in the library by a curse werewolf pack leader Elsie put on them.  The werewolves will stop at nothing to make sure the dogs aren't able to break the curse.  This includes fires, fights, and plotting against both Liberty and the shifters.

     While the fight between the evil werewolves and the librarian dog shifters is the main theme the book does have something for everyone.  The budding romance between Chronus and Liberty is sweet and fun.  The "Dewey Speak" that comes from the human librarians adds some humor to the tense situations in the book. 

     I think anyone who is a fan of books, dogs, and the paranormal would enjoy reading this book.

I give this book 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

**Giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada**

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post linked to:
Review Party wednesday,