12:38 p.m. - 2009-02-23
READIN' AND EATIN'
Hey Kids, the snow stopped!!!!!
I think we got over 12 inches over the weekend. RH (Retired husband) has been out snowblowing a few times in the past few days. The sky is still overcast and there are still flakes coming down but the snow advisory has been lifted and traffic is moving again.
In fact, RH drove me to the library today. I finished 5 of the 8 books I checked out 2 weeks ago. I tried to get into the 6th book but I just couldn't get through the first chapter. I know chances are that the rest of the book would have been good but I didn't care enough to try. And the other two books were just not my taste...too much description.....first sentence was a paragraph long and way too much filthy talk in one and the other was so dry, I couldn't understand what the point was.....
So.....library day! Yes!
"Somebody" must have known I was coming in because I found the first one on the new fiction shelf.
FALLEN SKIES by Philippa Gregory. It's a book that is back in print! It is a "suspenseful story about the marriage of a wealthy war hero and an aspiring singer he barely knew."
THE BOLEYN INHERITANCE by Philippa Gregory. It's about 3 women.... Anne of Cleves who was the fourth wife of King Henry VIII. Katherine Howard becomes the fifth wife after her cousin, Anne is killed. And finally Jane Rochford who was a trusted friend of the other two women. "This book tells of a court ruled by the gallows and the three women who are involved."
GOLDENGROVE by Francine Prose. This novel is about a young girl who faces consequences after her older sister dies. She realizes over the summer that her parents can't help her because they are in the depths of their own grief. She goes through the aftermath on her own.
SCHOOLED by Anisha Lakhani. This is about a teacher who wants nothing more than to just teach. She soon realizes that the students and their parents are only interested in results. Good results....Papers written by high-priced college-educated tutors, not by the students at the private school where she teaches. She has to deal with the School Board, learning specialists and benefits given by the parents.
THE AMERICAN WIFE by Curtis Sittenfeld. This novel is about a woman who is married to a man who becomes President. It is somewhat based on Laura Bush as this women is a kind, bookish type who has to make her way through the smug confidence of her husband's political family.
and on the lighter side....
ROGUE by Danielle Steele. This will be a typical Steele story. Beautiful people, weathy lifestyle and star-crossed lovers, I expect.
and finally WHITE CHRISTMAS PIE by Wanda Brunstetter. This is a story about a young man who was abandoned as a young boy and raised by an Amish family. Now he isn't sure if he has chosen the right woman to be his wife.
So, only 7 books this time. A few of them are only about 300 pages so they won't take long to read.
And now on a different subject. I used to get the TASTE OF HOME magazine.
I don't usually cook this type of food from scratch but the pictures are tempting and the recipes are clearly described and sound delicious.
So anyway, a friend gave me a subscription for a Christmas gift. I got the first 2 issues at the same time. Last night I was looking through the magazines and I found this recipe...which I will be making after I get a few of the ingredients from the store this week.
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PEANUT BUTTER BANANA BREAD WITH.....CHOCOLATE CHIPS!!!!
Topping:
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Batter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz. ) cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
In a small bowl, stir the topping ingredients until crumbly; set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda and cinnamon and stir into the creamy mixture until just moistened.
Divide half the batter between two greased 8x4 loaf pans. Sprinkle half of the topping on each pan. Top with chocolate chips. Repeat the layers of batter and topping.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pans.
This makes 2 loaves with about 12 slices in each loaf.
My mouth is watering already!!!!!
